Perceivable
See it, hear it, feel it.
Information delivered through more than one sensory channel, sight and sound or touch, with adequate size, contrast and adjustable spacing.
Deadline · 28 June 2025
Bridge the gap between WCAG and the
European Accessibility Act.
A browser-based EAA Pre-Audit for any URL, powered by axe-core and cross-walked to EN 301 549 v3.2.1 + EAA Annex I. The web app suggests concrete fixes, and the Apply fix & copy code button generates the corrected HTML for you. Stakeholder-ready PDF + developer-grade Excel exports. No data leaves the browser, GDPR-friendly accessibility testing.
One Pro key unlocks the EAA Compliance Report (PDF + Excel), apply-all batch fixes, and priority audit queue. The Figma plugin is live on the Figma Community (free + Pro). Pay via PayPal or any debit/credit card, billed monthly, cancel anytime. No signup, no data stored.
For UX designers
Catch issues in Figma →
The Access·Lens Figma plugin scans the current page or selection, shows findings in a side panel, and lets you jump to the offending node.
For frontend devs
Apply fix & copy code →
Every finding ships with a corrected-code button that copies the fixed HTML straight to your clipboard.
For compliance & PMs
Get the EAA report →
PDF + Excel split into frontend / backend, with WCAG SC, EAA clause and concrete fix per finding.
More than an audit
Pro doesn't just find the problems, it fixes them.
Access·Lens runs in your browser, finds the WCAG and EAA issues, explains each one, and ships the corrected code straight to your clipboard, one Pro key, €9/month, cancel anytime.
Step 1 · Audit
Find
Runs axe-core 4.10 + our document & backend checks in the browser. Cross-walks each finding to its WCAG SC, EAA Annex I clause, and EN 301 549 § chapter.
Run an auditStep 2 · Understand
Explain
Every finding is tagged frontend or backend, mapped to the relevant Functional Performance Criteria (EAA Annex I §VII), and explained in plain language with a concrete remediation hint.
See an example findingStep 3 · Fix
Apply fix & copy code
Click the button on any finding. Access·Lens generates the corrected HTML, copies it to your clipboard, and shows you the diff. Paste straight into your codebase.
Unlock Pro · €9/month| Capability | Free | Pro · €9/month |
|---|---|---|
| Find issues (axe-core + document/backend checks) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Explain with WCAG SC, EAA Annex I, EN 301 549 § | ✅ | ✅ |
| Apply fix & copy code on every finding | ✅ | ✅ |
| Apply-all batch fixes across an entire audit | , | ✅ |
| Formal EAA Compliance Report (PDF + Excel) · OAW v2 + EN 301 549 mapping | , | ✅ |
| Documentation Trail + 11-row Functional Performance Criteria table | , | ✅ |
| Country profiles for 12 EU jurisdictions | , | ✅ |
| Invoice download (Portuguese-IVA compliant PDF) | , | ✅ |
€9/month launch price (regular €39/month). PayPal account or any debit/credit card. Billed monthly, cancel anytime. No signup, no analytics, no data leaves your device.
Apply from
28 Jun 2025
Service contracts signed before then can run until 28 Jun 2030.
Standard
EN 301 549
v3.2.1
v3.2.1
Maps to WCAG 2.1 A & AA. Presumption of conformity.
Microenterprise exemption
< 10 staff
& ≤ €2M
& ≤ €2M
Services only. Products still have lighter obligations.
01 → what the EAA requires
What does the law actually require?
Annex I, Section III sets out the technical accessibility requirements. The four pillars below, perceivable, operable, understandable, robust, apply to every covered service. The sector tabs add the specific rules layered on top.
Operable
Use it, your way.
Everything works by keyboard, voice or touch. No traps. Enough time. Predictable focus order. No flashing.
Understandable
Clear, calm, kind.
Plain language (B2 or simpler for banking). Errors are caught and explained. Behaviour is consistent across pages.
Robust
Works with assistive tech.
Compatible with screen readers, switch devices, magnifiers, today and tomorrow. Standards-based markup, valid ARIA, status messages.
By sector
Banks & financial services
- Accessible online banking. Websites and mobile apps must work with screen readers (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, TalkBack).
- Alternative authentication. Not just biometrics, fingerprint and face ID alone are not enough. Offer password, PIN, hardware token.
- Plain language. Maximum B2 (upper-intermediate) reading level for terms, statements, fee disclosures.
- Multiple sensory channels. Critical info available visually and via sound or touch (haptics, screen-reader text).
