WAD vs EAA: EU Accessibility Laws Explained
Complete guide to EU web accessibility directives. WAD for public sector, European Accessibility Act for private. Covers DOS-lagen, enforcement, and sanctions in 15 countries.
European accessibility is governed by two major directives that ensure digital inclusion across both public and private sectors.
WAD (2016/2102)
Web Accessibility Directive. Applies to public sector bodies, including state, regional, and municipal organizations.
- Focus: Public websites & apps
- Standard: WCAG 2.1 Level AA
- Status: In force since 2019
EAA (2019/882)
European Accessibility Act. Applies to private sector products and services like e-commerce, banking, and media.
- Focus: Private services & hardware
- Standard: WCAG 2.1 AA + Functional
- In effect since June 28, 2025
Two EU Directives
While WAD has been active for several years, the EAA is the next major shift, bringing accessibility requirements to the private market. Failure to comply with the EAA can result in significant market restrictions and fines.
National Implementations
| Country | WAD Law | EAA Law | Max Sanction |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇸🇪 Sweden | DOS-lagen | LPTT | 10M SEK |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | BITV 2.0 | BFSG | 500k EUR |
| 🇳🇴 Norway | IKT-forskrift | EEA Adaptation | Daily Fines |
| 🇫🇮 Finland | 306/2019 | Laki 102/2023 | Notice + Fine |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | Legge 4/2004 | D.Lgs. 82/2024 | Administrative fine |
| 🇵🇹 Portugal | DL 83/2018 | DL 101-D/2023 | Administrative fine |
| 🇵🇱 Poland | Ustawa o dostępności cyfrowej | Ustawa o dostępności produktów i usług | Administrative fine |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) — covers both sectors | Federal Court damages | |
| 🇪🇺 EU | Directives themselves (WAD 2016/2102 & EAA 2019/882) | European Commission | |
Non-exhaustive summary. The @holmdigital/standards database covers 16 countries with national laws plus EU-level Commission oversight — see the Compliance Guide for the full list.
Enforcement & Sanctions
Enforcement is handled by national authorities. In Sweden, Digg monitors the public sector (WAD), while PTS oversees the private market (EAA). Sanctions range from mandatory improvement notices to heavy administrative fines (up to 10 million SEK in Sweden).
Using the Standards API
The @holmdigital/standards package provides programmatic access to these laws and sanctions:
import { getNationalLaws, getNationalLawByFramework, getMaxSanction } from '@holmdigital/standards'; // Get Swedish laws (DOS-lagen and LPTT) const seLaws = getNationalLaws('SE'); // Get the specific law for a directive getNationalLawByFramework('WAD', 'SE'); // → DOS-lagen getNationalLawByFramework('EAA', 'DE'); // → BFSG // Get the maximum possible sanction in Sweden const max = getMaxSanction('SE'); // -> { law: 'LPTT', amount: 10000000, currency: 'SEK' }EAA Compliance Required
Private companies within the scope of EAA must be fully compliant (deadline passed June 28, 2025). Audit your services using the HolmDigital Engine.