For years, digital accessibility in local government has been driven by the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018. But a new piece of legislation is now reshaping the digital landscape, and its effects reach well beyond the European Union's borders.
What Is the European Accessibility Act?
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is an EU directive that came into force in June 2019, with member states required to transpose it into national law by 28 June 2025. It sets out accessibility requirements for a wide range of products and services, from ATMs and ticketing machines to websites, e-commerce platforms, and digital communications.
While the UK is no longer subject to EU legislation following Brexit, the EAA has significant knock-on effects for UK councils. Any technology supplier, software vendor, or digital service provider that sells into the EU market must comply, meaning the tools and platforms you procure from those suppliers must meet EAA standards.
Does This Directly Apply to My Council?
Not directly. UK parish and town councils are governed by the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018, which align closely with WCAG 2.1 AA. You are not legally required to comply with the EAA itself. However, there are two practical reasons it matters.
First, the suppliers of your website platform, document management system, or booking tools may be updating their products to meet EAA requirements, which means your council's digital presence may change. Second, the EAA raises the baseline expectation citizens have for accessible digital services, regardless of tier of government.
The Procurement Argument
The strongest case for EAA awareness at parish level is procurement. When renewing a contract for your council website, digital notice board, or online forms, asking suppliers whether their product meets EAA requirements gives you a future-proof benchmark, and puts you ahead of councils that are still catching up with the 2018 regulations.
Key Requirements to Understand
The EAA focuses on the following areas most relevant to council digital services:
- Websites and mobile applications must meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA as a minimum
- Digital documents (including PDFs of meeting minutes and agendas) must be accessible
- Online forms used by citizens must be operable by keyboard and compatible with screen readers
- Any pre-recorded video content on your website must include captions
What Should Your Council Do Now?
Even if you are not directly subject to the EAA, the direction of travel is clear: accessible digital services are becoming a baseline requirement, not an optional extra. Here are three practical steps to take as soon as possible to become fully compliant.
Run an accessibility audit on your current website. A professional audit against WCAG 2.1 AA will identify issues that put you at risk of failing your existing legal obligations under the 2018 regulations, and will flag anything that would also fall short of EAA requirements.
Review your meeting minute PDFs. Most parish councils publish untagged PDFs that are completely inaccessible to screen reader users. Converting your document workflow to produce tagged, accessible PDFs is one of the highest-impact changes you can make.
Ask your website supplier the right questions. When your current contract comes up for renewal, require evidence of WCAG 2.1 AA compliance. Better suppliers will be able to provide an accessibility statement and recent audit results.
Accessibility is not a legal burden to be minimised — it is the baseline standard of service every resident deserves from their local council.
Nene Digital works with parish and town councils across the UK to audit, improve, and maintain accessible digital services. If you would like a free initial conversation about where your council stands, get in touch.