- Keyboard navigation. Every flow, login, transfer, statement, operable with no mouse.
- Accessible payment systems. Identification, security and payment interfaces must be perceivable, operable, understandable, robust.
- ATMs & self-service terminals. Headphone jack, tactile keys, screen-reader output, raised tactile indicators.
E-commerce & apps
- Accessible product information via multiple channels, text, image alternatives, text-to-speech compatibility.
- Keyboard-accessible checkout. Every step from cart to confirmation works without a mouse.
- Clear error messages, not colour-only signals. "This field is required" beats a red border alone.
- Adjustable text. Size, line-height, letter and word spacing, all adjustable up to 200% without breaking layout.
- Screen-reader compatible. Semantic HTML, correct ARIA, valid landmarks.
- Alternative to CAPTCHA. Not just visual puzzles, provide audio, logical, or token-based options.
- Accessibility characteristics of the products you sell are themselves accessible information.
Transport services
- Accessible booking systems on web and mobile, same conformance bar.
- Real-time information in accessible formats, captions on PA, BSL/Libras where reasonable, large-print PDF schedules.
- Electronic tickets usable by people with disabilities, including QR/wallet flows.
- Interactive terminals. Text-to-speech, tactile keys, headphone jack, contrast modes.
- Journey assistance info reachable from multiple channels (web, app, phone, in-station).
All digital products & services
- Perceivable, users can perceive the information through more than one sense.
- Operable, interface works by keyboard, voice and touch with no time pressure.
- Understandable, predictable, error-tolerant, plain.
- Robust, works with current and future assistive technologies.
- Compatibility with AT & devices at Union and international level.
- Accessible information about the functioning of the service and its accessibility characteristics.
- Accessibility statement published, with feedback mechanism (Art. 13–14).
02 → the backlog
Your EAA compliance backlog.
Six categories. Tick them off in order. Items in bold are the most common audit failures.
1 · Visual design
- Colour contrast at least 4.5:1 for body text, 3:1 for large text and non-text UI
- Text resizes to 200% without loss of content or function
- Information not conveyed by colour alone
- Focus indicators visible on every interactive element
- Click/tap targets ≥ 44×44 px (or 24×24 with spacing)
- No content flashes more than 3 times per second
2 · Navigation & interaction
- Every function reachable by keyboard with logical tab order
- Skip-navigation link as first focusable element
- No keyboard traps inside modals or widgets
- Heading hierarchy is consistent (H1 → H2 → H3, no skips)
- Breadcrumbs or clear navigation structure
- Search available where the site is large enough to need it
3 · Forms & inputs
- Visible labels on every field, placeholder is not a label
- Error messages clear, specific, and tied to the field with
aria-describedby - Required fields indicated beyond colour
- Correct
type=attribute on each input (email, tel, number, …) autocompleteattribute on personal-data fields- Alternative to CAPTCHA (audio, logic puzzle, token)
4 · Content & media
- Every meaningful image has an alt text; decorative images marked as such
- Videos have captions; audio has a transcript
- Complex data has a text alternative
<html lang>declared with a valid BCP-47 tag- Reading level appropriate (B2 or below for banking)
- Instructions don't rely on shape, size, position or colour
5 · Assistive-tech compatibility
- Tested with NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, TalkBack
- Every interactive element has an accessible name
- ARIA used correctly, not over-applied
- Live-region updates announced (
aria-live, status role) - Custom controls have role + state + value
- Works with switch devices and screen magnifiers
6 · Mobile accessibility
- Touch targets ≥ 44×44 px
- No required horizontal scroll at 320 px width (1.4.10 reflow)
- Orientation supports both portrait and landscape
- Multi-touch gestures have single-pointer alternatives
- Modals and popups manage focus correctly
- Native and custom controls expose name + role to AT
Tip. Run an Access·Lens audit to auto-tick around 40% of the backlog. The remaining 60% needs manual review and real-user testing, described below.
03 → the audit process
The full audit process, end-to-end.
Step 1
Automated scan
Run Access·Lens on every page or screen. WCAG 2.1 AA + EAA backend checks. Output: PDF + Excel report split into frontend / backend issues with concrete fixes.
Step 2
Expert manual review
Certified auditor verifies what tools can't: reading order, meaningful link text, cognitive load, focus order, error prevention for legal/financial transactions.
Step 3
Real-user testing
Recruit 5–8 participants with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive disabilities. Run real tasks with their own AT (NVDA, ZoomText, Dragon, switch devices).
