EU accessibility law ‘failing in practice’, new research suggests

One year after the European Accessibility Act came into force, most people who are blind or vision impaired say the online world remains difficult or impossible to navigate, according to new research from Vision Ireland, Ireland’s national sight loss agency.

The findings show that only 3% of respondents have seen a noticeable improvement in website and digital service accessibility since the law was introduced in June 2025. In contrast, 43% reported no improvement, while nearly one in three said they were not even aware that the legislation exists.

For many, digital barriers remain a daily reality. One in four people surveyed said websites are “sometimes difficult” to use, while 8% said they are “often difficult” and require support. A further 7% said they cannot use the internet independently.

Chris White, CEO of Vision Ireland, said the gap between legislation and lived experience is now impossible to ignore. “The European Accessibility Act was meant to remove barriers, but for many people, those barriers are still there every time they go online” he said. He added that while the legislation marked a significant step forward, awareness and understanding remain low across both users and businesses. “We’re seeing a worrying disconnect. People are still struggling to access basic services online, and many organisations do not understand what compliance looks like. That has to change.”

Despite widespread accessibility issues, enforcement of the legislation appears limited. Data sourced by Vision Ireland from Ireland’s six designated regulators shows that just 56 complaints were recorded under the European Accessibility Act in its first year, including 52 to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.
Other regulators reported only one or two complaints each, with none recorded in some sectors, raising questions about awareness of the law and confidence in the complaints process.

Chris White said the low number of complaints does not reflect the scale of the problem. “The reality is that people are encountering barriers every day, but that is not translating into formal complaints,” he said. “That points to a lack of awareness and a system that isn’t working as it should.”

Sean Doran, Head of Technology at Vision Ireland, said many organisations underestimate how widespread these issues are. “Most businesses believe their websites are accessible, but when tested, the vast majority fail on basic standards,” he said. “These are not complex problems to fix, but they require awareness and action. The risk now is not just exclusion, but legal and reputational consequences.”

Vision Ireland is urging organisations to assess their digital platforms and take immediate steps to address accessibility gaps.

“We are encouraging every organisation to start with a simple accessibility check,” Doran said. “Fixing the basics can have an immediate impact on people’s ability to access services independently. This is about inclusion, but it is also the law.”

Vision Ireland’s research highlights that accessibility issues often stem from common and fixable problems, including poor colour contrast, missing image descriptions, inaccessible forms and websites that cannot be used with a keyboard or screen reader.

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