New Report Highlights European Companies Struggling with European Accessibility Act Compliance

Introduction

A recent report published by Evinced has unveiled a concerning reality regarding the preparedness of European businesses for the European Accessibility Act (EAA), which is set to take effect this week. Despite having a significant lead time—six years to be precise—most companies still fall short of compliance standards. This article explores the implications of the findings and discusses how organizations can move forward in addressing accessibility issues.

Key Findings

In a study conducted across 120 European businesses during April and May of 2025, it was discovered that only 27% of respondents believe they are fully prepared to comply with the EAA. Meanwhile, 45% consider themselves somewhat prepared, and 28% confess to being ill-prepared, if not entirely unprepared. These numbers highlight a persistent gap between regulatory requirements and actual business readiness.

The Confidence Gap

Interestingly, an in-depth examination reveals that many respondents may overestimate their preparation levels. Even among those who assert they are fully compliant, a mere 19% have made substantial changes to their product development processes to effectively prevent accessibility bugs in the future. In contrast, a striking 84% of these businesses plan to enhance their operations in this regard within the year by employing specialized teams, tools, and training dedicated to accessibility practices.

Challenges Faced by Smaller Businesses

The report indicates that the companies which reported being unprepared tend to be significantly smaller than their fully compliant counterparts. Many of these businesses do not anticipate making notable progress in 2025 and foresee needing several years before they can align with new regulations. They are currently focusing primarily on remediation projects and audits while attempting to integrate changes into their development processes without using dedicated accessibility tools or teams.

Navin Thadani, CEO and co-founder of Evinced, emphasized that “Accessibility is not just about ticking a box. It is about cultivating an entire company and a product development process that genuinely embraces inclusion.” The EAA marks a historic commitment to inclusivity within the digital economy, and companies aiming for compliance must efficiently integrate accessibility into their workflows without disrupting product delivery.

Global Implications of the EAA

While the findings primarily focused on European companies, it is crucial to note that many non-European firms will also be impacted by the EAA. Thadani points out that “this is not just a localized initiative.” Firms based outside Europe, including those headquartered in the U.S. and the U.K., which operate or have clients within the European Union, will likely need to adapt their operations. Companies that invest now in scalable processes, training, and tools will be better positioned to create inclusive digital experiences while avoiding costly, retroactive solutions later.

Conclusion

As organizations grapple with new accessibility requirements, the urgency to address these challenges becomes more apparent. Effective integration of accessibility principles into everyday business practices is not only a matter of ethical responsibility but is also a smart business strategy. Companies need to recognize that meeting these standards will pave the way for a more inclusive digital landscape.

To learn more about creating inclusive digital experiences on a large scale, visit www.evinced.com.

About Evinced

Since its establishment in 2021, Evinced has emerged as the leading software solution for integrating accessibility into web and mobile development for major corporations committed to accessibility. Evinced provides a powerful suite of tools that enables developers, designers, and accessibility professionals to automatically identify, group, and track accessibility issues. This reduces reliance on manual processes, mitigates risks, and accelerates time-to-market. Based in California with offices in the U.S., Europe, and Israel, Evinced is backed by leading investors like Insight Partners and M12, the venture arm of Microsoft.