On 28 June 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) came into force — the EU directive that imposes mandatory accessibility standards on digital services, e-commerce, banks, mobile apps, ATMs, ticket machines, transport, books and more. For Belgian wheelchair users (and more broadly: people with disabilities), that was, on paper, an enormous step forward. One year on, we ask the honest question: what do we actually notice?
This pillar is opinion and assessment — not a hymn of praise. We name what has improved and what still lags behind.
What the EAA prescribes — briefly outlined
The European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882) has, since 28 June 2025, imposed obligations on private companies that offer digital services to consumers. The 6 main domains:
- E-commerce websites (including hotel, ticket, transport bookings)
- Banking services and payment terminals
- Passenger transport services (websites, apps, ticket machines)
- Electronic books and e-readers
- Consumer electronics with communication functions (smartphones, tablets, computers)
- Telephony and television services
Enforcement in Belgium: the Economic Inspectorate (FPS Economy) monitors e-commerce and banking services for compliance. Complaints can be reported to FPS Economy.
Source for detail: FPS Economy EAA press release (June 2025).
Where we see concrete improvement in 1 year
1. Booking websites for hotels and transport
NMBS/SNCB/Belgian Trains, De Lijn, STIB/MIVB, TEC — their online interfaces have noticeably improved over the past year in terms of screen-reader compatibility, contrast, and keyboard navigation. For wheelchair users who also have visual or motor impairments, that is a concrete win.
What works: most public-transport booking apps are now WCAG 2.1 AA-compliant (or close to it).
What doesn't yet: more complex flows (assistance reservation with specific needs input) remain difficult at times.
2. Large e-commerce players
Bol, Coolblue, Colruyt-Online, Delhaize.be, Bpost — the big Belgian and Dutch e-commerce players have adapted. For users with a screen reader or alternative input devices, the difference is noticeable compared to early 2025.
What works: alt text on product photos, better form labels, keyboard navigation.
What doesn't yet: checkout flows remain confusing, and CAPTCHA variants are often still not adapted.
3. Government portals (federal + Flemish)
Federal and Flemish government portals had already been working on accessibility before the EAA (Accessible Web decree). The EAA has accelerated that momentum — the VAPH website, mypension.be, and tax portals are noticeably more accessible.
What doesn't yet: some legacy government tools (specific application forms for specialist schemes) still lag behind.
Where we remain disappointed
1. Smaller e-commerce and SME webshops
The EAA places emphasis on large players with > €5M turnover. Smaller webshops (local entrepreneurs, small sports clubs, artisanal producers) have little or no incentive to adapt. For wheelchair users who want to shop locally: the online offering of small entrepreneurs often remains inaccessible.
Proposal: a Flemish-Walloon action to support SME webshops with free audits + template advice. Low cost, high impact.
2. Adapted online hospitality reservations
While hotel booking sites have been adapted, restaurant reservation is a more fragmented story. The Fork, Zenchef, and independent restaurant sites have variable accessibility. For wheelchair users who want to confirm an adapted table + adapted toilet before booking, that is frustrating.
Proposal: a standard "adapted access" field in reservation platforms with verifiable criteria.
3. Enforcement is not yet active
The Economic Inspectorate worked mainly informatively in the first year — warnings, checks, awareness-raising. Sanctions have hardly been applied. For companies without external pressure, little then changes.
What we want to see: first symbolic fines in 2026-2027 to show that the law really has teeth.
4. Consumer electronics — no visible impact yet
Smartphones and tablets have already been adapted internationally (Apple, Google, Microsoft have substantial accessibility features). But specific consumer electronics (household appliances, smart-home, wearables) remain hit-and-miss. The EAA has not yet brought the breakthrough here.
What wheelchair users can concretely do
If you come across a non-compliant website (large player, EAA scope):
- Report it to FPS Economy via the complaints form
- Document the problem (screenshot, URL, user flow)
- Contact the provider directly — often a friendly email is enough to raise awareness
- Share your experience via drempelvrij.be — Let us know
What we at drempelvrij.be will do
For 2026-2027 we have three EAA-related ambitions:
- Audit series: test 10 important Belgian e-commerce sites for EAA compliance (wheelchair and screen-reader perspective)
- Best-practice blog: which Belgian companies are doing it really well — with interviews where possible
- Complaint-flow explanation: how to report a non-compliant site via FPS Economy, with a concrete step-by-step plan
The coming years
2026-2028: enforcement must increase. Uniform A-labels for digital services would be a sector-wide breakthrough.
2028: EU review of the EAA scope. Candidate extensions: smaller webshops, home-environment services, specific consumer-electronics categories.
For Belgian wheelchair users, the EAA remains a positive but slow story. Improvements are there, but fundamentally digitised accessibility requires a cultural change that goes beyond legal compliance.
Combine with other pillars
In closing
After 1 year of the EAA, the balance is positive but slow. Large e-commerce and public-transport booking have been adapted — that is genuinely won ground. But smaller entrepreneurs, restaurant reservations, enforcement, and consumer electronics are still lagging.
Our recommendation to the sector: don't wait for sanctions. Those who adapt proactively now will win customer loyalty and position themselves ahead of the enforcement cycle that is certainly coming.
Our recommendation to wheelchair users: actively report problems to FPS Economy. That is the pressure the law needs to really take effect.
Do you have EAA experiences (positive or negative) that we can include? Let us know — we will expand this pillar as we gather more cases.