EAA fines by country: what non-compliance actually costs
There is no single EU-wide fine under the European Accessibility Act. Each member state sets its own penalties, so the numbers vary widely by country. Here are the statutory maximums written into national law — and the important context most scare-marketing leaves out: no EAA fine has been publicly reported anywhere in the EU yet. This is general information, not legal advice.
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There is no single EU-wide EAA fine
The European Accessibility Act is a directive, not a regulation. That means it sets common obligations across the EU, but each member state transposes it into its own national law and attaches its own penalties. So when someone quotes you a single headline figure for 'the EAA fine', treat it with caution — there isn't one. What exists is a patchwork of national maximums, enforcement bodies and procedures that differ country by country.
The figures below are the statutory maximums — the ceilings written into national law for the most serious cases. They are not amounts that have been handed to merchants. We draw that distinction deliberately, because the honest picture matters more than a frightening number.
| Member state | Statutory maximum (serious cases) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Up to €100,000 | Minor cases up to €10,000; up to €500,000 for audiovisual-media access providers |
| Ireland | Up to €60,000 + imprisonment up to 18 months | Clearest EU example of criminal liability for responsible individuals |
| Italy | Up to €40,000, or up to 5% of turnover | Enforced under the Stanca Law; minor cases from ~€2,500 |
| Most other member states | Set nationally — commonly administrative fines | Typically enforced by market-surveillance authorities, complaints-driven |
No EAA fine has been publicly reported yet
As things stand, no EAA penalty has been publicly reported anywhere in the EU. The maximums above are ceilings on paper. Enforcement in most member states runs through market-surveillance authorities and complaints-driven investigations, and it is still early — the obligations only became applicable on 28 June 2025.
That is not a reason to ignore the law. It is a reason to be clear-eyed about the real near-term risk, which is a complaint or a demand letter you have to answer — not a surprise six-figure penalty landing on the doormat. The merchants who come through that well are the ones who can show, in writing, that they identified their barriers, fixed what could be fixed, and documented the rest. A documented, defensible position is worth far more than panic.
- The EAA has applied since 28 June 2025 — it is a live obligation, not a future one
- Penalties are national, not EU-wide; the maximums above are legal ceilings
- No EAA fine has been publicly reported yet; enforcement is early and complaints-driven
- The realistic near-term risk is a complaint or demand letter, not an automatic fine
Who is actually in scope
The EAA covers businesses offering products or services to consumers in the EU, and e-commerce services sit squarely within scope. If EU shoppers can buy from your Shopify store, you should treat yourself as in scope until you have confirmed otherwise against the national law that applies to you.
There is a limited carve-out: microenterprises providing services — broadly, fewer than 10 staff and under €2 million annual turnover — may fall outside parts of the regime. But the thresholds and how they apply vary by member state, so the safe move is to verify rather than assume you're exempt on the strength of a half-remembered rule.
- Businesses selling to consumers in the EU, including non-EU sellers
- E-commerce storefronts and checkout are explicitly in scope
- Microenterprises providing services (<10 staff and <€2M turnover) may be exempt — verify against your national transposition
How to put yourself in a defensible position
You don't need a compliance consultant to make real progress, and you certainly don't need an overlay widget — stores running overlays have still been sued, because an overlay patches the browser rather than fixing the barriers in your code. The durable path is the straightforward one: find out where you stand against WCAG 2.2 AA (the standard EN 301 549 and the EAA point to), fix what can genuinely be fixed at the source, be transparent about the rest, and keep it monitored so it doesn't drift.
StoreProof scans your store, fixes the automatable share at the source, flags what needs human judgement, and produces the EAA accessibility statement and dated evidence pack that demonstrate good faith. Be clear-eyed about scope, because we are: automated tooling reliably resolves only around 30–40% of WCAG issues — the rest needs a person. We never promise guaranteed compliance, because no honest provider can.
- Scan against WCAG 2.2 AA to see your real exposure
- Fix what can be fixed at the source — not with an overlay
- Publish an honest accessibility statement with known gaps stated plainly
- Keep a dated evidence pack and monitor so your position stays current
Frequently asked questions
What is the fine for breaking the European Accessibility Act?
There is no single EU-wide fine. Each member state sets its own penalties. Statutory maximums written into national law include up to €100,000 in Germany, up to €60,000 plus possible imprisonment up to 18 months in Ireland, and up to €40,000 or 5% of turnover in Italy. These are ceilings for the most serious cases, not typical outcomes.
Has anyone actually been fined under the EAA?
No EAA fine has been publicly reported anywhere in the EU to date. The obligations only became applicable on 28 June 2025, and enforcement in most member states is early-stage and complaints-driven. The realistic near-term risk for a merchant is a complaint or demand letter, not an automatic penalty.
Which country's penalties apply to my store?
Generally the law of the member state where your customers are. Because the EAA is transposed country by country, your exposure depends on where you sell, not only where your business is registered. If you sell across several EU markets, more than one national regime can be relevant. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is Germany's €500,000 figure the EAA maximum?
No. Germany's higher €500,000 ceiling applies specifically to providers of access to audiovisual media services, not to a typical e-commerce store. For most online shops the relevant German maximum for serious cases is up to €100,000, with up to €10,000 for minor cases.
I'm a small store — am I exempt?
Possibly. Microenterprises providing services — broadly under 10 staff and under €2M annual turnover — may fall outside parts of the regime, but the thresholds and how they apply vary by member state. Verify against the national transposition that applies to you rather than assuming. A free scan shows where you stand regardless.
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