European Accessibility Act requirements apply, including to ebooks
From 28 June 2025 the European Accessibility Act's requirements apply across the EU, and ebooks and e-commerce are among the services covered.
The accessibility requirements of Directive (EU) 2019/882, known as the European Accessibility Act, apply from 28 June 2025. The directive was adopted on 17 April 2019 and member states were required to write it into national law by 2022.
The European Commission lists ebooks and e-commerce among the products and services covered, alongside computers, smartphones, banking services and passenger transport. For ebooks, the directive covers both the files and the dedicated software used to read them. Economic operators must meet the accessibility requirements or show that an exemption applies, for example where compliance would fundamentally alter the product or service or impose a disproportionate burden.
The directive exempts microenterprises that provide services, defined as businesses with fewer than ten staff and annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than two million euros, from the service accessibility requirements. It also contains transitional provisions. Because each member state has its own implementing law, the detail of enforcement varies from country to country.
Why it matters: the Act is EU law, but publishers, distributors and retailers based elsewhere, including in the UK, may be affected when they sell ebooks or offer e-commerce services to consumers in the EU. In practice many ebook retailers and aggregators have begun asking for accessibility metadata. Businesses should check how the directive and the relevant national laws apply to their own titles and sales channels.
Sources: European Commission: European Accessibility Act; legislation.gov.uk: Directive (EU) 2019/882.