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European Accessibility Act: what it means for Shopify stores selling to the EU

· 6 min read

Since 28 June 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) requires many online stores that sell to consumers in the EU to be accessible. It also affects stores based outside the EU. Here is an overview for Shopify merchants.

What the EAA is

The EAA is an EU directive (Directive (EU) 2019/882). EU countries transpose it into national law, for example the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG) in Germany. The rules have applied since 28 June 2025 (European Commission).

Who is covered

  • E-commerce services for consumers: online stores that sell products or services to consumers in the EU are covered.
  • Stores outside the EU: the rules apply to services provided in the EU, so a store based in the US or UK that sells to EU consumers can be covered too (Travers Smith).
  • Business-to-business stores: the e-commerce rules focus on services to consumers. If you sell only to businesses, check with a lawyer whether you are covered.

Who is exempt

Microenterprises that provide services are exempt from the service requirements. A microenterprise has fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than €2 million. Both conditions must be met.

What "accessible" means in practice

The directive describes requirements in general terms. In practice, the European standard EN 301 549 (currently version 3.2.1, based on WCAG 2.1 level AA for web content) is widely used as the reference. For a typical Shopify store that means, among other things:

  • Images have text alternatives
  • Buttons, links and form fields have names screen readers can announce
  • Text has enough colour contrast and the page can be zoomed
  • The whole buying journey works with a keyboard

Covered businesses also have to provide information about how their service meets the accessibility requirements, for example on a dedicated accessibility page or in their terms.

Enforcement

Each EU country enforces the rules through its own market surveillance authority, and penalties differ by country.

Where to start

  1. Check whether the microenterprise exemption applies to you.
  2. Scan your buying journey: home, collection, product page, cart and checkout.
  3. Fix the issues in your theme and store data, starting with those that block customers completely.
  4. Publish information about the accessibility of your store.
  5. Check again after theme updates and new apps.

Note: Shopify's checkout is provided by Shopify. Most of what you control is your theme, your apps and your content.

Sources

This article is general information, not legal advice. Automated tools, including Valence, find only part of all accessibility barriers and cannot certify conformance with the ADA, WCAG, the European Accessibility Act or any other standard.

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