A practical starting point
Accessibility rules: who needs to act, and how to start.
Why barriers matter
An unnamed button can block a screen-reader user. A checkout that needs a mouse can stop a keyboard user from buying. Accessibility helps people complete ordinary tasks independently.
Which rules might apply?
| Legal framework | Who should check it? |
|---|---|
| EU: European Accessibility Act (EAA) | The EAA covers specified products and consumer services, including online shops, consumer banking, e-books and electronic communications. National laws implement it; it does not cover every website in the same way. |
| Germany: BFSG | The BFSG implements the EAA in Germany. Check whether your product or consumer service is listed, which market you serve, and whether an exemption applies. An agency’s own brochure site and its client’s online shop can have different obligations. |
| Public sector: Web Accessibility Directive | Public bodies’ websites and mobile apps follow a separate EU framework and national implementing rules. A municipality should check its public-sector obligations, including accessibility statements and feedback mechanisms. |
Examples, not eligibility decisions
Consumer online shop: an e-commerce service may be covered; check the national law and exemptions.
Informational agency site: a brochure site alone is not automatically an EAA consumer service. Review any booking, selling or other covered services.
Small service business: a service-providing microenterprise may be exempt under the EAA/BFSG. Size alone does not settle every accessibility obligation.
Municipality: check public-sector rules rather than using a commercial microenterprise exemption.
A short eligibility checklist
- Identify your country, customers and service: public sector, consumer service or another activity.
- Check the applicable national law, covered categories and any documented exemption.
- List important journeys, pages, forms and documents; assign an owner and review date.
- Combine automated findings with keyboard, screen-reader and human evaluation; record fixes and retest.
The microenterprise service exemption
The definition requires fewer than 10 people AND either annual turnover no more than €2 million OR an annual balance sheet total no more than €2 million. Check the legal counting rules, including linked enterprises.
This exemption concerns microenterprises providing services. It is not a blanket exemption for products. Other laws, contracts and public-sector duties can still matter.
Dates and standards
The EAA/BFSG requirements apply from 28 June 2025 to covered products and services. Specific transitions exist; an older website does not get a blanket grace period simply because of its age.
For example, Germany’s BFSG allows unchanged service contracts signed before 28 June 2025 to continue until their agreed end, no later than 27 June 2030. This is not a general website deadline extension. BFSG § 38
WCAG 2.2 is the current W3C Recommendation. WCAG 3 is a draft (September 2026), not a replacement compliance target. WCAG-EM 2 is evaluation methodology (July 2026), not a new set of conformance requirements.
Use WCAG to guide technical work, then check the standard and version referenced by the applicable law or contract. EN 301 549 and legal requirements are not interchangeable with an automated WCAG scan.
How AccessiPulse helps you start
Scan a public page or a selected crawl with automated axe checks. Review priorities, affected elements, evidence where available and suggested fixes, then share a readable report with your client.
Check text contrast, control names and form labels first. After remediation, rerun the scan and recheck the affected journeys manually.
This report identifies automated accessibility findings. It does not establish legal compliance; manual evaluation is still needed.
Next, test complete journeys with a keyboard and screen reader: menus, forms, errors, checkout and signed-in states. Check whether image descriptions and instructions make sense, and involve people with disabilities.
Official references
References checked: 18 October 2026. Use the official sources to confirm your circumstances.