Tag: Inclusive Design

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is reshaping the digital landscape in the EU. At its core, the EAA aims to break down barriers. It ensures that products and services remain accessible to everyone, including millions of people with disabilities across the EU. This goes beyond using an accessibility checker. Businesses must embed accessibility into design thinking, from websites to all customer communications. A key challenge is perception. Many see the EAA’s requirements as broad, even though they remain comprehensive. As a result, many organizations fail to realize the EAA also applies to documents such as PDFs. Yet, PDFs remain critical to communication workflows.

The Cost of Non-Compliance Across EU Markets

While EU member states were required to transpose the EAA into national law by June 2022, the critical date is June 28, 2025, when full enforcement begins. This date marks when the EAA requirements become legally binding for countless businesses across the EU. The window for delaying serious action has effectively closed. Procrastination now carries significant risks, not just from a legal standpoint, but also in terms of market reach and brand perception.

Across Europe, the EAA is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It now carries a price tag on every website, mobile app, and PDF your company sends. Spain’s Ley 11/2023 tops the list with fines that scale up to €1 million per infringement, and it explicitly names electronic documents, obliging all outgoing PDFs to meet the PDF/UA tagging standard. Germany’s Barrierefreiheitsstsärkungsgesetz lets market-surveillance authorities impose penalties of €100 000 and even ban a product or service until it is accessible. Sweden will start handing out sanctions of up to 10 million SEK (~€870 000) for inaccessible e-commerce or banking interfaces when its new law takes effect on June 28th 2025. Similarly, in Finland, Traficom can now hand out fines up to €150 000. They can even escalate these daily until defects are fixed. Taken together, these moves make one thing clear: ignoring accessibility is no longer a technical oversight, but a severe financial risk for all companies operating within the EU. 

Overlooking Digital Accessibility? You’re Ignoring 15% of the Global Market

Even if your organization believes it falls outside the direct scope of the EAA, overlooking accessibility in your communication processes is a significant strategic oversight. In today’s interconnected world, inclusivity isn’t simply a moral imperative, it’s a powerful business driver. Consider the sheer potential of reaching the approximately 15% of the global population with disabilities. This is a substantial market segment, often excluded by inaccessible communication.

By proactively making your websites, PDF materials, social media content, and customer service channels accessible, you unlock a wealth of opportunities. 

• Imagine what could happen if every prospective customer could actually use your website, app, or documents without a struggle. Accessible design unlocks an entire segment of the market that might otherwise give up and look elsewhere. Simple steps like applying real heading tags or marking up lists properly can be the bridge that invites them in.
• Accessibility also earns loyalty. When people see that you’ve taken the time to add descriptive alt-text to images and graphs, they recognize a brand that genuinely cares. That kind of respect sticks – it turns first-time buyers into long-term advocates.
• And let’s be honest, in a crowded marketplace, “we’re easy for everyone to use” is a big differentiator. Companies that advertise their commitment to inclusive design attract customers who want to spend with businesses that share their values. Regular checks with an accessibility scanner or PDF-testing tool show you’re not only compliant today, but ready for whatever tomorrow’s standards require.
• Finally, what helps some helps all. Clear language, logical structure, and keyboard-friendly navigation are more than accessibility wins. They also boost SEO and usability for every visitor. Streamline the reading order, make that checkout flow effortless, and watch both your search ranking and your customer satisfaction rise together.

The Accessibility Gap Is Closing – But Not Evenly. European Accessibility Act Is On a Way to Change it

In just two years, the share of companies actively planning for accessible PDFs and digital communications has tripled. According to industry data, 66% of surveyed companies now have a roadmap for PDF/UA compliance, signalling a clear shift toward inclusive design. At the same time, many public-facing websites, especially in the Nordics, score high on WCAG compliance. This shows what’s possible when accessibility is treated as a strategic priority.

Yet the distance between early movers and the rest of the market is growing. An early 2025 AbilityNet survey found that just 11% of organizations feel confident they’ll meet the EAA deadline. For many, the challenge isn’t a lack of intent, it’s about knowing where to start and how to scale accessibility across documents, channels, and teams. That’s where experienced partners like Quertum can help – bridging the gap between legal requirements and real-world implementation with clear audits, hands-on remediation, and long-term support. As compliance becomes a baseline expectation, the companies that act now won’t just meet the standard, they’ll help set it.

The Urgency is Real: Take the Next Step Now Towards European Accessibility Act Compliance

The June 2025 deadline is here. Organizations that postpone action on the EAA risk legal penalties and, just as critically, the loss of a sizeable customer segment. Whether you’re starting or scaling, now is the time to move beyond acknowledgement. Embed accessibility — at minimum PDF/UA compliance and WCAG AA standards — into everyday processes and communications. Now is the moment to move beyond acknowledgement and weave accessibility – at minimum PDF/UA compliance and WCAG AA standards – into everyday processes and communications. Don’t just catch up – lead the way into a more inclusive digital future.

Future-Proof Your Business with Accessibility

The European Accessibility Act is not just another regulation — it’s a turning point for digital communication and customer experience across the EU. Companies that act now will avoid legal penalties, expand their market reach, and build stronger customer trust. Those that wait risk fines, reputational damage, and lost opportunities.

At Quertum, we help organizations move beyond compliance to create accessible, user-friendly, and future-ready digital communications. From PDF/UA remediation to full-scale accessibility strategies, our team ensures your business stays ahead of both regulators and competitors.

Contact us today to discuss how we can support your accessibility journey and prepare you for the EAA deadline with confidence.