Header image from: alice.ch
The 2011 First World Report on Disability estimated that over one billion people, about 15% of the global population, live with some form of disability, including 101 million in Europe alone.
Yet, the web remains full of invisible barriers that exclude millions of users every day.
Starting of June 28, 2025, with the enforcemet of the European Accessibility Act (EAA), ensuring an accessible digital experience will no longer be an option, but a requirement.
If your digital ecosystem is not yet compliant, you may be facing new regulatory challenges, but also a significant opportunity: making your business more inclusive and reaching a market segment you may not have considered before.
Image from: aaardvarkaccessibility.com
What makes a website "accessible"?
Before getting into the specifics of the new European directive and its potential impact on the Swiss market, let’s define what digital accessibility means and explore best practices for implementation.
According to the World Wide Web Consortium, web accessibility means
that websites, tools, and technologies are designed and developed so that people with disabilities can use them. More specifically, people can:
perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web
contribute to the Web.
To ensure a website is truly accessible and compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, the set of standards developed by the World Wide Web Consortium, several technical arrangements are essential. Here are some examples:
- Screen reader compatibility: to support assistive technologies and allow blind users to navigate content via voice synthesis or Braille.
- Contrast settings and text resizing: to improve the experience of visually impaired users and ensure adequate color contrast between text and background.
- Keyboard navigation: to allow users to browse the site in a logical sequence without a mouse.
- Controls for animations and dynamic content: to prevent graphic elements such as flash, colors, or flashing animations from causing discomfort to those with photosensitive epilepsy.
- Description of non-text elements: to improve the accessibility of images, videos, and sounds by providing text alternatives such as alt text, subtitles, or transcripts.
The benefits for companies: accessibility = opportunity
Implementing these solutions not only makes your website more inclusive and compliant with increasing regulatory requirements, but it also offers a competitive advantage and maximizes your ROI. By reaching a broader audience, businesses can expand their customer base and increase revenue potential.
Not only that: having an accessible website improves brand positioning, strengthening corporate reputation and demonstrating a genuine commitment to social sustainability. At the same time, making the user experience smoother and more intuitive for everyone, regardless of different needs, promotes increased conversions and customer satisfaction.
Finally, a clear structure and easily usable contents improve visibility in search engines. According to a study by Semrush, 66.1% of websites, using accessibility enhancements, experienced up to 50% increase in monthly organic traffic: proving that accessibility is not just an ethical choice but a strategic competitive advantage.
By adopting digital accessibility solutions, businesses can capitalize on immediate benefits while also preparing for upcoming regulations like the European Accessibility Act (EAA).
EAA and its impact on Swiss brands.
The European Accessibility Act, effective June 28, 2025, aims to "improve the functioning of the internal market for accessible products and services, by removing barriers created by divergent rules in Member States."
The directive will apply to all websites and related companies offering products and services in the European Union regardless of their target industry. Some exceptions, depending on the state, will be accepted for micro-businesses with fewer than ten employees and an annual turnover below two million euros.
While this directive does not currently apply to Switzerland, Swiss companies operating within the EU market must still comply with EAA requirements in the countries where they provide products or services.
Iubenda, a leading platform for privacy compliance, and technology partner of Ander Group, is actively developing a simple solution based on artificial intelligence to improve digital accessibility and ensure compliance with the European Accessibility Act (EAA).
Now, more than ever, it is crucial to take action and align your digital platforms with accessibility guidelines, not just to meet legal requirements, but to embrace a strategic direction that delivers real value.
At Ander Group, we are committed to staying at the forefront of digital innovation, providing our clients with timely updates and tailored solutions to successfully navigate an ever-evolving digital landscape.
Stay ahead.
