Accessibility of websites is no longer just an option, but a regulatory requirement involving public and private bodies across Europe.
With the entry into force of the Web Accessibility Act[1] on 28 June 2025, companies must adapt to ensure that their websites and applications are accessible to all users, including those with visual disabilities, motor, cognitive or other. This means not only complying with new laws, but also improving the user experience and usability of digital content.
Let’s take a closer look at the stakeholders and how to make the site accessible in the most effective way.
[1] The reference standards of the Accessibility Act:
- Legge Stanca (Legge n.4/2004)
- EU Directive 2016/2102
- Direttiva (UE) 2019/882- European Accessibility Act (EAA)
- WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)
Accessibility of a website:
Which companies are required?
The EAA involves a wide range of subjects, imposing obligations in particular for:
- All public and private companies providing public services
- all Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)
Micro-enterprises (companies with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover of less than EUR 2 million) are excluded.
This regulation represents a significant change, as it shifts the focus to the importance of digital inclusion also in the private sector. Companies that do not comply could not only incur penalties, but also compromise their reputation and accessibility in the digital marketplace.
Sanctions: what are the risks for companies?
Failure to comply with the rules on accessibility of websites could lead to significant economic consequences for businesses. In Italy, the designated control body is the AgID (Agency for Digital Italy), which has the power to impose penalties of up to 5% of the company’s turnover in case of non-compliance with the new directives.
Accessibility requirements for websites
For a website to be considered accessible, it must comply with the standards set by WCAG 2.1 level AA, which provide specific requirements in four key areas:
- Perceivability: all visual and textual elements must be comprehensible to every user. This includes, for example, the insertion of alternative text for images and videos so that they can be interpreted by screen-reading software;
- Operability: a website must be navigable without the use of a mouse, ensuring keyboard-accessible functionality and a consistent navigation structure;
- Comprehensibility: content must be written in a clear and simple way, avoiding technicalities and offering support for user input, such as suggestions and understandable error messages;
- Robustness: websites must be compatible with assistive technologies, such as screen readers, so that they can be correctly interpreted by all devices and software used by disabled users.
Please note that even after the entry into force of the EAA, the accessibility declaration will remain mandatory only for public administrations, while for the private sector it will be an implicit requirement for regulatory compliance.
The benefits of web accessibility
Complying with accessibility regulations is not just an obligation, but an opportunity to improve your online presence.
Google is giving more and more importance to WCAG-compliant sites, improving search engine rankings for those who comply with these standards.
Our solution: Accessibility by Design
To ensure that websites are accessible from the outset, our Agency has long adopted an Accessibility by Design approach, integrating accessibility from the earliest stages of development.
This means designing WCAG-compliant websites without the need for subsequent remedial action. Solutions include:
- Optimal contrast between text and background with a minimum ratio of 4.5:1 to ensure readability even for visually impaired users;
- Introduction of alternative text for images and videos, making multimedia content accessible to screen readers;
- Configuration of aria-label attributes to label interactive elements without text, such as buttons or module inputs;
- Toolbar for customizing the user experience that allows you to adjust contrast, font size and other accessibility parameters.
According to the same criteria, websites already online can also be made accessible.
Ensuring the accessibility of sites is a key step towards a more inclusive web. Timely adaptation not only avoids penalties, but improves the usability of your site, SEO ranking and overall user experience.
