WCAG legislation from 28 June 2025: What does it mean for you?

From 28 June 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) will come into force. This means that many business owners will be legally required to make their digital services, such as websites, webshops and apps, accessible to people with disabilities. In this blog, as an online agency, we explain what this legislation involves, who it applies to, what you need to arrange, and where you can find reliable information.

What does the new legislation involve?

The European Accessibility Act requires businesses to make their digital products and services accessible in line with the WCAG 2.1 guidelines, level AA. These guidelines were drawn up to make websites and apps more usable for people with, for example, a visual, auditory, motor or cognitive disability.

In practice, this means your website or app must:

Be fully navigable using only a keyboard.
Have text with sufficient contrast against the background.
Include alt text for images.
Work well with screen readers.
Have clear headings and structure.

Who does the obligation apply to?

The new regulation applies to a wide range of businesses offering digital services, such as:

Webshops
Online banking
Streaming services
E-books
Public transport apps

Small businesses are exempt, but note: the exemption only applies if you:

Have fewer than 10 employees,
Have an annual turnover of less than €2 million,
And adapting your digital services would constitute a disproportionate burden.

You can read more about this on the website of the Dutch government (Rijksoverheid).

What do you need to arrange as a business owner?

Adapt your website or app
Make sure your digital platform complies with WCAG 2.1 level AA. This sometimes requires technical adjustments and design updates. Think of better contrast, correct semantic HTML and good keyboard navigation.
Draw up an accessibility statement
This is a document in which you state to what extent your site or app already meets the accessibility requirements and which improvement actions you plan to take. An accessible tool for this can be found at Toegankelijkheidsverklaring.nl.
Make your customer service accessible
In addition to telephone contact, offer other forms of communication such as email, chat or text relay for people with hearing impairments.
Have your website tested regularly
Schedule periodic audits by an expert or use handy tools yourself. This way, you avoid surprises and stay compliant with the law.

You can find more explanation of exactly what you need to do as a business owner in this guide from Digitale Overheid.

How do you check whether your website complies?

There are various free tools that help you quickly get a first impression of your website's accessibility:

Want to test it properly? Combine these tools with manual tests. For example, try using your website with only the keyboard or with a screen reader such as NVDA or VoiceOver.

Where can you find the regulations and more information?

You can find reliable information on the following government websites, among others:

Why is this important?

Besides being legally required to meet the accessibility standards from 28 June 2025, it also offers you benefits as a business owner:

You reach a larger target audience (around 4 million people in the Netherlands live with a disability).
Your website becomes more findable (SEO).
Usability improves for everyone.
You demonstrate socially responsible entrepreneurship.

An accessible website is therefore not only mandatory, but also smart.

Need help making your website or app accessible?

As an online agency, we specialise in digital accessibility. We help business owners like you with:

Accessibility audits
WCAG-compliant adjustments
Content optimisation
Drawing up an accessibility statement

Want to know where you stand and what you need to do to comply with the law? Get in touch with us, without any obligation.

WCAG legislation — what accessibility means for your website