European Accessibility Act goals and benefits
1The European Accessibility Act (EAA) comes into law in Ireland on 28 June 2025. It is formally known as Directive (EU) 2019/882 on the Accessibility Requirements of Products and Services. In Ireland, the EAA was transposed into Irish law through Statutory Instrument No. 636 of 2023.
Aims of the EAA
Under the EAA, member states will follow a set of common accessibility requirements for the products and services covered by the Act. The EAA will establish one unified set of requirements, making it easier for private companies to sell compliant products and services in all areas of the EU.
If you manufacture, import or distribute these products in Ireland, it’s important for you to familiarise yourself with the EAA.
Benefits of the EAA
Businesses will benefit from:
- reduced manufacturing costs due to common rules on accessibility in the EU
- easier cross-border trading
- more market opportunities for their accessible products and services
How to comply with the accessibility requirements
The European Accessibility Act does not set out exactly how businesses must comply with the accessibility requirements. However, you can ensure that you are complying with each requirement by applying European standards and checking the functional performance criteria of the product or service.
