Starting on June 28, 2025, the European Union introduced new digital accessibility regulations under the European Accessibility Act (EAA). These regulations require all websites, mobile applications, and e-commerce platforms operating within the EU to comply with WCAG 2.1 AA standards.
While WCAG 2.2 was officially published in October 2023, and WCAG 3.0 is under development, the current binding standard referenced by EU law is WCAG 2.1 AA, as defined in the harmonized technical specification EN 301 549.
This ensures equal access for people with disabilities affecting vision, hearing, mobility, or cognitive functions. Failure to comply may result in financial penalties, loss of customers, and regulatory actions. Penalties may vary by country and include fines up to €3 million, business restrictions, or removal from the market.
Public institutions and local governments are also required to comply. This includes municipal websites, public procurement platforms, government apps, and citizen service portals.
The European Accessibility Act (EAA): New Obligations for E-commerce and more
Purpose and Scope of the Regulations
The EAA aims to eliminate technological barriers in digital services across key sectors such as e-commerce, online banking, and transportation. Starting June 2025, online platforms must ensure:
- Perceivability: Content is visible and understandable to users with various disabilities (e.g., alternative text for images, captions for videos).
- Operability: The website can be fully navigated and operated using only a keyboard, without a mouse.
- Understandability: Clear structure of headings, forms, and error messages in text form.
- Compatibility: Support for assistive technologies like screen readers and magnifiers.
These are based on the four foundational principles of WCAG: POUR (Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust).
WCAG & ADA Compliance Checklist
What are “success criteria”?
WCAG success criteria are a set of measurable rules used to determine whether a digital product is accessible for people with disabilities. These rules are part of the WCAG 2.1 AA standard, the current legal requirement under the European Accessibility Act (EAA) starting June 28, 2025.
For websites, this means ensuring that all interactive elements - forms, images, buttons, and navigation – can be:
- perceived (e.g. alt text, captions),
- operated (e.g. full keyboard control),
- understood (e.g. clear form errors),
- and compatible with assistive technology.
The EAA expects ongoing accessibility monitoring, not just a pre-launch checklist. Any change to the design, content, or code of your website can reintroduce compliance issues. That’s why businesses are expected to run regular audits to catch regressions and prove continuous compliance.
To help with that, Netkodo offers a free online WCAG 2.1 AA audit tool:
→ Run a free audit at netkodo.com/ada-wcag
This is the fastest way to check whether your site is at risk - and prepare for the upcoming legal obligations.
Most Common WCAG Violations Found on Websites
Based on audits we’ve performed across various websites (not limited to Shopify), the most frequent issues include:
- SC 1.1.1 – Missing alternative text on banners and product images,
- SC 1.4.3 – Insufficient color contrast on buttons, links, or pricing,
- SC 2.4.4 – Vague or generic link labels such as “Click here”,
- SC 3.3.1 – Forms that lack error messages or input descriptions.
What does it mean to meet WCAG 2.1 AA for online stores?
For e-commerce brands, meeting WCAG 2.1 AA means that product images, forms, buttons, and navigation must be accessible for users with disabilities. This includes keyboard navigation, readable colors, alt text, and clear error messages at checkout.
WCAG 2.1 AA checklist for websites and e-commerce businesses in the EU
To comply with the EU accessibility law (EAA 2025), your site must:
- Pass 50+ WCAG 2.1 AA success criteria,
- Be operable without a mouse,
- Provide skip links and proper tab order,
- Offer readable content for screen reader users,
- Include a published accessibility statement.
Who Is Affected?
The regulations apply to all entities offering digital services or products within the EU, regardless of the company’s country of registration. This includes both EU and non-EU companies operating within the Union.
Micro-enterprises (with fewer than 10 employees and annual turnover below €2 million) may be partially exempt, but are still encouraged to meet basic accessibility guidelines such as alt text, color contrast, and navigation logic.
The scope of EAA also applies to:
- Smartphones and mobile operating systems
- ATMs and ticket vending machines
- E-books and e-readers
- Online banking services
- Public sector portals and citizen service platforms
Legal source reference:
Free Website Accessibility Audit: Confirm Your Compliance in Minutes
Netkodo provides a free online accessibility audit through ADA / WCAG dedicated platform. This tool allows businesses, agencies, and e-commerce brands to instantly verify whether their websites meet WCAG 2.1 AA and EAA/ADA requirements.
