What the EAA is
The European Accessibility Act is Directive (EU) 2019/882. It sets accessibility requirements for a list of products and services sold in the EU. EU member states turned it into national law, and the requirements have applied since 28 June 2025.
Which Android apps are in scope
The Act covers specific consumer services, not every app. Among them:
- Consumer banking services
- E-commerce services
- E-books and dedicated e-reading software
- Passenger transport services, including apps for tickets and travel information
- Electronic communications services
Some very small businesses can be exempt for services. Check your own situation with a lawyer. Rules and enforcement differ by country.
Which standard to build against
The Act itself states goals. The harmonised European standard EN 301 549 is the usual route, and it refers to WCAG for web content and applies similar principles to mobile apps. In practice teams use WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 level AA as a working target for Android apps.
Common Android issues
| Issue | What to check |
|---|---|
| Missing labels | Images and icon buttons need content descriptions so TalkBack can read them. |
| Small touch targets | Interactive elements should be at least 48dp by 48dp. |
| Low contrast | Normal text needs at least 4.5:1 contrast against its background. |
| Text scaling | Layouts should hold up when users raise the system font size. |
| Focus and order | Screen reader and keyboard users need a logical reading order. |
What automated testing can and cannot show
Automated checks catch mechanical problems such as missing labels and some contrast failures, on the screens they actually run. They cannot confirm that a label is meaningful or a flow is usable. Plan manual testing with TalkBack and, where possible, with disabled users.
See also: WCAG checklist for Android apps.