E-commerce
Online shops and other consumer e-commerce services can fall within the European Accessibility Act framework.
Accessibility knowledge
Digital accessibility is more than good practice
Depending on your organisation and the services you provide, accessibility may be a legal requirement as well as an important part of serving customers fairly.
Widget
Support your visitors
Give visitors useful controls that help personalise how they experience your website.
AAI Business
Find it. Fix it. Prove it.
Assess the underlying website, organise remediation, test changes and retain evidence of the accessibility work undertaken.
Important distinction
An accessibility widget is not a compliance certificate
A Widget can provide valuable personalisation tools for visitors. It cannot by itself repair inaccessible HTML, missing labels, keyboard traps, inaccessible forms, poorly structured documents or inaccessible customer journeys.
Those barriers need to be identified, corrected at source and tested.
Support ≠ assurance
The Widget supports the visitor. Accessibility assurance examines and improves the underlying digital service.
Who may be affected?
Accessibility obligations depend on what your organisation does
There is no single rule that applies identically to every website. Organisation type, size, sector, service, customer and jurisdiction all matter.
Banking & financial services
Certain consumer banking services are among the service categories covered by the European Accessibility Act.
Public bodies
Public-sector websites and mobile applications are subject to their own EU and Irish accessibility framework.
Digital communications
Electronic communications services are among the areas addressed by the European Accessibility Act.
A particularly important EAA limitation
The European Accessibility Act contains scope rules and exemptions. In particular, microenterprises providing services are exempt from its service accessibility requirements and related compliance obligations. That does not necessarily remove obligations arising under other laws or contractual requirements.
Laws & statutes
The legal framework
The following are important parts of the EU and Irish accessibility landscape. Always establish which rules apply to your own organisation and services.
European Union
European Accessibility Act
Directive (EU) 2019/882
Applicable to specified services from 28 June 2025
The European Accessibility Act establishes accessibility requirements for specified products and services supplied to consumers. Its scope includes areas such as e-commerce, consumer banking, electronic communications, e-books and aspects of passenger transport.
What this means in practice
If your organisation supplies a covered product or service, accessibility can form part of your regulatory obligations. Scope and exemptions must be considered for the individual organisation.
Ireland
European Union (Accessibility Requirements of Products and Services) Regulations 2023
S.I. No. 636/2023
In operation since 28 June 2025
These Regulations implement the European Accessibility Act in Ireland and provide the Irish statutory framework for the covered products and services.
What this means in practice
Irish organisations should consider both the EU Directive and the Irish implementing Regulations when assessing whether their products or services fall within scope.
Public sector
Accessibility of public-sector websites and mobile applications
Directive (EU) 2016/2102 and S.I. No. 358/2020
Specific public-sector obligations
EU and Irish rules establish accessibility requirements for websites and mobile applications of public-sector bodies.
What this means in practice
Public bodies operate under a distinct accessibility framework and should not assume that general private-sector scope rules determine their obligations.
Ireland
Disability Act 2005
Sections 26–28
Public services and information
Sections 26, 27 and 28 place accessibility obligations on public bodies concerning services, services supplied to public bodies and access to information.
What this means in practice
Digital accessibility forms part of a wider obligation to ensure that people with disabilities can access public services and information.
Ireland
Equal Status legislation
Equal Status Act 2000, including section 4
Equality and reasonable accommodation
Irish equality law contains protections against disability discrimination and duties concerning reasonable accommodation in relevant circumstances.
What this means in practice
Accessibility should therefore be viewed not only as a technical issue, but as part of how organisations make services genuinely usable by people with disabilities.
Standards and legislation
WCAG is a technical standard, not legislation by itself
Laws and regulations establish legal obligations. Technical standards and accessibility criteria provide methods for defining, implementing and assessing accessible digital experiences.
AAI uses recognised accessibility standards as part of finding barriers, managing remediation, testing changes and building evidence of accessibility work.
A useful rule of thumb
Law: what obligations apply?
Standards: how is accessibility defined and assessed?
Evidence: what can you demonstrate about the work undertaken?
Accessibility assurance
Don't know where your website stands?
AAI Business helps teams assess accessibility, organise remediation, test changes and retain evidence of the work undertaken.
Find it. Fix it. Prove it.
General information only: This page provides an overview of accessibility obligations and is not legal advice. Laws may change and their application depends on the circumstances of each organisation. Where legal interpretation is required, obtain appropriate professional advice.