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Low level of readiness for EU accessibility rules

An analysis from law firm Mason Hayes & Curran (MHC) shows that many organisations in Ireland remain underprepared for the European Accessibility Act (EAA), which comes into force on 28 June.

The EAA sets out a common set of accessibility requirements for key products and services, from banking to public transport to e-commerce.

MHC says that, despite its wide-reaching implications, “a significant proportion” of businesses are falling behind in their compliance efforts.

Slight improvement

According to a survey of more than 300 professionals carried out at a recent MHC webinar on the EEA, 49% of organisations say they are not currently prepared to meet its requirements – a slight improvement from 60% recorded in October of last year.

The law firm says the lack of readiness suggests that many may be underestimating the scale of the changes required or are encountering “internal roadblocks” to implementation.

It points out that, 61% of respondents identified technical implementation as their biggest challenge, adding that this underlines the complexity of retrofitting or redesigning digital infrastructure to meet accessibility standards.

The survey finds, however, that 54% of organisations have now conducted an accessibility audit – up from 38% in the previous survey.

Customer awareness

Only 32% of organisations believe that their customers or clients are aware of the accessibility requirements under the EAA.

Dermot McGirr (partner, MHC) warns organisations against relying on low customer awareness as a justification for slow internal action.

“Once the legislation is in force, the consequences of non-compliance – legal, financial, and reputational – can be significant,” he states.