Is Your App Ready for the European Accessibility Act?
Accessibility isn’t an optional choice; it is the law. The upcoming European Accessibility Act 2025 compels businesses throughout the EU & globally to ensure that their digital assets and platforms are accessibility-compliant. The Accessibility Act is designed to foster a more inclusive digital environment for folks with disabilities, with non-compliance potentially leading to serious consequences.
With ACCELQ’s intelligent AI-powered QA test automation, guaranteeing accessibility isn’t a problem, it’s built into the development flow. Stay compliant, deliver unique user experiences, and lead online inclusion across the European Union (EU) & beyond.
Understanding the EU Accessibility Act (EAA)
The EAA European Accessibility Act is a landmark regulation presented by the EU to guarantee equal access to physical & digital products and solutions for persons with disabilities. Set to be enforced from June 28, 2025, the European accessibility act (EAA) mandates that core online products, including e-commerce platforms, mobile apps, sites, ATMs, e-readers, banking services, & more, stick to standardized accessibility needs across all EU member states.
The implication of the European accessibility act EAA lies in its objective to remove online exclusion & foster a comprehensive society. For companies, accessibility is no longer a “nice-to-have” but a legal obligation. Non-compliance could result in loss of consumer trust, financial penalties, & limited market access.
The Challenges of Ensuring App Accessibility
As the European Accessibility Act’s implementation deadline nears, businesses face extreme pressure to comply with stringent accessibility regulations. However, attaining full compliance can prove to be an intricate procedure. Let us find out some common challenges QA teams face:
Lack of Expertise & Awareness
Several software development teams lack a deep understanding of accessibility guidelines such as WCAG or the precise needs laid out in the European Accessibility Act, making compliance hard without external training or support.
Complicated & Legacy Codebases
Updating current apps, particularly those with legacy code, to meet the European Accessibility Act standards can be technically challenging & time-consuming.
Inconsistent Tests Across Platforms
Guaranteeing accessibility across various platforms (desktop, mobile, and web) necessitates stringent, consistent testing, which is often not prioritized or ignored.
Manual Testing Restrictions
Depending entirely on manual tests for accessibility can result in higher expenses, missed issues, and slower release cycles. Several accessibility problems are robust & necessitate highly advanced QA automation testing tools & automated testing strategies.
Trouble Interpreting Standards
Understanding how precise European Accessibility Act rules apply to several app elements (such as color contrast, screen readers, or navigation) can be confusing, particularly for experts new to accessibility compliance.
Overcoming Challenges:
- Test Automation Tools: Using codeless test automation tools to find accessibility issues can help catch issues early & save resources and time.
- Early incorporation of accessibility: Incorporating accessibility considerations early in the SDLC can streamline the entire procedure and avoid expensive rework.
- Partnership with accessibility experts: Seeking supervision from accessibility experts can provide best practices and valuable insights for guaranteeing inclusivity.
- Continuous improvement: Accessibility is a continuing procedure, and apps must be frequently assessed & updated to address growing user needs & accessibility standards.
Market Overview
The accessibility tests market size across the world was projected to hit $ 825.43 million (by 2032) from $ 564.73 million (in 2023). It is rapidly rising at a 4.32 percent CAGR through the prediction period (2024–2032). There is a rising awareness of the significance of digital accessibility and the rights of people with disabilities to access web services & content.
Besides, growing standards & regulations mandating online accessibility like the ADA and WCAG are compelling businesses to guarantee their digital assets are accessible to every user. Failure to comply with these compliances can lead to reputational damage & legal repercussions.
How does ACCELQ Automate Accessibility Tests?
ACCELQ leads the way by incorporating smart, automated accessibility tests straight into your current testing systems, confirming compliance without extra complexity. Let us check out how ACCELQ makes automated accessibility tests smooth:
1. Single-Click Enablement
The pristine platform allows accessibility validation with a single click from the Non-Functional Tests section in run mode. This in-built activation makes it simple to integrate accessibility checks into your test strategy, no extra configuration is needed.
2. Embedded Tests Within Functional Flows
Accessibility testing in ACCELQ isn’t an individual task. It is embedded straight into the functional testing cycle, so each web page or screen-tested function is also automatically authenticated for accessibility, guaranteeing complete coverage across your app.
3. Automated Error Detection Based on WCAG
Using standards such as WCAG 2.1, the platform smartly scans for accessibility violations like missing poor contrast ratios, ARIA labels, & non-keyboard-friendly elements. These AI-centric checks assist software developers in rapidly finding & fixing barriers to usability.
4. Transparent, Actionable Reporting
It gives comprehensive, simple-to-understand reports that classify problems by type & severity. These insights allow rapid resolution & better prioritization of accessibility fixes, keeping your experts focused.
5. Smooth CI/CD Incorporation
It incorporates smoothly into your CI/CD pipelines, enabling constant accessibility tests throughout development & delivery. This guarantees that accessibility regulations become part of your launch cycle, not just a last-minute fear.
6. Cross-Team Partnership
ACCELQ promotes teamwork between accessibility testing teams, software developers, and QA experts. This shared visibility guarantees accessibility is addressed at each phase, starting from design to deployment. It assists your team in meeting compliance objectives with confidence.
Best Practices for EU Accessibility Compliance with ACCELQ
Accomplishing compliance with the European Accessibility Act necessitates more than just checklists. It mainly demands a strategic, unfailing approach to web inclusivity. Let us take a glance at the best practices for implementing ACCELQ to stay aligned with EAA necessities:
- Follow WCAG Guidelines
- Allow Early Accessibility Checks
- Accessibility Testing + Automate Functional
- Continuously Examine & Test
- Scrutinize Comprehensive Reports
Preparing for the Future of Accessibility Compliance
As the European Accessibility Act 2025 enforcement approaches, future-proofing your application’s accessibility is no longer a choice. The key is proactive preparation:
- Stay well-informed about Changes: The EAA might change proactive preparation post-2025. Keeping your experts informed guarantees you can respond rapidly.
- Bridge the Gap Between WCAG & EAA: Though the difference between EAA and WCAG lies in technical vs. legal frameworks, they accompany each other. WCAG defines how to comply, while the European Accessibility Act mandates compliance. ACCELQ supports both.
- Focus on Flexibility: Ensure your test tool can grow with your app. ACCELQ’s built-in accessibility validations and codeless automation make it scalable for organizations.
- Cross-Team Partnership: Include accessibility specialists, software developers, and the QA team in the test loop using ACCELQ’s collective features.
Conclusion
As the European Accessibility Act deadline nears, online or digital accessibility will be a legal necessity. Whether you are developing new apps or updating current ones, guaranteeing compliance is crucial for market readiness & inclusivity.
Tools such as ACCELQ streamline this journey by offering AI-centric, no-code, and integrated accessibility tests aligned with both EAA guidelines & WCAG requirements. By mastering the difference between EAA and WCAG, and assuming a future-ready platform, you can empower your software testing specialists to deliver accessible, compliant applications rapidly & with greater confidence.
Start your accessibility transformation with ACCELQ now.
Geosley Andrades
Director, Product Evangelist at ACCELQ
Geosley is a Test Automation Evangelist and Community builder at ACCELQ. Being passionate about continuous learning, Geosley helps ACCELQ with innovative solutions to transform test automation to be simpler, more reliable, and sustainable for the real world.
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