WCAG 2.2 + EU Accessibility Act: What changed June 2025

The European Accessibility Act (EAA, Directive 2019/882) came into force on 28 June 2025. It applies to most B2C digital services including e-commerce, banking, e-books, transport, and consumer hardware. Non-compliance fines vary by member state (RO: €5,000–50,000 per violation).

What WCAG 2.2 added (Oct 2023)

1. 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) — focus indicator must not be hidden by sticky headers.
2. 2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced) — fully visible (AAA).
3. 2.4.13 Focus Appearance — focus contrast ≥3:1, area ≥perimeter (AAA).
4. 2.5.7 Dragging Movements — drag actions must have a single-pointer alternative.
5. 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) — 24×24 CSS px minimum click target.
6. 3.2.6 Consistent Help — help link/button consistent across pages.
7. 3.3.7 Redundant Entry — don't ask user for previously entered info in same flow.
8. 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) — no cognitive function tests required (e.g., remembering passwords).
9. 3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced) — same, plus no exception for auth.

What EAA requires (high level)

• WCAG 2.1 AA conformance for digital interfaces.
• EN 301 549 standard compliance.
• Accessibility statement published on the site.
• Feedback mechanism for users to report issues.
• Conformity assessment + technical documentation.

Quick wins (audit-driven)

1. Run axe-core on every page. Auditope does this in the playwright phase.
2. Target size: ensure all clickable elements are ≥24×24 px. Most "pretty" close icons fail this.
3. Add visible focus rings — never disable outline without replacement.
4. Test keyboard navigation. Tab through every interactive flow without mouse.
5. Color contrast ≥4.5:1 for body text, ≥3:1 for large text. Use a tool like contrast-ratio.com.
6. Publish an accessibility statement at /accessibility documenting WCAG conformance level + known issues + contact.