Step 4
Document & remediate
Fix critical and serious issues; log moderate ones in your tracker. Rebuild the design system around accessible defaults so regressions stop.
Step 5
Technical documentation
Required by EAA Article 7. Description of the service, requirements met, solutions adopted, test results, AT tested. Keep for 5 years after last placement on market.
Step 6
Publish & maintain
Publish the accessibility statement with a feedback mechanism. Re-audit on every major release. Refresh user testing quarterly.
What you must keep on file
Article 7
Technical documentation
General description, list of requirements met, solutions adopted, test evidence, AT tested. Five years.
Article 14
Disproportionate burden
If full compliance imposes excessive cost, document the ratio: compliance cost / overall cost / benefit to people with disabilities. Renew every 5 years.
Annex IV
EU Declaration of Conformity
Products only. Identification, statement of conformity, harmonised standards used, manufacturer details, signature. Required for CE marking.
You cannot claim disproportionate burden for lack of time, priority, or knowledge. The reasoning must be documented and verifiable.
04 → the access·lens suite
Audit in the browser. Fix in Figma.
One Pro key (€9/month) unlocks the full toolkit. Built around the axe-core engine, with a regulatory cross-walk that maps every issue to EAA Annex I and EN 301 549 v3.2.1 clauses.
Live on Figma Community
For UX designers · approved by Figma
Access·Lens, the Figma plugin
Catch accessibility issues at design time, before a single line of code is written. The Commission's own Impact Assessment confirms it: fixing accessibility in design costs 1–2% of total dev cost; fixing it after launch costs 100× more.
What it checks (free)
- Text contrast on solid backgrounds (WCAG 1.4.3)
- Body text below 12 px (1.4.4)
- Interactive targets smaller than 24×24 and 44×44 (2.5.8 / 2.5.5)
- Components without descriptions (4.1.2)
- Image fills without alt-text annotation (1.1.1)
- Heading-level skips in named layers (1.3.1)
- Default frame names on top-level frames (4.1.2)
One-click fixes (Pro)
- Contrast fix, suggests an AA-passing colour and applies it
- Resize tap targets to 44×44 with one click
- Bump tiny text to 14 px
- Rename heading-skip layers automatically
- Apply-all batch fixes across a whole frame
- Click any finding to jump straight to the node
- Same Pro key works in the web app
Privacy-first: the plugin runs entirely inside your Figma desktop client. Nothing about your designs leaves your computer.
Plus the rest of the toolkit
Web app · for everyone
EAA Pre-Audit
Browser-based accessibility checker. Scans any URL with axe-core, performs the WCAG → EAA cross-walk, and exports stakeholder-ready PDF and developer-grade Excel reports.
- Client-side testing, no data leaves the browser
- EN 301 549 clause mapping
- Frontend / backend split per finding
Pro · compliance teams
Formal EAA Report
PDF + Excel report you can hand to procurement, auditors, or legal. White-label with your company logo (corporate grey palette available).
- OAW v2 + EN 301 549 V3.2.1 mapping
- 11-row Functional Performance Criteria table
- 12 EU country profiles + Documentation Trail
Apply Fix · for everyone
One-click corrected code
Every finding ships with an Apply fix & copy code button. Generates the corrected HTML, copies it to your clipboard, and shows the diff inline.
- Covers ~25 rule types (contrast, alt-text, labels, lang, etc.)
- Works for free and Pro users
- Paste directly into your codebase
Access·Lens Pro is available. €9/month launch (regular €39/month), billed monthly, cancel anytime. PayPal account or any debit/credit card; no PayPal account required.
Get Access·Lens Pro →
04c → downloads
Take Access·Lens offline.
Run Access·Lens on your own machine. No install wizard, no signup, no analytics. Pro-only, your active Pro key unlocks both bundles below.
Pro · €9/month
Desktop downloads are a Pro feature.
Run Access·Lens fully offline on Mac or PC. Includes the same audit engine, the EAA Compliance Report, and Apply-all batch fixes. €9/month launch (regular €39/month), billed monthly, cancel anytime.
04b → rest of the toolbox
Other tools, AT & in-person services.
