Email best practices
Are your emails ready for the EU Accessibility Act (EAA)?
Is your email marketing ready for the European Accessibility Act (EAA)? As the 2025 deadline approaches, businesses need to ensure their emails are accessible to all recipients, including those with disabilities.
PUBLISHED ON
On June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) will come into effect. Now, this regulation isn’t just for European Union (EU)-based businesses, as it applies to any company offering products or services within the EU.
Whether you’re an email marketer, designer, or business leader, adapting your email strategy to meet these standards is crucial for compliance and audience inclusivity. Here’s what you need to know to create accessible emails that engage every subscriber.
Table of contents
Use clear and readable text
Optimize email layout for screen readers
Make images and links accessible
Improve clickability and navigation
What is the European Accessibility Act?
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a key regulation aimed at making digital experiences more inclusive by requiring businesses to remove accessibility barriers. From June 28, 2025, companies operating in the EU – or serving EU customers – must ensure their digital content, including websites, mobile apps, and email campaigns, meets strict accessibility standards. For email marketers, this means adapting designs and content to be readable, navigable, and engaging for all recipients, including those using assistive technologies.
Here’s a direct quote take from the European Commission website:
“The European accessibility act is a directive that aims to improve the functioning of the internal market for accessible products and services, by removing barriers created by divergent rules in Member States. Businesses will benefit from common rules on accessibility in the EU leading to costs reduction, easier cross-border trading, and more market opportunities for their accessible products and services”
Who will it impact?
The EAA will impact a wide range of businesses and organizations that provide digital products and services within the EU. While the law is primarily aimed at improving accessibility for people with disabilities, its effects extend beyond just compliance – it will shape the way businesses design and deliver digital experiences, including email marketing.
Who is it for?
The EAA is designed to break down digital barriers and ensure that people with disabilities can access and interact with digital content just as easily as anyone else. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates approximately 135 million people in the EU live with some form of disability, and the EAA will improve their ability to navigate websites, read emails, make online purchases, and access digital services without obstacles.
Beyond individuals with disabilities, all users will benefit from clearer, more user-friendly digital experiences. Accessible emails, for instance, improve readability for older adults, mobile users, and those in low-bandwidth environments.
What are the ramifications of non-compliance?
Failing to comply with the EAA can have significant consequences for businesses and organizations operating within or serving customers in the EU. The law is designed to enforce digital accessibility standards, and non-compliance could lead to legal, financial, and reputational repercussions.
It appears each EU member state will be responsible for enforcing the EAA and will establish penalties for non-compliance. These could potentially include:
Fines and financial penalties, which may vary depending on the severity of the violation and the size of the company.
Restrictions on business operations within the EU, potentially limiting market access.
Legal actions and complaints from consumers who experience barriers due to non-accessible digital content, including emails.
However, the commission does recognize that smaller businesses might face challenges in meeting all its requirements. In cases of “disproportionate burden,” businesses may be exempt from certain obligations if they can prove that compliance imposes undue financial or organizational strain.
What can email marketers and senders do?
For a few years now the Email Markup Consortium (EMC) has conducted research on email accessibility. They analyze hundreds of thousands of email campaigns to get an idea of whether brands are working to make emails accessible.
The findings have been less than impressive. More than 99% of the emails analyzed contained accessibility issues considered “Serious” or “Critical.” Now, the idea here is not to shame email marketers, but rather to highlight the need for further education around the topic as a whole.
With that said, email accessibility expert Megan Boshyuzen sat down with two of the EMC’s administrators – Alice Li and Naomi West – to discuss the 2024 findings during an on-demand session of Email Camp MessageMania:
So, what are some actionable steps email marketers and senders can take to improve their email accessibility?
Use clear and readable text
One of the most important aspects of email accessibility is ensuring that text is easy to read for all recipients. This starts with choosing a legible sans-serif font, such as Arial, Verdana, or Roboto, which are widely recognized for their clarity.
Font size should be set to at least 14px to enhance readability, particularly for users with visual impairments. Additionally, proper contrast between text and background colors is essential. For example, dark text on a light background (or vice versa) ensures better visibility and meets contrast ratio standards.
Optimize email layout for screen readers
A well-structured email makes it easier for screen readers to interpret the content correctly. Using semantic HTML, marketers should apply proper heading structures, such as <h1> for main headings and <h2> for subheadings, while also organizing content with <p> tags for paragraphs.
Avoiding tables for email layouts is crucial, as they can be difficult for assistive technologies to navigate. Instead, responsive design techniques should be used to ensure emails display properly across all devices. Maintaining a logical reading order is also important, as it prevents screen readers from presenting content in a confusing sequence.
Did you know that 53% of emails are opened on mobile? Mailjet's pre-built newsletter templates are responsive, meaning they are automatically formatted to adjust and adapt to any mobile or desktop device.
Make images and links accessible
Images often enhance email content, but they should never be the only way to convey important information. To make emails more inclusive, all images should include descriptive alternative text (alt text), which allows screen readers to describe the image to visually impaired users. Additionally, when inserting links, it’s important to use clear and descriptive anchor text rather than vague phrases like "Click here." A phrase such as "Read our guide on accessibility" provides users with context about where the link leads.
Improve clickability and navigation
Ensuring that emails are easy to navigate benefits all users, particularly those who rely on keyboard navigation instead of a mouse. Buttons should be large enough to be easily tapped or clicked, with sufficient spacing between elements to prevent accidental clicks.
Interactive elements, such as forms or links, should be accessible via keyboard shortcuts so users can navigate through the email without using a mouse. Adding focus indicators – visual cues that highlight which element is currently selected – can also improve navigation for those using keyboard controls.
Further reading: If you want more information about email accessibility, what it is, and why it’s important for email marketers, this comprehensive guide provides a great outlay for both beginners and experienced senders.
Wrapping up
The EAA will impact any organization that communicates with EU consumers through digital channels, making accessibility a key priority for businesses, marketers, and technology providers alike.
As the June 28 2025 deadline approaches, you should take proactive steps to align with accessibility best practices – not just for compliance, but to create a more inclusive and engaging experience for all your customers and subscribers.
