Navigating the European Accessibility Act

European Accessibility Act - woman smiling at computer

by Harriet Thornton| Published on July 17th, 2025

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) takes effect on June 28, 2025, introducing unified accessibility requirements for digital services across the EU. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Justice issued updated ADA web and mobile guidelines in April 2024, with compliance deadlines in 2026 and 2027.

If you’ve ever felt uneasy about whether your careers site truly welcomes every candidate, now is the time to act. Here’s why the EAA, and its ADA counterpart, matter, what’s changing on your tech stack, and how to make your 2025–2026 budget support real inclusion (and measurable business wins).

Practice your inclusivity

Unlock hidden talent
Over 100 million Europeans, and millions more Americans, live with a disability. Each time someone abandons your application because they can’t navigate a form or hear a video, you lose not just an individual hire but the collective innovation they bring.

Build brand trust
Candidates scrutinize company values before they click “Apply.” An accessible website signals you walk the talk on diversity and inclusion, boosting your employer brand in DE&I forums and industry awards.

Mitigate risk, seize opportunity
EAA non‑compliance can block you from public tenders; ADA lawsuits quietly rise each quarter. But investing in accessibility delivers ROI: faster hiring, fewer support tickets, and SEO gains when search engines reward well‑structured, semantic markup.

Future‑proof your operations
Canada, Australia, Japan, and other markets are tightening their own rules. Getting ahead in 2025 means you’ll breeze through any new regional legislation.

What changes for your career sites & tech stack

  • Keyboard‑first navigation
    Every menu, form field, and control must be accessible via Tab, arrow keys, and Enter. No mouse? No barriers.
  • Semantic structure & labels
    Proper headings (H1–H6), ARIA roles, and explicit form labels guide assistive‑technology users, so they never wonder what button or field does.
  • Alt text & media transcripts
    From logos to infographics, every image needs a clear description. Videos demand captions; podcasts need transcripts.
  • Colour contrast & resizable text
    Aim for at least 4.5:1 contrast ratio and ensure fonts can scale up to 200 % without breaking layouts.
  • Accessibility statements & roadmaps
    Publish a living document: what’s done, what’s pending, and how users can request accommodation or give feedback.
  • Third‑party & legacy systems
    Your ATS, CRM dashboards, chatbots, video‑interview platforms, even analytics tools, all must meet WCAG 2.1 AA (via EN 301 549) once updated after June 2025.

Six-Step action plan

  1. Run a Rapid Audit across your careers site, ATS, media channels, and recruitment collateral.
  2. Publish an Accessibility Statement, be transparent about progress and invite feedback.
  3. Map Your Compliance Calendar: June 28 2025 (EAA) and April 2026/27 (ADA).
  4. Train Cross‑Functional Teams on practical WCAG 2.1 AA and EN 301 549 techniques.
  5. Embed Accessibility in new projects: design sprints, code reviews, QA scripts.
  6. Test with Real Users—people who rely on screen readers, voice control, magnification, and captions.

A quick heads‑up on U.S. ADA rules

Title II (State & Local Gov’t) – WCAG 2.1 AA compliance by April 2026 (pop. ≥ 50 000) and April 2027 (smaller).

Title III (Public Accommodations) – Final rule expected soon, extending similar requirements to businesses and nonprofits.

If you recruit or operate in the U.S., these deadlines apply to any public‑facing sites and apps you control.

 

Rethinking Your 2025–2026 Budget

A modest upfront investment here pays dividends: faster hiring cycles, richer talent pipelines, and insurmountable DE&I credentials.

Investment 

Expected Impact 

Accessibility Audits 

Pinpoint gaps in your sites, apps, media, and print assets. 

Standards Training 

Equip dev, design, HR, and marketing teams with WCAG & EN 301 549 expertise. 

Content & UX Redesign 

Bake accessibility into new features; avoid costly retrofits. 

Third‑Party Reviews 

Vet every vendor (ATS, video platforms, chatbots, analytics). 

Governance & Feedback Loops 

Publish statements, collect user feedback, schedule quarterly audits. 

Bottom Line

The EAA and the ADA’s web‑and‑mobile rules aren’t bureaucratic checklists, they’re an invitation to build more human, more inclusive digital experiences. When you open your recruitment funnel to every candidate, you not only comply with law, you accelerate growth, sharpen your employer brand, and set a new bar for excellence.

Let’s make 2025–2026 the years we turn “accessible?” into “accessible!” Get in touch today