JOURNAL / Accessibility
Website accessibility: why it matters, who has duties and what the risks really are
Accessibility becomes tangible when someone reads a price, chooses a product, checks out or sends an enquiry. A step that only works with a mouse, has poor contrast or is unclear to a screen-reader user can block that person from completing the task. For a business, that can also mean a lost opportunity.
Treat the whole journey, not just the appearance
Consider an email field without a useful label, or a checkout error communicated only by colour. The page may look finished while the task remains difficult or impossible for some users.
Addressing content, components and workflows during design makes accessibility part of the project. Retrofitting a live service can involve third-party forms, payment tools and other dependencies. That is a practical delivery consideration, not a guarantee of higher revenue.
EU rules: establish scope before assuming a duty
The European Accessibility Act applies to specified products and services, including relevant consumer e-commerce services, from 28 June 2025. National implementing rules matter: an ordinary information-only website is not automatically subject to the same duties as an in-scope online store. Service-providing microenterprises benefit from an exemption under the Act, subject to its definition.
This guide concerns the EU framework. It does not assess US federal or state accessibility obligations. Cross-border businesses should check the rules applicable to their service and customers.
Official sources: European Commission: business accessibility guidance
Real risks are specific, not automatic
The operational risk is clear: a customer may be unable to complete a purchase or contact you. Complaints, urgent remediation and unmet contractual requirements can also create work and cost. Their impact must be assessed in the actual business.
Penalties depend on national law and the breach. For example, Italy’s Legislative Decree 82/2022 sets a €5,000–€40,000 range for the violations identified in Article 24(1), subject to exemptions and other applicable provisions. That is not an EU-wide fine for every inaccessible website, and it must not be presented as a universal threat.
Official sources: Italy: Legislative Decree 82/2022, Article 24
An automated score is not a conformance evaluation
Automated tools help identify certain defects, but they do not establish whether every important task works with assistive technology. Conformance evaluation also requires human assessment. Publish the scope and limitations of your review rather than claiming complete accessibility from a score alone.
Official sources: W3C: conformance evaluation
A practical starting point
Prioritise tasks that matter to your customers, then verify and document improvements. Accessibility needs to survive content changes and future releases.
- Establish which legal requirements apply to the service.
- Test navigation, forms and checkout with a keyboard and screen reader.
- Review contrast, zoom, instructions, error messages and small screens.
- Fix blockers before cosmetic details, then retest.
- Provide an honest status statement and a useful feedback channel.
How I can help
I can review your site’s structure and customer journeys, identify technical improvements and agree an appropriate testing scope. Legal advice and technical delivery are separate: I do not promise automatic certification or immunity from penalties.