What it is
An EU directive (2019/882), transposed in Ireland by S.I. 636/2023 and in force since 28 June 2025. Digital services sold to consumers must be usable by people with disabilities. E-commerce is named explicitly.
European Accessibility Act · Ireland
Selling in Ireland? Non-compliance is a criminal offence under S.I. 636/2023 — fines to €60,000, up to 18 months, and directors are personally liable.
Is your checkout breaking Irish law?
Every online store serving Ireland must now meet the accessibility standard. Most don't. Ireland is the only EU state with criminal liability.
See if you're compliant
FreeYour store, scanned against the law's standard.
Standard: WCAG 2.1 AA
Basis: EN 301 549
Result: in 48 hours
Ireland's EAA rules at a glance
- Law
- S.I. No. 636/2023 — transposes Directive (EU) 2019/882
- In force
- 28 June 2025
- Who
- Online stores and digital services for consumers in Ireland
- Standard
- EN 301 549 → WCAG 2.1 Level AA
- Penalty
- on indictment up to €60,000 or 18 months; summary up to €5,000 or 6 months
- Liability
- criminal — directors and officers personally liable (Reg. 33)
- Exemption
- microenterprises only — under 10 staff and under €2M turnover
What is the European Accessibility Act?
The law, in 30 secondsWho must comply
Anyone selling products or services online to consumers in Ireland — stores, SaaS, booking & ticketing, banking, e-books. Only true microenterprises are exempt: under 10 staff and under €2M turnover.
What it requires
Your site must meet WCAG 2.1 AA — a technical standard with ~50 testable criteria. Your checkout and payment flow are the highest-risk pages. A public accessibility statement is also mandatory.
Are you compliant? In Ireland, it's criminal.
Ireland went further than any other member state. Enforcement has already begun elsewhere.
On indictment · Ireland
€0+ 18 MONTHS
Fine on conviction on indictment under S.I. 636/2023 (Reg. 32), or up to 18 months' imprisonment. Directors can be personally liable.
Summary conviction
€0+ 6 MONTHS
Class A fine in the lower court, or up to 6 months' imprisonment.
€0
Maximum fine · Spain — the steepest in the EU.
Court order · Carrefour
€0/ DAY
Daily penalty ordered against Carrefour by a French court (2026): site and app accessible within six months.
€0
Maximum fine · Germany — plus waves of competitor cease-and-desist letters.
€0
Maximum fine · Netherlands — or up to 1% of annual turnover.
How it works
We scan it. We fix it. We keep it fixed.
Three concrete deliverables — colour-coded, so you always know what you're buying.
48 hours
1
The Scan
Automated WCAG 2.1 AA scan of your checkout. You get a 3-page PDF: your worst violations, screenshots, the exact clauses — and whether your mandatory statement exists.
FREE
2–3 weeks
2
The Audit & Fix Plan
Full human audit — screen reader, keyboard, the ~2/3 of failures no tool can catch. Your devs get ready-to-ship tickets with code. We write and publish your accessibility statement.
€999 one-time
Every month
3
The Evidence
Monthly scans of your store, regression alerts when a release breaks something, and a dated compliance certificate for your evidence file. Cancel anytime.
€99 / monthDated certificatemonthly, for your evidence file
Regression checksevery release, before it hurts you
Named contactif a regulator or lawyer writes
Plain-English briefsrulings & rules that affect you
Pricing
Simple. No retainers, no surprises.
Start free. Pay once to get compliant. Pay monthly to stay that way.
The Scan
€0
See where you stand
- Checkout scanned against WCAG 2.1 AA
- 3-page PDF with your worst violations
- Accessibility statement check
- Delivered in 48 hours
The Audit & Fix Plan
€999 one-time
Get compliant
- Full human audit: screen reader + keyboard
- Developer-ready fix tickets with code
- Accessibility statement written & published
- Your dated baseline evidence pack
The Evidence
€99 / month
Stay compliant
- Monthly scans of your store
- Regression alerts on every release
- Dated compliance certificate each month
- Cancel anytime
Bigger store, multiple brands, or want it fully done for you — fixes included, a named accessibility contact, priority support? Ask about our done-for-you plan →
FAQ
Does this law apply to my store?
Selling to consumers in Ireland via website or app? Yes. The EAA has been in force since 28 June 2025 under S.I. 636/2023 — e-commerce, banking, telecom, travel booking, e-books. The standard is WCAG 2.1 AA (EN 301 549). Only true microenterprises — under 10 staff AND under €2M turnover — are exempt. Both must be true.
Why is Ireland different?
Ireland is the only EU member state that makes serious EAA non-compliance a criminal offence. Under S.I. 636/2023 (Regs. 32–33), conviction on indictment carries a fine up to €60,000 or 18 months' imprisonment; summary conviction up to €5,000 or 6 months. Company directors, managers and officers can be held personally liable unless they prove they took reasonable steps.
Can't I just install a widget?
No. Overlays don't touch the code the standard measures. 800+ accessibility professionals have publicly said they don't work, and the US FTC ordered accessiBe to pay $1M over its compliance claims. Worse: a widget proves you knew — without fixing anything.
What do I get every month?
Weekly automated scans, monthly human screen-reader testing, developer-ready fix tickets, your accessibility statement kept current, and a dated compliance certificate — the evidence file you hand to any regulator or court.
Why monitoring instead of a one-off audit?
Because every deploy can break compliance again. An audit is a snapshot. Evidence has to be current to protect you — and your directors.
Is this legal advice?
No — it's the technical evidence your solicitor will be glad exists. We audit, fix, document. Your counsel decides strategy.