WCAG and accessibility for all!

The digital world is evolving rapidly and companies need to ensure that their digital products and services are accessible to all. Accessibility is no longer just a "nice-to-have", but is increasingly becoming mandatory due to directives such as the European Accessibility Act (EAA), standards such as EN 301 549 and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

What does accessibility mean?

Accessibility means that digital offerings such as websites, apps or software are designed in such a way that they can be used by all people, regardless of their abilities. People with disabilities, such as visual, hearing or motor impairments, as well as the ageing population and many other groups, should have the same opportunities to access information and use services.

WCAG and the European Accessibility Act

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide an internationally recognized standard for the design of accessible web content. They define clear quality criteria along three conformance levels: A, AA and AAA. Level AA is considered the common standard and is recommended for most websites in order to comply with EU directives.

The EU is setting new standards for accessibility with the European Accessibility Act (EAA), an EU directive (2019/882). This directive aims to make digital services, transportation, banking services, e-commerce and other areas more accessible for people with disabilities. At the same time, it aims to harmonize the internal market for accessible products and services

The EU member states had to transpose the EAA into national law by June 28, 2022. In Germany, for example, this was done through the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG). From June 28, 2025, all new products and services that fall under the EAA must meet the accessibility requirements.

Accessibility tests

Accessibility tests help companies to ensure that their digital offerings meet these requirements and are accessible and usable for all people.

They combine automated and manual test procedures. Automated tools can check technical aspects of accessibility. Actual usability is assessed using structured manual tests by experts and ideally also by people with the relevant restrictions.

To give a vivid example: The fact that an image, video or website content in general has a meta description does not mean that it is useful - the human factor is required in this type of quality assurance.

WCAG business case

Investing in accessibility is not only ethically and legally required. They also pay off economically. With the implementation of the EAA, accessibility becomes a decisive factor for market access and competitiveness in the EU. This applies to both European and international companies that are or want to be active on the EU market.

• Compliance: adherence to legal requirements and avoidance of legal consequences
• Profitability: Tapping into new customer groups and sales potential
• Market access: Strategic opportunity to improve market access compared to competitors
• Image gain: Positioning as a modern and inclusive company
• Usability: Improving user-friendliness for all users
• Innovation: Improvement of customer interactions and customer satisfaction
• Visibility: Higher organic traffic due to high overlap with SEO best practices
  

Accessibility is an important factor for the success of companies in the digital age. Accessibility tests help to ensure the accessibility of digital offerings and thus reach a broad user group.

Let's discuss your next steps towards an accessible future.