Strategy

Accessibility for small businesses

No need for a large team or a big budget. How a small business approaches compliance with peace of mind.

Many small businesses think accessibility is reserved for large groups. That is false: the essentials are within reach, and often simpler than they seem.

Am I concerned?

If you sell online or offer a digital service to consumers in the Union, you probably are: e-commerce is understood broadly. The exemption only targets service microenterprises (fewer than 10 people AND at most 2 million euros of turnover or balance sheet), and you must be able to substantiate it if checked. Our one-minute eligibility check, in the EAA section, locates you precisely.

Your concrete obligations

• Meet the accessibility requirements: for the web, the EN 301 549 standard, which relies on WCAG 2.2 level AA.
• Publish and maintain an honest accessibility statement: conformance status, non-accessible content, a contact channel.
• Now: the EAA has applied since 28 June 2025. The transition period running to 2030 covers certain contracts and products, not a live website.

What you actually risk

Amounts vary by country. In France, for a private service, the standard penalty is a 5th-class fine: 7,500 EUR per infringement for a company, cumulative per service and per obligation, with possible injunctions and periodic penalties. Elsewhere in the Union, ceilings range from tens of thousands of euros to 1,000,000 EUR. Our penalties article details the official amounts by country.

Start small, but start

A free scan gives an immediate baseline. Most priority fixes are quick: contrast, image alternatives, form labels. You progress step by step, without rebuilding everything.

1. Scan the site to establish the baseline.
2. Prioritise critical and serious issues.
3. Fix at the source: often CSS, attributes, text alternatives.
4. Publish the accessibility statement.
5. Monitor continuously to avoid regressions.

How much does it cost?

Less than you think, if you start early: many fixes are code hygiene, not a rebuild. What costs a lot is waiting: piling up debt, redoing everything late, or losing customers silently. A small business that moves step by step keeps control of its budget.

An advantage, not just a constraint

For a small business, an accessible site widens the customer base, improves search ranking and inspires trust. It is a modest investment compared with the revenue an inaccessible site lets slip away.