How it works:
- Paste your website URL into the audit tool
- The scanner checks for over 50 accessibility compliance points (contrast, alt text, keyboard nav, structure)
- You receive a summary report with detected issues and a breakdown by WCAG criteria
- Option to download a legal-grade compliance statement draft
Confirm your site’s accessibility - check now if your website is prepared for users with disabilities and meets legal standards for accessibility.”
Built for brands asking “how to comply with WCAG 2.1 AA and ADA without a developer”
The audit is designed for:
- Shopify & WooCommerce storefronts
- any website, ecommerce and more using GTM
- Headless CMS platforms
- Government or public sector websites
- Marketing or service-based websites
- NGO and advocacy platforms are preparing for the June 2025 deadline
Netkodo’s audit is localized, structured by EU legal obligations, and ready to support further implementation work.
Why Choose Netkodo?
Netkodo helps businesses, digital agencies, and e-commerce brands meet growing legal and technical demands around accessibility.
We offer a full-stack approach: audit, report, remediation strategy, and optional implementation, with no plugin dependency.
Here’s why businesses trust Netkodo:
- Free Audit Tool – Our online scanner tests your website against all WCAG 2.1 AA success criteria.
- Actionable Reports – You receive a structured issue list, prioritized fixes, and guidance on next steps.
- No-code Testing – All scans are done externally; you don’t need to modify your site to run diagnostics.
- Implementation Support – We help you plan and execute remediation work (custom code, CMS, Shopify, headless).
- Legal Readiness—You will receive a compliance statement draft and report logs suitable for regulatory inspections (EAA/ADA).
- EU Focus – Our team understands local regulations, including Poland’s 2024 accessibility law aligned with EAA.
- Security & Privacy First – The audit is GDPR- and CCPA-compliant. No personal data is collected or stored.
WCAG 2.1 AA Fix & Validation Process for Websites
This process supports brands looking to fix ADA errors fast and generate a legally valid accessibility statement before the 2025 EAA deadline.
- Audit + issue mapping
- Accessibility fix implementation (code, theme, CMS)
- QA testing and regression testing
- Accessibility statement generation and version tracking
- Optional retesting and monthly monitoring
- Post-remediation audit & accessibility validation report – final check with updated statement and audit trail log.
Netkodo’s services are backed by technical expertise, legal context, and production-ready development capabilities - ideal for brands serious about digital accessibility.
Digital Accessibility Is a Competitive Advantage
The upcoming EAA regulations are a strategic opportunity. With over 80 million people in the EU living with some form of disability, accessible design opens your business to a broader market. Compliance is an ongoing operational standard. Businesses that treat accessibility as part of their operational standard gain long-term brand equity, legal security, and technical excellence.
FAQ – WCAG 2.1 AA, ADA & EAA Compliance for Websites and Online Stores
Q1: What does it mean to meet WCAG 2.1 AA for online stores?
Meeting WCAG 2.1 AA for e-commerce means ensuring your site is usable for customers with disabilities. This includes proper alt text on product images, accessible navigation, clear form labels at checkout, keyboard-only functionality, and visible focus indicators for interactive elements.
Q2: Which WCAG success criteria are most commonly violated in websites?
Websites (ex. ecommerces) often fail to meet:
- SC 1.1.1 – Missing ALT text on product banners or collection images
- SC 1.4.3 – Low contrast on buttons or promotional text
- SC 2.4.4 – Generic links like “click here”
- SC 3.3.1 – Forms without associated error messages
Q3: How can I check if my website meets WCAG 2.1 AA?
You can run a no-code accessibility scan using Netkodo’s free audit tool. It checks your store against over 50 success criteria and generates a compliance report - no theme editing or developer required.
Q4: Is my website compliant with the European Accessibility Act (EAA) coming in 2025?
If your website doesn’t meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards, then no. The EAA requires all digital service providers in the EU - including non-EU companies selling to EU customers - to comply by June 28, 2025. This includes screen reader support, contrast ratios, and a published accessibility statement.
Q5: What is the best way to fix WCAG 2.1 AA violations on my website?
Start with an audit, then prioritize high-impact issues like missing ALT tags, color contrast failures, and inaccessible forms. Work with a partner like Netkodo who can provide implementation support, QA testing, and a valid accessibility statement