Other automated scanners
- axe-core / axe DevTools (Deque), same engine Access·Lens uses
- Google Lighthouse
- WAVE (WebAIM)
- Pa11y CLI for CI/CD
- Accessibility Insights (Microsoft)
- Siteimprove
Assistive technology
- Screen readers, NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, TalkBack
- Magnifiers, ZoomText, Windows Magnifier, macOS Zoom
- Voice, Dragon NaturallySpeaking, Voice Control
- Switch devices, single switch, two switch, eye tracking
- Alternative keyboards, one-handed, ergonomic, on-screen
- Refreshable Braille displays
In-person services
- User-research panels, Fable, Applause DPN, Knowbility
- Local disability organisations & user groups
- Certified auditors (IAAP CPACC, WAS)
- Accessible-design agencies for design-system work
- Legal counsel for cross-border compliance
- Training providers, devs, designers, content authors
05 → real-user testing
Why automated tools aren't enough.
Access·Lens automated scanning catches around 40% of accessibility issues. The remaining 60% require human judgement: reading order, cognitive load, focus order under real keyboard use, captions accuracy, emotional impact. Below is the hybrid approach we recommend.
| Access·Lens automated | Real-user testing |
|---|---|
| Scans 100% of pages quickly | Tests the critical user journeys end-to-end |
| Catches technical violations (rules) | Catches usability issues (judgement) |
| Fast and scalable, runs in CI | Deep qualitative insights |
| WCAG 2.1 AA conformance | EAA Annex I conformance |
| Continuous monitoring | Validation before launch |
| Exports PDF / Excel reports | Actionable recommendations |
| AI-powered fix suggestions | Human-centred design |
Recommended testing schedule
B
Before launch
- Access·Lens full scan
- Expert manual audit
- 5–8 participants
- Fix critical, re-test
M
Monthly
- Automated scan
- Spot-check critical flows
- Review user feedback
Q
Quarterly
- Full manual audit
- User testing session
- Update statement
- Staff refresher
Y
Annually
- Comprehensive audit
- Disproportionate burden review
- Policy review
- Competitor benchmark
What to test, with whom
Recruit participants with
- Visual impairments, blind, low vision, colour blind
- Hearing impairments, deaf, hard of hearing
- Motor impairments, limited dexterity, tremor, paralysis
- Cognitive impairments, dyslexia, ADHD, memory
- Multiple disabilities
Test scenarios
- Complete a purchase or transfer
- Find specific information
- Fill out a form including errors
- Use the feature you're shipping next
- Recover from an error
- Use the site with their own AT
06 → fines & enforcement
Avoid fines & legal risk.
Each EU Member State sets its own penalties; the directive demands they be effective, proportionate and dissuasive. Below is what surveillance authorities actually do.
How authorities audit you
- Check your technical documentation. Complete? Up to date?
- Review the conformity assessment. Methodology sound?
- Real testing on your service, not just paperwork.
- Verify any disproportionate burden claims.
- Check CE marking on products.
- Review complaints from consumers and disability orgs.
The enforcement path
- Evaluation. The authority investigates a suspected non-conformity.
- Corrective action period. You get a reasonable window to fix.
- Restrictive measures if non-compliance persists, withdrawal, prohibition, restriction of services.
- Penalties proportional to seriousness, units affected, people harmed.
What triggers an audit
- Consumer complaints
- Competitor reports
- Random checks
- Disability-organisation complaints
- Cross-border cooperation between Member States
- Public-procurement violations
Who is exempt
Microenterprises providing services, fewer than 10 staff and turnover or balance-sheet total ≤ €2 M.
Microenterprises that place products on the market still have lighter obligations and must keep documentation.
Exemption ≠ "ignore accessibility." It is still good business, and most contracts and procurement rules will require it anyway.
06b → manual expert audit & premium training
When the stakes are legal, not just automated.
Automated scans catch what a script can see. A manual audit catches what actually gets you fined: the checkout flow a screen reader can't finish, the modal a keyboard can't escape, the exact gaps a Formal Notice above would cite. Prioritised the same way regulators price a fine, by severity, users affected, and your size, not just error count.
Remediation · for the cure period
Manual Expert Audit
Dedicated review, per product or site
- Comprehensive human evaluation: full screen reader testing (NVDA/VoiceOver), manual keyboard navigation, dynamic states
- Risk-prioritised by actual legal and operational exposure, not just raw error count
- Regulator-ready remediation report cross-walked to WCAG 2.2 and EN 301 549
- Delivered as evidence you can hand to an authority during a cure period
Priced per engagement, e.g. from €2,900 for one product. Scoped to how many sites/apps and pages need review, tell us your setup and we'll quote it.
