--- title: "Accessibility Practices for EU Customers under the European Accessibility Act for Email Channel (EAA)" slug: "accessibility-practices-for-eu-customers-under-the-european-accessibility-act-for-email-channel-eaa" description: "Accessibility Practices for EU Customers under the European Accessibility Act for Email Channel (EAA)" updated: 2026-07-12T10:22:27Z published: 2026-07-12T10:22:27Z canonical: "academy.insiderone.com/accessibility-practices-for-eu-customers-under-the-european-accessibility-act-for-email-channel-eaa" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://academy.insiderone.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Accessibility Practices for EU Customers under the European Accessibility Act for Email Channel (EAA) The European Accessibility Act (EAA), which became fully enforceable on 28 June 2025, requires businesses operating in the European Union (EU) to ensure that digital services and communications are accessible to all consumers, including individuals with disabilities. Although the legislation does not explicitly mention email marketing, all electronic communications associated with consumer-facing services, such as promotional campaigns, automated journeys, and transactional emails, fall within its scope. For organizations using Insider’s Email Product, email templates, content, and workflows must align with accessibility requirements. Compliance not only minimizes legal and reputational risks but also fosters inclusive customer experiences and stronger audience engagement. Complying with the EAA not only ensures legal and brand protection, but also: - Expands audience reach by including users with disabilities. - Improves deliverability and engagement through clear and inclusive design. - Positions the brand as an accessibility leader in the EU market. > [!WARNING] > You need to treat **WCAG 2.1 AA** as mandatory for **all EU-facing emails**, and prepare workflows for WCAG 2.2 alignment. Insider’s Email Product compliance features should be activated and enforced across all campaign templates and transactional emails. ## Mandatory accessibility practices ### Content structure and readability - **Alt text for images**: Provide meaningful alternative text for all non-decorative images (e.g., product visuals, CTA graphics). Decorative elements should use empty alt attributes **(alt="")**. - **Linked images**: If an image is used as a link, the alt text must describe both the visual and its destination (e.g., “View Product Details”). - **Semantic headings**: Use logical heading order (**H1** → **H2** → **H3**) for screen reader compatibility. - Main heading requirement: Include at least one **< h1 >** element to define the main topic of the email, helping screen readers navigate the content. - **Readable fonts**: Ensure minimum font size of 14px with sufficient contrast ratio (at least 4.5:1 for text, 3:1 for large text). - **Avoid all-caps**: Screen readers may misinterpret continuous uppercase text. - **Language attribute (lang)**: Define the lang attribute on the **< html >** tag and direct children of **< body >** (e.g., lang="en", lang="tr"). This ensures screen readers pronounce content correctly. If a fallback is needed, use **lang="und"** (undetermined language). - **Text direction (dir)**: Set a **dir** attribute (e.g., dir="ltr" or dir="rtl") on **< body >** or main containers to prevent layout issues in right-to-left languages. Use **dir="auto"** as a fallback. - **Tables for layout**: When tables are used for visual layout instead of data, set **role="presentation"** or **role="none"** so that assistive technologies do not interpret them as data tables. - **Document title ()**: Add a **< title >** element to describe the purpose of the email (e.g., <title>Monthly Newsletter – Insider). This helps users identify the email in web view or browser tabs. ### Links and buttons - **Descriptive CTA labels:** Use action-oriented text (e.g., “Shop New Collection“ instead of “Click Here“). - **Accessible focus order**: Maintain natural tab order for links, buttons, and interactive elements. - **Sufficient touch targets**: Buttons must be at least **44x44px** for accessibility on mobile. - **Visually distinguishable links:** Links must be identifiable without relying on color alone. Use underlines, bold styles, or icons. If color is the only indicator, ensure at least a **3:1** contrast ratio against surrounding text. ### Color and visual design - **Do not rely on color alone**: Ensure links and important content have color and textual indicators. - **High contrast:** Background-to-text and button-to-background contrast must meet WCAG standards. - **Dark mode compatibility:** Test all templates in both light and dark modes. ### Media and animations - **Motion control**: Provide static fallbacks for GIFs and animations. Avoid flashing elements. - **Video accessibility:** Embedded videos must include captions or transcripts. ### Forms and interactive elements in email - **Form labels:** All fields must have associated labels. - **Error messaging**: Provide clear error text, not just visual cues. - **Keyboard accessibility**: Interactive email elements (AMP, forms, accordions) must be usable via keyboard navigation ## Customer responsibilities Below are the customers’ responsibilities. - Use Insider’s accessibility-ready templates without overriding built-in compliance checks. - Provide meaningful alt text, CTA labels, and transcripts for uploaded content. - Test campaigns with screen readers (e.g., NVDA, VoiceOver) before launch. - Train internal teams on accessibility best practices for email creation.