Guide contents
What the European Accessibility Act is
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is EU Directive 2019/882, transposed in Italy by Legislative Decree no. 82 of 27 May 2022, which extended the pre-existing Stanca Law (L. 4/2004) to the private sector, having previously applied almost solely to public administration. It became fully operational on 28 June 2025: from that date, many private companies offering digital products or services to consumers must guarantee accessibility for people with disabilities.
The aim is concrete, not merely ethical: according to the European Union, around 20% of the population has some form of disability that can make accessing digital content difficult. An accessible site lets these people — as well as older users, or those with temporary limitations — browse and interact without obstacles.
| Aspect | What the law says |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | EU Directive 2019/882, transposed in Italy by Legislative Decree 82/2022, extending the Stanca Law (L. 4/2004) to the private sector |
| Who is obliged | Private companies with more than 10 employees or annual turnover above 2 million euros, providing products or services to consumers |
| Required standard | WCAG 2.1 level AA — the international guidelines from the W3C |
| Penalties | From several thousand euros up to €40,000; for entities already covered by earlier rules, up to 5% of turnover |
| Concrete requirement | Accessibility statement: a public document, usually linked in the footer, describing the level of compliance |
| How to comply | Accessibility audit → roadmap of priority fixes → corrections → statement |
| The other side | An accessible site reaches the 20% of the population otherwise excluded, and improves browsing for everyone |
Who must comply (and who doesn't)
This is where most doubts arise, because a lot of confusion has circulated. In short: the obligation applies to private companies with more than 10 employees or an annual turnover above 2 million euro that provide digital products or services to the public. The only full exemption is reserved for micro-enterprises (fewer than 10 employees and turnover below 2 million).
Clearly within scope are: e-commerce and online sales services, sites and apps delivering consumer services, banking services, passenger transport with online booking, e-books and e-learning. An amateur blog or a purely showcase site of a micro-enterprise, on the other hand, stays out. If you're unsure of your position, a case-by-case check is the sensible move: legal responsibility lies with the company providing the service, not with the technical supplier.
What an "accessible site" means: WCAG 2.1
In technical terms, the reference point for accessibility is the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), the international guidelines developed by the W3C. The EAA requires compliance with WCAG 2.1 at level AA as the minimum standard. In Italy the technical reference standard is UNI CEI EN 301549.
In practice, an accessible site respects concrete principles: text with sufficient contrast against the background, content fully navigable by keyboard (without a mouse), images with alternative text for screen reader users, a clear structure with headings and landmarks, forms with readable labels, no dangerously flashing content. Many of these measures, incidentally, also improve SEO and the experience for all users, because they make the site more readable for Google too.
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Request an accessibility auditReal fines and deadlines
Penalties for non-compliance are administrative and, in Italy, range from a few thousand euro up to 40,000 euro; for entities already covered by earlier legislation they can reach up to 5% of turnover. Beyond fines, the concrete risk is exclusion from public tenders and funding that require compliance, plus possible litigation and reputational damage.
On deadlines, clarity is needed, because there has been some alarmism here too. For any site, app or service launched or substantially updated after 28 June 2025, the rules apply immediately. For services already active before that date a transition period runs until 28 June 2030 — but be careful: it's not a free pass to delay, and a substantial change triggers the obligation at once.
The accessibility statement
One of the most concrete requirements is the accessibility statement: a document, usually reachable via a link in the site footer, in which the company transparently describes the level of compliance of its site or app, any known issues and the adjustment plans. It must be kept up to date over time, including after redesigns or significant changes.
Alongside the statement, a feedback mechanism is required, allowing users with disabilities to report accessibility problems encountered while using the site. These are two elements that are simple to implement but that concretely demonstrate the company's commitment.
How to make your site compliant
The path to compliance follows orderly steps. The first is an accessibility audit: a technical analysis of the site that identifies all existing barriers against WCAG 2.1 AA. From there comes a roadmap of priority interventions — fixing contrast, heading structure, image alt text, keyboard navigation, form labels — with clear timelines and responsibilities.
Then come the actual technical remediation (on the site, the e-commerce or the app), publishing the accessibility statement and ongoing monitoring, because every new piece of content published must stay compliant. Beware of "magic" one-click solutions — automatic overlays that promise to make any site accessible at the press of a button: they rarely suffice on their own and don't replace proper work on the code. Designing accessible from the start, when building a new site, is always simpler and cheaper than chasing compliance later.
Not just a duty: an opportunity
Reducing accessibility to a mere formality is a mistake in perspective. An accessible site reaches a wider audience — that 20% of the population who would otherwise be excluded — improves the browsing experience for everyone, including older users, and strengthens the company's reputation as a business attentive to inclusion. Tellingly, over 70% of Italian SMEs are not yet compliant: those who adapt first stand out from competitors.
There's also an often underestimated benefit: accessibility is SEO-friendly. The practices that make a site accessible — clean structure, readable text, described images, tidy code — are the same ones Google rewards. Complying isn't just about avoiding a fine: it's about building a better site for everyone. If you want to know where to start, an audit is the first concrete step, and it costs a fraction of chasing an emergency later.