Guide · Shopify
European Accessibility Act for US Shopify stores
Updated
Short answer: the European Accessibility Act is an EU directive (Directive (EU) 2019/882) that sets accessibility rules for certain products and services. The European Commission lists e-commerce among them. The main rules apply from 28 June 2025, and each EU country enforces them through its own national law. Whether the Act applies to your US store is a legal question. This page is general information, not legal advice. Ask a lawyer who knows EU law whether it applies to you. What we can say is practical: a WCAG check finds common theme accessibility issues, and you can fix them on a copy of your theme.
Want us to check your store? Send your store link to [help@vibe-fixer.com](mailto:help@vibe-fixer.com) and we'll send your free accessibility report within one business day. It is an automated, read-only check of your store's public homepage, not a full audit with a person testing by keyboard and screen reader. It tests only what software can test of WCAG 2.0 and 2.1, Levels A and AA. It doesn't test the newer WCAG 2.2 criteria, such as target size. It finds some issues, not all of them. The report is not legal advice.
What is the European Accessibility Act?
The European Commission describes it as "a directive that aims to improve the functioning of the internal market for accessible products and services" (European Commission). Its official name is Directive (EU) 2019/882. The AccessibleEU guidance says it seeks to "harmonise national laws and minimum accessibility requirements" for the proper functioning of the internal market (AccessibleEU, Guidance on legislation).
Should you ask a lawyer first?
Yes. We are not lawyers, and VibeFix does not check your store against EU law. Whether the Act reaches a store based in the US, and whether any exemption for small businesses fits yours, depends on the Directive's exact text and on the national law of each country you sell into. Read the Directive itself (Directive (EU) 2019/882 on EUR-Lex) and take the questions to a lawyer.
Is there an exemption for small businesses?
The Directive has one for very small service providers. Article 4(5) says: "Microenterprises providing services shall be exempt from complying with the accessibility requirements referred to in paragraph 3 of this Article and any obligations relating to the compliance with those requirements." Article 3(23) defines a microenterprise as "an enterprise which employs fewer than 10 persons and which has an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 2 million or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 2 million" (Directive (EU) 2019/882). Whether your store counts, and how each EU country applies this, is a question for your lawyer.
When does it apply?
The AccessibleEU guidance, published on a European Commission site, says the Directive "applies to products and services placed on the market after 28 June 2025" (AccessibleEU, Guidance on legislation). The same guidance lists the dates: 28 June 2022 was the deadline for EU countries to put the Directive into national law, and "28 June 2025 - Member States must ensure the implementation of their national law."
Is online selling in scope?
The Commission's page lists the products and services the Act covers. "E-commerce" is on that list, next to things like e-books, banking services and smartphones (European Commission). The page does not say how that applies to a store outside the EU. That is one for your lawyer.
Who enforces it?
EU countries do. The AccessibleEU guidance says Member States "are free to decide how to enforce it". So the rules and the contact point can differ from one country to the next. We do not give penalty figures here, because we did not find them in an official source we could open.
How does it connect to WCAG?
WCAG is the W3C's web accessibility standard. The European standard EN 301 549 is the one tied to the Directive. AccessibleEU says the current reference version, v3.2.1, is "based on WCAG 2.1 Level AA", and that a newer version, v4.1.1, moves the baseline to WCAG 2.2. It also says the new version "is not yet the legal reference standard" until the Commission cites it in the Official Journal (AccessibleEU, EN 301 549 update). Standards change, so ask your lawyer which version matters for you.
What can you do on your store now?
The theme problems are the same ones a WCAG check looks for. Start with what blocks a purchase:
- product photos with no alt text;
- low-contrast text;
- a menu, size picker or cart drawer you can't use with a keyboard;
- no visible focus outline;
- icon buttons with no name for screen readers;
- form fields with no label.
Our guides cover each one: the WCAG 2.2 checklist for a Shopify theme and what a Shopify accessibility audit checks. Make the changes on a copy of your theme (Online Store, Themes, the three-dot menu, Duplicate), check the copy, then publish it. Keep a dated record of what you fixed. That record helps whoever advises you.
FAQ
Does fixing these issues make my store meet the Act?
We can't say that. Fixing theme issues makes the store easier to use. Whether it meets any legal requirement is for a lawyer, or the authority in the country you sell to.
Does VibeFix check my store for EU law?
No. Our free report is an automated check of your store's public homepage for common accessibility issues. It does not test against EU law and is not legal advice.
Do I need to fix everything at once?
No. Start with the product page, the picker, the cart and the menu, then work outward.
Which version of WCAG should I test against?
WCAG 2.2 AA is a sensible target for a theme today. The current EN 301 549 reference is based on WCAG 2.1 AA (see the note above), so ask your lawyer which version matters to you.
How VibeFix works on a store
Once you choose to go ahead and connect your store, our AI agent works through the issues in your report on an unpublished copy of your theme. We review each change before you preview it, and you publish it yourself. Nothing goes live until you do. The report lists anything still open. How it works for Shopify stores
Want us to check your store?
Send your store link to [help@vibe-fixer.com](mailto:help@vibe-fixer.com) and we'll send your free accessibility report within one business day. It is an automated, read-only check of your store's public homepage, not a full audit with a person testing by keyboard and screen reader: we don't sign in, submit anything or change anything. It tests only what software can test of WCAG 2.0 and 2.1, Levels A and AA. It doesn't test the newer WCAG 2.2 criteria, such as target size. It finds some accessibility issues, not all of them. The report is not legal advice.
Related: Shopify store sued over website accessibility: what to do this week
This page is general information, not legal advice. VibeFix is independent and is not affiliated with any company named here. Shopify is a trademark of Shopify Inc. Other names are trademarks of their owners.
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