EU Regulations: The Example of the European Accessibility Act

Starting in mid-2025, the legal obligation to verify the accessibility of websites in the EU will extend to the private sector. This affects companies from various industries such as e-commerce, banking, and insurance, which must ensure their digital offerings are accessible. The public sector in Germany, for instance, was already required to test both internal and external websites for accessibility and ensure they comply with the standards of the Barrierefreie-Informationstechnik-Verordnung (BITV), based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). This is just one of many upcoming EU regulations, including product liability directives and the AI Act.

With this extension, it is expected that there will be waves of legal warnings and fines similar to those after the introduction of GDPR. This increases the pressure on service providers and operators of digital offerings to review and adapt their websites according to legal requirements.

However, current technology only allows a small portion of WCAG requirements to be tested automatically. Many aspects of accessibility still need to be manually tested and results from automations have to be reviewed by a human tester, making the process more time- consuming and resource intensive. The Accessibility Conformance Testing (ACT) working group of the W3C is developing conformity rules that include both manual and partially automated testing methods to enable a more comprehensive assessment of WCAG compliance. About 30% of the success criteria of WCAG 2.2 are considered automatable in a classical way. With the use of AI, better coverage is possible here. webmate can provide automation for up to 60% of the success criteria.

Shift Left for Accessibility

Accessibility is a crucial aspect of software development that has often been neglected. To effectively address and prevent accessibility issues, they should be integrated early into the testing routine. One way to do this is by using tools like webmate, which already can provide valuable insights during the development phase and shine in quality assurance and documentation processes.

The upcoming legal changes and technological developments make it clear that companies must take proactive measures to meet accessibility requirements and avoid legal risks. By automating tests in pipelines and CI/CD processes, continuous accessibility testing can be ensured without the need for additional manual testing efforts. The “Shift Left” approach in testing means that developers should consider accessibility from the initial implementation of a feature, rather than waiting until the end of the development process.

Manual testing can also capture aspects of accessibility that automated tools might overlook. However, manual testing alone is not sufficient to guarantee comprehensive accessibility. A combination of automated tests and manual feedback is necessary to obtain a complete picture of accessibility issues and ensure that all user groups can equally benefit from the software.

The Need for Auditing

Regular audits ensure the traceability and documentation of accessibility measures. This is particularly important for compliance with national and international standards. Audits enable systematic reviews of existing processes and ensure that all aspects of accessibility are continuously maintained and improved. This way, the Accessibility Enhancement Act can be easily fulfilled.

Audits should be considered a complementary part of regular testing processes. While tests help identify problems early, audits provide a comprehensive assessment and documentation of the overall accessibility situation. The audit results also serve as excellent proof. This can create a well-rounded and effective accessibility management system that meets both legal requirements and the needs of all users.

Due to the lengthy and time-consuming process, it is often difficult to meet all components and regulations. With the help of specialized tools, audits can be repeatedly conducted, and compliance is achieved. In my opinion, only those who embrace the EU regulations can act in a future-relevant manner.

Testfabrik: Driving Quality, Reducing Risk, Accelerating Delivery.

In today’s high-stakes digital landscape, leading enterprises trust webmate to deliver end- to-end testing solutions that align with business goals. From compliance to performance, we help de-risk deployments, streamline operations, and future proof for upcoming requirements. Without slowing down innovation.

Author

Testfabrik are exhibitors in this years’ AutomationSTAR Conference EXPO. Join us in Amsterdam 10-11 November 2025.