comparison
EAA vs Section 508
EAA (European Accessibility Act, European Union (all 27 member states), 2019) and Section 508 (Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, United States — federal government and federal contractors, 1998 (2017 Refresh)) are two of the most-referenced accessibility frameworks in digital compliance. This guide compares them side by side — jurisdiction, scope, conformance approach, penalties, and how a single audit can cover both simultaneously.
What is EAA?
The European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) is the EU's prescriptive accessibility law that takes effect 28 June 2025, requiring covered products and services — banking, e-commerce, transport, audiovisual media, ebooks and computer hardware — to meet harmonised accessibility requirements derived from EN 301 549 and WCAG 2.1 AA.
Maintainer
European Commission
Jurisdiction and enforcement
European Union (all 27 member states). Per member state, via national transpositions.
What is Section 508?
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires US federal agencies, federal contractors, and recipients of federal funds to make their information and communications technology (ICT) accessible to people with disabilities, with conformance benchmarked against WCAG 2.0 Level AA via the 2017 Refresh.
Maintainer
US Access Board
Jurisdiction and enforcement
United States — federal government and federal contractors. GSA, agencies, US Court of Federal Claims.
EAA vs Section 508 — the key differences
The principal difference is jurisdictional: EAA applies in European Union (all 27 member states), while Section 508 applies in United States — federal government and federal contractors. EAA is maintained by European Commission; Section 508 is maintained by US Access Board. The standards differ on scope, conformance grading, and penalty structure — but a well-designed accessibility programme can satisfy both simultaneously by adopting the strictest applicable requirement and cross-mapping findings.
Scope
EAA covers: Consumer banking services, E-commerce (B2C online sales), Air, rail, water, bus passenger transport, Audiovisual media services and devices, Electronic communications services, E-readers and ebooks, Self-service terminals (ATMs, ticket machines), Consumer computer hardware and operating systems. Section 508 covers: Federal-agency websites and applications, Federal-contractor ICT, ICT procured with federal funds.
Penalties
EAA: Germany: up to €100,000 administrative fine + suspension of service. Section 508: Procurement disqualification.
How to comply with both at once
Adopt the stricter applicable conformance level — typically WCAG 2.2 Level AA — as your engineering baseline. Audit against that baseline once, then cross-map findings to both EAA and Section 508 specific requirements. A single Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) using VPAT 2.5 INT can document both.
When you might need just one
If you operate exclusively in European Union (all 27 member states) and have no cross-border procurement exposure, you may only need EAA. The same applies in reverse for Section 508. For organisations selling cross-border, into the EU or US public sector, the safer default is to plan to both simultaneously.
Sources
- Directive (EU) 2019/882 (European Accessibility Act) — European Union
- EN 301 549 v3.2.1 — ETSI
- Section508.gov — GSA
- Section 508 Standards (ICT Refresh) — US Access Board
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Cited answers. Sourced. Updated as standards and case law change.
Is EAA stricter than Section 508?
Neither standard is uniformly "stricter" — they cover different regulatory domains. EAA is more prescriptive about consumer banking services; Section 508 about federal-agency websites and applications. For organisations exposed to both, a unified WCAG 2.2 AA baseline typically satisfies the technical requirements of both.
Can a single audit satisfy EAA and Section 508?
Yes. Both standards ultimately reference WCAG-aligned criteria. A combined audit with cross-mapped findings can produce documentation acceptable to both regulators.
Which jurisdictions enforce EAA?
European Union (all 27 member states). Per member state, via national transpositions.
Which jurisdictions enforce Section 508?
United States — federal government and federal contractors. GSA, agencies, US Court of Federal Claims.
What happens if I am not compliant with EAA?
Germany: up to €100,000 administrative fine + suspension of service France: up to €75,000 + daily penalty up to €3,000 Italy: up to €40,000 + product/service withdrawal Ireland: up to €60,000 / 18 months imprisonment Spain: up to €1,000,000 for repeat serious infringements
What happens if I am not compliant with Section 508?
Procurement disqualification Contract termination or modification Bid protests at GAO and US Court of Federal Claims Reputational and downstream civil-rights exposure under Sections 501 and 504
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