What the European Accessibility Act envisages for websites in 2025

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TheEuropean Accessibility Act (EAA) represents a decisive breakthrough for digital accessibility in Europe. Enacted in April 2019 as Directive (EU) 2019/882 and transposed by Italy in May 2022, this legislation will come into force on June 28, 2025, forcing companies and organizations to make their websites and digital services accessible.

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The directive stems from the need to standardize European regulations and ensure that some 100 million Europeans with disabilities can access barrier-free digital services. For companies, this means adapting their websites to meet the accessibility requirements set by the legislation.

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Comparison with international standards on digital accessibility

Before examining the available solutions, it is important to understand how the EAA fits into the international landscape of accessibility regulations:

United States: ADA and Section 508

In the United States, digital accessibility is regulated mainly by:

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Although it does not explicitly mention websites (dates back to 1990), case law has interpreted it to include digital services as "places of public accommodation." Unlike the EAA, it does not provide specific technical guidelines.
• Section 508: Applies to federal agencies and organizations that receive federal funding. It was updated in 2017 to align with WCAG 2.0 standards.

Differences with the EAA: The U.S. approach is more based on legal contentions and less on detailed technical specifications. The EAA offers more precise guidelines and a broader scope.

Canada: Accessibility Act

Canada passed the Accessible Canada Act in 2019 with the goal of creating a barrier-free Canada by 2040.

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Differences with the EAA: The Canadian law has a more gradual approach focused on the participation of people with disabilities in the creation of standards.

United Kingdom: After Brexit

Post-Brexit, the UK has maintained accessibility requirements through the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

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Differences with EAA: Similar in approach but narrower in scope, mainly focused on the public sector.

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Who must comply with the EAA and what are the deadlines

The EAA applies to all economic operators providing digital services, with some exceptions:

• Microenterprises (fewer than 10 employees and annual turnover not exceeding EUR 2 million): fully exempt
• SMEs (fewer than 250 employees and annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million): may invoke "disproportionate burden"

Importantly, the directive applies to digital services placed on the market after June 28, 2025. For existing websites, it will be necessary to ensure accessibility if they undergo substantial changes after that date.

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Accessibility widgets: ready-made solutions vs. in-house development

When it comes to making a website EAA-compliant, companies essentially have two options: implement ready-made accessibility widgets or develop custom solutions in-house.

Internal development of accessibility solutions: pros and cons

Benefits of internal development:

• Full customization according to specific site requirements
• Seamless integration with existing architecture
• Total control over functionality and implementation

Disadvantages of internal development:

• Higher development and maintenance costs
• Need for specialized skills in web accessibility
• Longer implementation time (average 3-6 months)
• Risk of not covering all regulatory requirements
• Need for continuous updates as standards change

Ready-to-use accessibility widgets: the most efficient solution

Benefits of ready-to-use widgets:

• Rapid implementation (usually within a few days)
• Predictable and significantly lower costs than in-house development
• Immediate compliance with WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards
• Automatic updates as regulations evolve
• No need for specialized technical skills
• Dedicated technical support

Disadvantages of ready-to-use widgets:

• Limited customization compared to in-house developed solutions
• Potential impact on site performance if not properly optimized

Comparison of leading widget solutions for web accessibility

The market offers several EAA-compliant web accessibility widget solutions. We analyze and compare the three main ones: SkynetTechnologies, iubenda Accessibility, and UserWay.

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SkynetTechnologies: the leading solution for EAA-compliant web accessibility

Among the various solutions available on the market, SkynetTechnologies emerges as a leader in reliability, comprehensiveness and ease of implementation. This is the solution we use for our site.

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Main features of the accessibility widget:

1. Full compliance with WCAG 2.1 and anticipation of EAA requirements
2. Simple installation via a single line of JavaScript code
3. Customizable interface that fits the design of the site
4. Multi-language support with 30+ languages available, including Italian
5. Analytics dashboard to monitor the use of accessibility features
6. Certification of compliance with EAA included in the service
7. Automatic updates as regulations evolve

Advanced widget features

The widget of offers numerous features to improve the accessibility of Web sites:

• Integrated voice assistance for blind users
• Advanced contrast mode for visually impaired users
• Text resizing and character spacing options
• Simplified keyboard navigation
• Support for screen readers and assistive technologies
• Epilepsy mode to reduce animation and flash
• Improved readability for people with dyslexia
• Pointer lock for users with motor difficulties

iubenda Accessibility: an Italian solution for regulatory compliance

iubenda, known primarily for its GDPR and cookie compliance solutions, also offers a website accessibility widget.