Request a quote
Prevention · for the next release
Premium Training Session
Live session, per team · via Zoom or MS Teams
- For UI/UX designers, frontend engineers, and product owners
- 60-minute live interactive sprint, not a slide deck
- You bring the core bottleneck (a flow, Figma frames, or a repo section); we solve it live
- Senior-level architectural and design fixes to your active compliance hurdles
Priced per session, e.g. from €1,200. Scoped to team size and format, tell us your setup and we'll quote it.
Request a quote
Book both together and the audit findings become the training session's working material, mention it in your email for bundle pricing. Replies come from compliance@access-lens.com.
07 → 12-week roadmap
From scan to conformant, in 12 weeks.
1
Weeks 1–2
Assessment
- Run Access·Lens scan on every key page/screen
- Identify critical gaps
- Prioritise fixes by severity × impact
- Document the current state
2
Weeks 3–8
Remediation
- Fix critical issues, contrast, keyboard, forms
- Update the design system
- Train the development team (WCAG 2.2 AA)
- Add accessibility checks to CI/CD
3
Weeks 9–10
Validation
- User testing with people with disabilities
- Expert manual audit
- Fix remaining issues
- Prepare evidence files
4
Weeks 11–12
Compliance
- EU Declaration of Conformity (products)
- Disproportionate burden assessment if needed
- Publish accessibility statement
- Notify authorities where required
08 → beyond compliance
From "legal requirement" to competitive advantage.
Universal design
Design for every user from the start, never retrofit. Include people with disabilities in user research. Bake accessibility primitives into your design system.
Continuous monitoring
Automated checks in the CI/CD pipeline. Quarterly manual audits. User feedback mechanisms. A living accessibility statement.
Staff training
Developers, WCAG 2.2 AA. Designers, inclusive design. Content, plain language. Customer service, assisting users with disabilities.
Procurement standards
Require accessibility in vendor contracts. Audit third-party components. Choose accessible frameworks. Monitor sub-contractors.
Innovation
Voice interfaces. AI personalisation of contrast, spacing, language. Multi-modal interactions. Captions for everyone, not just deaf users.
Market expansion
Roughly 100 million Europeans live with a disability. Conformance opens markets, lifts SEO, reduces support load, and aligns with most public-procurement rules.
09 → faq
Frequently asked questions.
What is the European Accessibility Act?
Directive (EU) 2019/882. A binding EU law that requires digital products and services, banking, e-commerce, transport, e-books, electronic communications, and more, to be accessible to people with disabilities.
When does it apply?
28 June 2025. Service contracts signed before then can run until 28 June 2030; ATMs and other self-service terminals already in use can keep running until they are replaced or for at most 20 years.
Who has to comply?
Banks, e-commerce sites, transport operators, ATM operators, e-book sellers, electronic-communications providers, and many more. Microenterprises providing services (<10 staff and ≤€2M turnover or balance sheet) are exempt for services. Microenterprises that place products on the market are not fully exempt.
What standard do I follow?
Conformance with the harmonised standard EN 301 549 v3.2.1 grants a presumption of conformity. Clause 9 of EN 301 549 adopts WCAG 2.1 A & AA in full for the web.
Is automated scanning enough?
No. Tools find about 30–40% of WCAG issues. Manual review and real-user testing, especially with screen readers, switch devices and magnifiers, are required for full conformance.
What are the penalties?
Each Member State sets its own penalties. They must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive, based on seriousness, number of units, and people affected. Authorities can also withdraw products or restrict services.
What does Access·Lens cover?
Automated WCAG 2.1 AA scanning + EAA-specific document/backend checks (lang, viewport zoom, captions, autoplay, refresh redirects, downloadable PDF/Office files, accessibility statement, complaint mechanism, etc.). Every finding ships with an Apply fix & copy code button. Pro adds the formal EAA Compliance Report (PDF + Excel), the 11-row Functional Performance Criteria table, the 8-row Documentation Trail, and 12 EU country profiles.
Ready to comply?
Start your EAA audit in one minute.
Run a free scan on your URL. Get the EAA Compliance Report (PDF + Excel) with frontend / backend fix plan. €9/month, cancel anytime. No data stored. No PayPal account required.
Pro · monthly subscription
€9/month €39/month
- Formal EAA Compliance Report (PDF + Excel) · OAW v2 + EN 301 549
- Apply Fix & copy code on every finding (free + Pro)
- Apply-all batch fixes across an entire audit run (Pro)
- 11-row Functional Performance Criteria + 8-row Documentation Trail
- 12 EU country profiles with legal basis & conformance level
- Frontend & backend split per finding
- PayPal or any debit/credit card · billed monthly · cancel anytime