With the entry into force of the Legislative Decree 82/2022which transposes in Italy the Directive (EU) 2019/882 known as European Accessibility Act, radically changes the digital landscape: showcase and institutional sites must also be accessible by 28 June 2025.
Who is obliged to comply?
Not only e-commerce or complex platforms. The obligation concerns any publicly accessible digital site or service, including:
- Corporate information sites
- Institutional or representative pages
- Promotional landing pages
- Showcase sites without sales functionality
In summary: if the site is public and accessible by browser, it must comply with accessibility standards.
Normative references
- Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019
Official text: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/882/oj - Legislative Decree No. 82 of 27 May 2022
Official Journal: https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/eli/id/2022/07/01/22G00089/SG
What does 'accessible' mean?
A site is accessible when it can also be used by persons with sensory, motor or cognitive disabilities. Requirements include:
- Respect for WCAG 2.1 guidelines - level AA
- Compatibility with screen readers and assistive technologies
- Navigation entirely by keyboard
- Sufficient colour contrast for texts and interfaces
- Alternative texts for images, subtitles for video, transcripts for audio
- Correct semantic structure of HTML code
Who is subject to the obligation?
The regulations apply to:
- Companies of any size that make a site or app available to the public
- Agencies, software houses, developers and consultants publishing or maintaining sites for third parties
- SaaS providers delivering digital services to the public
Partial exemptions
- Microenterprises (fewer than 10 employees and annual turnover of less than EUR 2 million) may be exemptedbut only if direct suppliers of the digital service.
- Micro-companies that develop software, web apps or sites given to customers for use are not exempt.
You can request a disproportionate burden derogationbut must be substantiated with appropriate documentation and retained for at least five years.
Main deadlines
- 28 June 2025: mandatory adaptation for all new public digital sites, apps and services
- Until 28 June 2030: sites already online before 28/06/2025 can remain active only if not modified
Sanctions and controls
The controlling body is AgID - Digital Italy Agency, who can:
- Requesting corrective changes
- Deactivating non-compliant services
- Imposing penalties of 5,000 to 40,000 euro
Why it pays to act now
- Avoid penalties and blockages close to the deadline
- Offer an inclusive and modern experience to all users
- Improve site usability and indexing
- Enhance corporate reputation for social responsibility
