🇪🇺 EU Compliance •

The European Accessibility Act and Your Shopify Store

As of June 28, 2025, the EU can fine businesses up to €500,000 for inaccessible e-commerce. Here's what Shopify store owners need to know.

🚨 Enforcement Is Now Active

The European Accessibility Act became fully enforceable on June 28, 2025. Unlike the US (where you get sued by individuals), EU enforcement is done by government agencies that actively audit and issue fines.

What is the European Accessibility Act (EAA)?

The European Accessibility Act is an EU directive that requires products and services to be accessible to people with disabilities. For e-commerce, this means your website must be usable by everyone, including people who use screen readers, keyboard navigation, or have visual impairments.

The EAA covers:

  • E-commerce websites and services
  • Mobile applications
  • Electronic payment systems
  • Customer service communications

Does the EAA Apply to My Shopify Store?

You're likely covered if:

  • 📦 You sell or ship products to EU customers
  • 💳 Your store accepts payments from EU countries
  • 🌍 Your website is accessible from EU countries (most are)
  • 🏢 You have more than 10 employees or revenue over €2M (micro-business exception below this)

Note: The EAA applies to businesses of any size with a micro-business exception. If you have fewer than 10 employees AND less than €2 million annual turnover, you may be exempt — but many Shopify stores exceed these thresholds.

What Accessibility Standard Does the EAA Require?

The EAA requires conformance to EN 301 549, the European standard for ICT accessibility. For websites, this effectively means meeting WCAG 2.1 Level AA — the same standard we scan for at LiquidA11y.

Key requirements include:

  • Perceivable: Alternative text for images, captions for videos, sufficient color contrast
  • Operable: Full keyboard navigation, no seizure-inducing content, enough time to complete actions
  • Understandable: Clear language, consistent navigation, error prevention
  • Robust: Compatible with assistive technologies like screen readers

Penalties for Non-Compliance

€500K
Maximum fine per violation in some EU states
🚫
Products/services blocked from EU market
🔍
Proactive government audits

Unlike the US system (where individuals file lawsuits), EU member states have designated enforcement authorities that actively monitor and audit compliance. This means you don't just get sued after someone complains — you can be audited proactively.

EAA Compliance Checklist for Shopify Stores

☐
Run a WCAG 2.1 AA Audit

Identify all accessibility issues on your store

☐
Fix Critical Issues

Alt text, form labels, keyboard navigation, color contrast

☐
Review Third-Party Apps

Check that installed apps don't create accessibility barriers

☐
Publish an Accessibility Statement

Declare your compliance status and provide contact for feedback

☐
Document Your Efforts

Maintain records of audits and remediation for enforcement inquiries

☐
Establish Ongoing Monitoring

Accessibility isn't one-and-done — set up regular scans

How LiquidA11y Helps with EAA Compliance

WCAG 2.1/2.2 Scanning

We scan against the exact standard EN 301 549 references

Auto-Fix Remediation

Real code fixes applied to your Liquid templates

Liability Shield Documentation

Ready-to-present evidence for enforcement inquiries

App Tamer

Identify which apps create EAA violations

Check Your EU Readiness

See where your store stands with EAA requirements. Free scan, no credit card.

Run a Free EAA Compliance Scan

Sources & References

  • European Commission: European Accessibility Act Directive 2019/882
  • EN 301 549 European Standard for ICT Accessibility
  • W3C: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1