Accessibility is no longer a side topic
Since June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act has applied to certain products and services in the EU, including e-commerce and other digital service contexts. Swiss SMEs should not dismiss that as a distant EU-only issue.
If a business sells digitally into the EU, serves EU customers, or depends on online buying, booking, or portal flows that fall into affected categories, accessibility should now be part of the delivery standard.
This article is not legal advice. It is a practical guide for businesses running websites, portals, and digital service journeys.
Why this matters beyond formal compliance
The legal trigger matters, but accessibility is also a business quality issue. In practice, accessible websites are often easier for everyone to use:
- customers on mobile devices
- older audiences
- people under time pressure
- users with temporary limitations
- search engines trying to understand your page structure
That is why accessibility should not be treated as a checkbox added at the end of a redesign.
The parts most SMEs should look at first
1. Navigation and keyboard access
If a user cannot reliably move through the site without a mouse, the experience is fragile. Review:
- main navigation
- service-page calls to action
- contact forms
- filters
- login areas
- booking or checkout flows
A user getting trapped in a modal or dropdown is not a minor detail. It is a real product failure.
2. Contrast and readability
Many websites look clean in a design mockup but perform poorly in real use. Check:
- text contrast
- font sizes
- focus states
- spacing between sections
- readability on smaller screens
Accessibility often exposes the same problems that also hurt conversion.
3. Forms and error handling
Forms are one of the weakest areas on SME sites. A better standard looks like this:
- every field has a visible label
- required fields are clear
- errors are specific
- errors are not communicated by color alone
- submission works properly with keyboard navigation
That applies to contact forms, portals, quote requests, checkouts, and booking steps.
4. Semantic HTML and structure
Good HTML semantics are not academic. They help screen readers, browsers, and search engines understand the page:
- headings in a logical order
- buttons used for actions
- links used for navigation
- lists used for grouped information
- clearly defined page regions
This is often where accessibility and technical SEO align.
5. Non-text content
Important information should not exist only inside images, PDFs, or videos without alternatives. If key service details, instructions, or next steps are available only visually, many users lose access.
What the EAA changes in practice
The current EU summary highlights that the rules apply from June 28, 2025, and that covered areas include e-commerce and other digital services. It also lists exceptions such as certain archived content and microenterprises providing services. That does not mean most SMEs should ignore the topic. It means the exact scope depends on the actual service model and should be checked carefully where legal exposure matters.
For delivery teams, the practical lesson is simpler: if your website or portal supports real customer action, build it in a way that is usable for more people from the start.
A pragmatic rollout order
Do not try to perfect every page at once. Review in this order:
- homepage
- top service pages
- contact and lead forms
- checkout, booking, or login flows
- reusable UI components
Then repeat the review on mobile, with keyboard-only navigation, and with accessibility checks built into QA.
Where companies usually fail
Accessibility is often misunderstood:
- as a design-only concern
- as something only large corporations need
- as a legal appendix instead of a product standard
- as work that does not affect conversions
In reality, better accessibility often improves clarity, trust, and completion rates at the same time.
Conclusion
The EAA has increased the urgency, but the core benefit is broader: better digital access creates better websites and stronger customer journeys. For Swiss SMEs, this is a good moment to improve not just how a site looks, but how reliably people can actually use it.
If you want to improve an existing site or customer flow, our websites for trade businesses and tenant portal and contractor coordination are relevant starting points.