Slovenčina 
Čeština 
Shqiptare 
Österreich 
België 
български 
Bosanski 
Українська 
Eesti 
Македонски 
Türkçe 
Deutsch 
Dansk 
Español 
Français 
Suomi 
Ελληνικά 
Hrvatski 
Magyar 
Schweiz 
Italiano 
Lietuvių 
Latviešu 
Nederlands 
Norsk 
Polski 
Português 
Română 
Srpski 
Slovenščina 
Svenska 
For context: the European Accessibility Act (EAA) has been in effect since June 2025, requiring companies to make their websites functional for people with disabilities. This isn’t a small group – that’s 107 million potential customers across Europe.
Major Differences Between Countries
No country meets the standards completely, but the differences are significant:
- United Kingdom: 15% of sites comply (85% have issues)
- France: 10% comply
- Austria: 5% comply
- Germany and Italy: 0% comply
German websites have the highest average of barriers – 2.9 per website. This means they’re not just non-compliant; they also have the highest number of specific problems.
Retail and Fashion Are the Worst Performers
The data clearly shows where the biggest problem lies. Nearly half of all identified errors across the entire European study come from retail and fashion websites.
This is a critical finding for the e-commerce sector. Online shops and fashion sites – which often target mass consumers – have the largest accessibility gaps.
What Are the Most Common Errors?
The company tested three pages on each website (homepage, product page, and checkout). Most common problems in Germany (which has the worst results):
- 12 out of 20 websites have broken layouts at 400% zoom
- 9 out of 20 don’t allow keyboard navigation
- 9 out of 20 lack sufficient focus visibility
With a complete test of all 78 criteria, there would likely be significantly more errors.
Fines and Lawsuits Are Coming
Jan Stedul from AccessiWay Germany warns that companies risk fines, lawsuits, and reputation damage. But most importantly, they’re losing access to a large customer base.
France and Austria have already begun legal proceedings against companies. Germany will soon open a new oversight agency in Magdeburg to monitor compliance.
What Does This Mean for Businesses?
Accessibility is no longer “nice to have” – it’s a legal requirement. Companies that don’t act risk:
- Financial penalties from national authorities
- Private lawsuits from customers
- Reputation and customer loss
- Excluding millions of people from shopping
On the other hand, companies that comply gain access to a large untapped market and build a better brand.