Key features of iubenda Accessibility:

1. Integration with other compliance solutions (cookies, privacy policy)
2. Ease of implementation via unified dashboard
3. Legal support from experts in digital regulations
4. Italian documentation and local customer support
5. Regular updates as regulations evolve

Limitations of iubenda Accessibility:

• Newer and less mature solution than others
• More limited functionality than dedicated solutions
• Primary focus on legal compliance rather than user experience

UserWay: international widget with integrated AI

UserWay is one of the most widely used accessibility widgets internationally, with an artificial intelligence approach.

Key features of UserWay:

1. Automatic AI corrections for accessibility issues.
2. Large international customer base
3. Multilingual interface with support for over 40 languages
4. Periodic scanning of the site to detect problems
5. Integrated ADA and WCAG compliance audits

Limitations of UserWay:

• Limited Italian language support
• Higher prices for advanced features
• Less specialization on specific EU regulations

In-house development vs. ready-made solutions: practical considerations

While ready-made solutions offer immediacy and simplicity, some companies may consider in-house development of accessibility tools.

Internal development: a basic approach

The development of accessibility features can begin with simple but effective interventions. Here is an example of basic code to implement a high contrast button:

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javascript

// Esempio di funzione per alternare la modalità ad alto contrasto
function toggleHighContrast() {
 const body = document.body;
 body.classList.toggle('high-contrast');
 
 // Salva la preferenza dell'utente
 const isHighContrast = body.classList.contains('high-contrast');
 localStorage.setItem('highContrast', isHighContrast);
}

// CSS di base per la modalità alto contrasto
const style = document.createElement('style');
style.textContent = `
 body.high-contrast {
   background-color: black !important;
   color: white !important;
 }
 body.high-contrast a {
   color: yellow !important;
 }
 body.high-contrast button,
 body.high-contrast input {
   background-color: #333 !important;
   color: white !important;
   border: 1px solid white !important;
 }
`;
document.head.appendChild(style);

// Applicazione delle preferenze salvate
document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {
 if (localStorage.getItem('highContrast') === 'true') {
   document.body.classList.add('high-contrast');
 }
});

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This is just a small example of the many features required for full compliance. In-house development requires specialized expertise in web accessibility, in-depth knowledge of WCAG, and considerable time to implement all the functionality required by the EAA.

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SkynetTechnologies widget implementation: quick and easy

The process of implementing a compliance widget is generally quite simple and similar in most solutions on the market:

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1. Registration on the platform
2. Configuring accessibility options
3. Installation via a single line of JavaScript code
4. Customizing the visual appearance of the widget
5. Automatic compliance testing
6. Issuance of certificate of accessibility

The entire process takes less than 48 hours on average.

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Conclusion: why choose ready-to-use widgets for EAA

The adoption of ready-to-use accessibility widgets is the most efficient and cost-effective solution to comply with the European Accessibility Act by the June 28, 2025 deadline.

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For Italian companies that need to comply with the EAA, adopting a ready-to-use accessibility widget is not only a matter of regulatory compliance, but also represents:

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1. A competitive advantage in the digital marketplace
2. An opportunity to reach new customers (20% of the population has some form of disability)
3. An improveduser experience for all visitors
4. Significant savings over in-house development
5. Legal protection against possible litigation

Don't wait until the last minute to comply with the EAA: Find out today how you can make your website accessible and compliant with European regulations easily, quickly and inexpensively.

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FAQ on web accessibility and the European Accessibility Act

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What do I risk if I do not adapt my site to EAA by June 28, 2025?

Non-compliance with the EAA can result in administrative penalties, legal liability, and reputational damage. In addition, business opportunities are lost with the 20 percent of the population that has some form of disability.

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Do widgets slow down the loading of my site?

No, the widget is optimized not to affect site performance. It uses lazy loading techniques and takes up less than 100KB, with negligible impact on loading time.

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Can I customize the appearance of the widget to fit my brand?

Yes, there are extensive customization options, including colors, positioning and visible features, allowing seamless integration with your site's visual identity.

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Is the widget compatible with all CMSs?

Yes, the widget works with all major CMSs such as Webflow, Drupal, Shopify and custom platforms. Installation requires only the addition of one line of JavaScript code.

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How can I prove EAA compliance to the relevant authorities?

The major providers of these services offer a certificate of compliance and a customized accessibility statement that you can post on your site and present to authorities in case of audits.