Friday The 13th May Be Superstition. 28 June Is The Real Deadline
Today is Friday the 13th. For some, it is a day wrapped in superstition, a date to tread carefully.
For businesses trading in or with the EU, however, there is a much more important date fast approaching. On 28 June, the European Accessibility Act comes into full force, and for many organisations, the consequences of inaction will become very real.
What Is Changing On 28 June?
From 28 June, websites that fail to meet accessibility standards will be at risk. Businesses may face legal action, financial penalties, reputational harm and the possibility of being blocked from trading within the EU. For companies who have customers, users or partners anywhere in the European Union, this legislation applies regardless of whether the business is B2B or B2C.
Why Are So Many Businesses Still Unprepared?
Accessible web design and full accessibility compliance take time. Many organisations have not fully grasped the scale of what is required. Achieving full WCAG 2.2 AA compliance often takes many months, sometimes more than a year.
The clock is ticking, and many websites remain non-compliant. Yet there is still a way forward that offers immediate protection while longer-term work is completed.
The Importance Of A Legally Compliant Accessibility Statement
The first step any business can take is to put in place a fully compliant Accessibility Statement.
However, you cannot publish a legally compliant Accessibility Statement unless you know precisely what issues exist on your website. That requires a full accessibility audit conducted by experienced professionals.
An Accessibility Statement signals that your organisation understands its obligations and has already begun the process of addressing any outstanding issues. It demonstrates intent and responsibility, which can provide significant protection while the full remediation work is carried out.
How We Help
At Access By Design, we work with businesses of all sizes across both the public and private sectors. We provide a detailed accessibility audit, live user testing by disabled testers, and clear guidance on achieving WCAG 2.2 AA compliance.
We also create legally compliant Accessibility Statements that provide immediate reassurance to both regulators and your customers.
If your business has any connection with the EU, this is not a deadline you can afford to ignore.
The time to act is now.
