{"id":87662,"date":"2025-10-05T14:24:33","date_gmt":"2025-10-05T14:24:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bbltranslation.eu\/?p=87662"},"modified":"2025-10-05T14:33:54","modified_gmt":"2025-10-05T14:33:54","slug":"european-accessibility-act-2025-avoid-penalties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bbltranslation.eu\/en\/blog\/european-accessibility-act-2025-avoid-penalties\/","title":{"rendered":"What is the European Accessibility Act?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Avoid penalties: make sure your online content complies with the European Accessibility Act<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On 28 June 2025<\/strong>, the European Accessibility Act (EAA)<\/strong> will officially come into effect.
This milestone represents a turning point for companies, institutions and professionals<\/strong> that publish or share digital content. It is no longer just a best practice \u2014 it\u2019s now a legal requirement<\/strong>, with financial and reputational consequences for non-compliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At BBL IA<\/strong>, we understand that many organisations lack the technical or legal expertise to meet these requirements.
That\u2019s why we offer a comprehensive accessibility audit, correction and certification service<\/strong>, ensuring your websites, documents and digital content comply with European law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What the European Accessibility Act requires<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Act transposes Directive (EU) 2019\/882<\/strong>, which requires that all goods and services made available to the public be accessible to people with disabilities.
Compliance in the digital field means aligning with the EN 301549 standard<\/strong>, based on WCAG 2.1 and 2.2<\/strong> guidelines (levels A and AA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are structured around four key principles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • Perceivable:<\/strong> all information must be available to everyone (e.g. ALT text for images, subtitles in videos).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Operable:<\/strong> websites and documents must be navigable using only a keyboard, without barriers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Understandable:<\/strong> content must be written in a clear, predictable, and coherent way.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Robust:<\/strong> content must be compatible with assistive technologies such as screen readers or magnifiers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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    Risks and penalties for non-compliance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Failing to comply with accessibility laws can result in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    • Financial penalties<\/strong> of up to \u20ac1 million<\/strong> for serious violations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Withdrawal from the market:<\/strong> authorities can ban non-compliant products or services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Reputational damage:<\/strong> accessibility-related complaints can harm brand trust and credibility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      In short: non-compliance is not an option<\/strong>.
      Early action protects your brand and saves costs in the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      BBL IA\u2019s accessibility compliance service<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Initial Audit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      We analyse your websites, apps, social media and documents (including PDFs) against 50+ WCAG 2.1\/2.2 criteria<\/strong>, checking for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      • ALT text and proper semantic tagging.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Logical structure of titles, lists and tables.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Adequate text-to-background contrast.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Keyboard navigation and reading order.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Subtitles and audio descriptions in videos.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Correction and adaptation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        Once issues are identified, our experts provide practical fixes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        • Adding missing ALT text<\/strong> and descriptive labels.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Adjusting colour contrast<\/strong> to meet minimum 4.5:1 standards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Making PDFs and Office documents accessible and tagged<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Simplifying language for clarity and readability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Adding subtitles, transcripts, and audio descriptions to media.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Accessible social media<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          Accessibility extends to social platforms. We ensure that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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          • All images include descriptive ALT text<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Videos feature accurate subtitles<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Emojis and decorative symbols don\u2019t disrupt screen reader flow.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            Final verification and certification<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            After the corrections, we carry out a full validation test<\/strong> and issue a compliance report<\/strong> (A or AA level) that serves as evidence for audits or public procurement requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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            Benefits of working with BBL IA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            Partnering with BBL IA<\/strong> not only helps you comply with the law but also brings strategic advantages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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            • Broader reach:<\/strong> over 100 million Europeans<\/strong> live with a disability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Improved SEO:<\/strong> Google rewards accessible, well-structured websites.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Positive reputation:<\/strong> inclusivity builds trust with your audience.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Better UX:<\/strong> accessibility optimisations improve usability for all users.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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              Practical examples of our work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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              • A corporate PDF report<\/strong> transformed into a fully accessible, tagged document.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • A social media campaign<\/strong> enhanced with ALT text and subtitles.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • A corporate website<\/strong> improved with keyboard navigation and \u201cSkip to content\u201d links.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • A promotional video<\/strong> equipped with transcripts and audio descriptions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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                Our guarantee: compliance, peace of mind and ethics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                With BBL IA<\/strong>, your organisation will:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  \n
                • Comply with the European Accessibility Act<\/strong> and national regulations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Avoid financial penalties or service withdrawal<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Protect its reputation as a responsible and inclusive brand<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Ensure equal access to information<\/strong> for everyone.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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                  Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                  Digital accessibility<\/strong> is no longer optional \u2014 it\u2019s a legal and ethical obligation<\/strong>.
                  From 28 June 2025, non-compliance means risking penalties, lost opportunities and reputational harm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  At BBL IA<\/strong>, we help you review, update and certify your content to meet the European Accessibility Act<\/strong>, EN 301549<\/strong>, and WCAG 2.2<\/strong> standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Contact us today<\/strong> to make your websites, apps and documents accessible \u2014 and turn compliance into a competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                  Transparency notice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

                  In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2024\/1689 (AI Act)<\/strong>, this content was generated with the support of artificial intelligence and subsequently reviewed and validated by a human editor<\/strong> to ensure accuracy, coherence and ethical integrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n