Web Accessibility Compliance for Non-EU Companies After the EAA (European Accessibility Act) Implementation and Proposal for UUU Services

What You’ll Learn in This Article

• Overview of the EAA Implementation (June 28, 2025) and its impact on Non-EU companies expanding into the European market
• The importance of web accessibility compliance and key legal requirements
• Features and benefits of the UUU Web Accessibility Service
• Alternative approaches (in-house measures or third-party tools) and why you should consult us first
• Concrete examples to illustrate easy-to-understand improvements

1. Background and Overview of the EAA Implementation

On June 28, 2025, the European Union’s new accessibility regulation, the European Accessibility Act (EAA), came into force. It mandates accessibility requirements so that electronic devices, software, and web services offered in the EU market are equally usable by people with disabilities and the elderly.

• Covered Products & Services: Websites, mobile apps, e-book readers, ATMs, online shopping platforms, etc.
• Compliance Level: At minimum, conform to WCAG 2.1 AA
• Risks of Non-Compliance: Market entry suspension, fines, and brand-image damage

While the EU previously advanced public-sector accessibility under the “Web Accessibility Directive (2016),” the EAA extends obligations to private companies and services. Non-EU firms operating in Europe must act swiftly to minimize risk and maintain competitiveness.

2. Key Challenges Faced by Non-EU Companies

1. Insufficient Scope Awareness

   • Global sites and multilingual pages are in scope
   • Subdomains targeting non-EU regions may still be monitored

2. Lack of Internal Resources & Governance

   • Shortage of accessibility specialists
   • Accessibility checks are not yet embedded in development and production workflows

3. Balancing Design and Usability

   • Optimize contrast and focus indicators without compromising brand identity
   • Ensure captions and audio descriptions for dynamic content and videos

4. Monitoring During Operation & Maintenance

   • Combine regular automated tests with user testing
   • Conduct accessibility regression checks on each version update

Ignoring these issues risks service suspension in the EU, hefty fines, and reputational damage from a CSR perspective.

3. Fundamental Web Accessibility Checklist

The first step is targeting WCAG 2.1 AA conformance. Use this checklist as a guideline:

• Text Alternatives: Always include alt attributes for images and icons
• Contrast Ratio: Maintain at least 4.5:1 for text against background
• Keyboard Operability: Ensure all features are usable via keyboard
• Heading Structure: Use HTML <h1>–<h6> logically
• Form Labels: Employ <label> elements with corresponding for attributes
• Dynamic Content: Use ARIA roles and properties for clarity
• Multimedia: Provide captions, sign-language interpretation, and audio descriptions

Implementing and verifying all of this from scratch requires high expertise and considerable effort.

4. Introducing UUU’s Web Accessibility Service

At UUU, we offer a one-stop professional service for web accessibility compliance:

• Implementation Consulting
  • EAA/WCAG requirements analysis
  • Current-state diagnostic report (automated checks + usability testing)
• Implementation Support
  • HTML/CSS/JavaScript fixes and optimization
  • Internal workshops to share knowledge
• Operation & Maintenance Support
  • Regular reporting and an online monitoring tool
  • Re-verification on each update

Benefits of Adopting UUU

1. Rapid response by expert teams
2. Predictable costs with fixed-price plans
3. Ongoing support post-implementation
4. Enhancement of CSR and brand reputation

5. Alternative Approaches and Why You Should Consult Us First

Even if a full UUU implementation seems difficult, we recommend a free consultation:

• Expert advice on in-house resource feasibility
• Phased implementation plans for budget distribution
• Recommendations for third-party tools or OSS
• Prioritization of urgent fixes and long-term improvements

A consultation alone clarifies your challenges and next steps, facilitating internal buy-in and budget approval.

6. Concrete Improvement Example

Before (Missing alt on an image link)

<a href="/news">
  <img src="news-banner.jpg">
</a>

After (Auto-added alt and aria-label)

<a href="/news" aria-label="Go to Latest News page">
  <img src="news-banner.jpg" alt="Latest News">
</a>

• aria-label: Clarifies the link’s purpose for screen‐reader users
• alt: Describes the image content for visually impaired users

Even small fixes like these add up to significant improvements.

7. Accessibility Evaluation and Considerations

We evaluate sites against WCAG 2.1 AA and Japan’s JIS X 8341-3:2016, reporting as follows:

• Comprehensive reports show conformance across A/AA/AAA levels at a glance
• Prioritized action items clearly mark urgent vs. long-term fixes

8. Target Audience and Benefits

• E-commerce Operators in the EU
  → Reduce legal risk and prevent customer churn
• Global Web Managers / Dev Leads
  → Optimize internal resources while leveraging expert insights
• SME & Startup Executives
  → Achieve cost-effective phased adoption and boost branding

9. Conclusion & Next Steps

1. The EAA, effective June 28, 2025, greatly impacts Non-EU companies
2. WCAG 2.1 AA conformance is the minimum requirement
3. UUU’s service ensures end-to-end support from implementation to maintenance
4. Start with a free consultation to identify your optimal compliance plan

Feel free to reach out! Let’s build inclusive websites together that serve every user.

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