The legislative changes required by the EU Accessibility Directive must be implemented in online stores by 28 June 2025. Do these changes affect you, how can you meet the legal requirements, and what could be the consequences of non-compliance? Also, could you be an e-commerce operator without knowing it? An accessibility expert responds.

In this article, Crasman's accessibility expert Tiina Heikkilä answers the most frequently asked questions and summarises important information about how the Digital Services Act, which regulates accessibility, defines the concept of online shopping.

What services are affected by the legislative change?

The following consumer services were added to the scope of the Digital Services Act in connection with the legislative amendments:

• online stores

• e-books

• some public transport and banking services

• services providing access to audiovisual content

• communication services.

Are you unknowingly an e-commerce operator?

Some online stores are easy to identify: the user can add products to a shopping cart and pay for their purchases online.

However, the definition of the Digital Services Act is broader: a service where a customer can make remote sales contracts under consumer protection law is an online store. Thus, for example, booking a hairdresser, car service or hotel room through an online service is e-commerce if a contract for the purchase of a product or service is established between the customer and the company at the time of booking. 

It does not matter whether the product or service is paid for online or in person.

If you need more precise definitions regarding your online service's relation to the law, you can seek advice directly from the supervisory authority, namely Traficom. 

My recommendation is that even companies in grey areas should be proactive regarding this issue, as accessibility benefits both service users and business.

What are the exceptions to the application of the law?

The Digital Services Act does not oblige micro-enterprises. A company is considered a micro-enterprise if it has fewer than ten employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than two million euros.

Please note that the definition applies to the total turnover of the entire organization, not just the share from the online store.

What must an e-commerce operator do to meet the accessibility requirements?

• The service must meet the accessibility requirements set out in the law.

• The service must include an accessibility statement describing the accessibility status of the service.

• Users must have the opportunity to provide feedback on accessibility, and the feedback must be responded to within 14 days.

• The online store must provide information on the accessibility and usability of the services and products if the manufacturer or importer has provided this information.

The first step to compliance is assessing the accessibility of the online store.

How can you determine the level of accessibility of your online service?

Assessing accessibility requires expertise. When you commission an accessibility audit of your service, you receive a comprehensive report on identified deficiencies and advice on how to correct them. You can also start with more limited checks.

We at Crasman conduct checks ourselves and with our partners, according to your needs.

Almost all services have areas that can be improved. After the assessment, deficiencies can be systematically addressed. Issues that cannot be immediately corrected should be documented on the accessibility statement.

Ensuring and maintaining accessibility requires attention throughout the development and content production of the service. Key factors in this are training your own staff, competent partners, and regular quality assurance.

What if accessibility requirements are not met?

Checking accessibility and preparing the statement is a good start, but according to the law, deficiencies must also be rectified.

Services falling under the law are obliged to report to the supervisory authority what deficiencies there are in meeting the requirements and how they will be rectified. There is not yet guidance on making the report.

Deviation from the requirements can be justified by claiming undue burden, but this is subject to strict conditions. The existence of the burden must be reassessed at least every five years.

What if someone makes a complaint about your service?

The supervisory authority, Traficom, handles complaints and also conducts oversight on its own initiative. 

Traficom is entitled to request a report from the operator on compliance with accessibility requirements. It can require the operator to correct the deficiencies within a set deadline and, if necessary, bring the service under surveillance.

Traficom can also impose a penalty payment to strengthen the order.

Do you still have questions?

More information about the Digital Services Act and its requirements can be found on the site
saavutettavuusvaatimukset.fi.

June is just around the corner, so now is high time to act. Do you need help? Fill in the form below, and we will be in touch with you soon!

{% module_block module "widget_5cac63d0-e6a5-48e7-86a2-bcb9cef3be89" %}{% module_attribute "child_css" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "css" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "definition_id" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "field_types" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{"bg_color":"color","content_vertical_position":"choice","form":"form","pull_form_left":"boolean","text":"richtext","text_color":"color","tight_background":"boolean"}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "form" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}{"form_id":"7264746c-c173-4675-ab33-f3d8f87b39d3","form_type":"HUBSPOT","gotowebinar_webinar_key":null,"message":"

Thank you for getting in touch. We will read your message and get back to you shortly.

\n

Best regards,

\n

The Crasman Team

","response_type":"inline","webinar_id":null,"webinar_source":null}{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "label" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}null{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "module_id" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}96047383156{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "path" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"/website/master-new/modules/banner-form"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "schema_version" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}2{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_objects" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}[]{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "smart_type" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"NOT_SMART"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "tag" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"module"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "text" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"

Contact Us

"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "type" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"module"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% module_attribute "wrap_field_tag" is_json="true" %}{% raw %}"div"{% endraw %}{% end_module_attribute %}{% end_module_block %}