ADA is the US framework courts apply to websites (measured against WCAG); the European Accessibility Act (EAA) is the EU's statutory accessibility regime for many products and services from 2025. Both point at WCAG conformance in practice — so hitting WCAG AA helps with each — but they're separate legal obligations with different scope and enforcement.
| ADA Ready | AccessProof | |
|---|---|---|
| Rule | ADA web accessibility (US) | EU Accessibility Act (WCAG) |
| Region | US rules | EU rules |
| Applies if you… | run a website serving customers in the US | run an online shop that serves customers in the EU |
| Status | In force | Since Jun 2025 |
| Maximum exposure | DOJ up to $118,225 (1st violation) + private-suit costs | market withdrawal + member-state fines |
| Official source | ADA.gov — web accessibility guidance | EUR-Lex — Directive (EU) 2019/882 |
Often yes. They're separate obligations, so if your business falls within scope of each — for example, customers or activities that each one covers — you have to meet both. The free checkers tell you where you stand on each in about a minute.
Informational only, not legal advice. Scope and figures can be fact-specific — confirm against each cited source. Last reviewed 2026-06-30.