Digital Business Ireland sounds alarm over European Accessibility Act compliance
Digital Business Ireland (DBI), the national representative body for Irish e-commerce, digital and tech sectors, has expressed concern that not enough has been done to support and raise awareness for Irish businesses to comply with European Accessibility Act, which comes into force on 28 June 2025.
Research from the industry group found that nearly half (49%) of Irish businesses remain unaware of the requirements of the Act, and do not believe they will be compliant with it in time.
The European Accessibility Act requires organisations to ensure the accessibility of their digital platforms to all people, including those with disabilities. Businesses that fail to comply by the deadline will be subject to fines or legal issues.
DBI also found that only 35% of businesses had begun to take steps to prepare for the EAA, and more than 90% had no budget allocated for accessibility compliance.
DP Fitzgerald, Digital Business Ireland national spokesperson, said: “Irish businesses have only 10 days left to comply with the new EU laws. Making digital platforms accessible is not just about compliance. It’s about inclusion. Everyone should be able to make use of digital resources and spaces, including those with disabilities. Additionally, accessible platforms have been shown to improve the user experience of a business for everyone, as well as expanding reach.
“While Digital Business Ireland has been doing its part to educate Irish businesses, we are concerned that not enough has been done by Government to raise awareness and support business to comply.
“We are urging Government and the various state agencies to implement a concerted push over the next 10 days to raise awareness and to ensure grant funding, such as the under-utilised Grow Digital Voucher is released to Irish businesses, particularly SMEs, to ensure compliance and achieve best practice in digital accessibility.”
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