The EEA: Raising the bar on accessibility

Across the waters, a change is brewing. Our neighbours in Europe will soon be under pressure to level up accessibility with the European Accessibility Act (EAA) due to take effect on 28^th June.

But as standards rise in Europe, should UK providers be stepping up their game to keep up with their European counterparts?

What’s new?

The new regulations are designed to standardise rules in the EU single market, with a focus on digital and electronic services. Historically, countries across Europe have abided by their own national laws, which varied. But now the incoming regulations will mean providers are required to meet a set of specific and harmonised standards.

The EAA also extends to private sector products and services, like e-commerce platforms, banking services, ATMs, ticketing services and so on. Previous rules only covered public sector sites.

The EAA makes use of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as a baseline for web and mobile content accessibility.

The WCAG (currently on version 2.2) cover best practice for digital accessibility and offer specific guidance on how to make sites or apps useable for those with differing needs. It covers things like colour contrast, navigability, compatibility with accessibility tools like screen readers. 

The EAA dos not set out specific technical standards like the WCAG does – but firms can use the WCAG 2.1 as a benchmark for what is expected. The EAA is expected to align with WCAG 2.2 (which was updated in 2023) in future versions.

Why does it matter for UK firms?

Although the EAA doesn’t directly impact firms doing business in the UK, here are a couple of reasons we think financial services shouldn’t wait for the waves to reach their shores.

1.        The Consumer Duty still applies

Under the Consumer Duty, firms should be working to deliver good outcomes for all customers. Providers must already be working to improve outcomes for customers with different abilities and different accessibility needs.

Accessibility isn’t a ‘nice-to-have’ – it’s an essential part of meeting the standards set by the Duty.

2.        It’s a cultural signal – not just a legal one

Europe’s direction of travel still influences customer expectations and business. Firms will have customers who interact with both EU and UK businesses and when standards raise in one market, ripples are often felt in others.

3.        Customer expectations

Customers who use companies who deal in the EU may notice changes and improvements. Expectations of what firms provide and how firms treat customers with differing needs may rise. Firms that are seen to lag behind could face reputational damage or lose a competitive edge.

Check your bearings

Even firms who are not required to comply with the EAA should already be aware of WCAG 2.1 – and updated guidelines were released in October 2023. Organisations will be expected to move towards hitting the WCAG 2.2 requirements, and in doing so will future proof their platforms as standards raise.  

But the WCAG is just a starting point. Accessibility goes much deeper than a set of rules.

As the EAA emerges across the channel – it’s time for UK firms to reflect on where the dial sits on accessibility at home.

What else can firms be doing?

Test on real users

Getting real, lived experiences is crucial to understanding how those with different needs use your services. Test on colleagues or customers.

Level up language

When providers write for those who may need extra support – everyone benefits. Remove jargon and simplify sentence structures.

Offer choice

Make sure there are multiple ways to access key information – for example via telephone, accessible PDF, captioned videos and webchat.