Digital Product Accessibility and WCAG

1. How Does Czech Legislation Require Accessibility?

In the Czech Republic, the European Accessibility Act will come into effect on June 28, 2025, requiring compliance with the new WCAG 2.2 standard at the AA level. This requirement is incorporated into Czech law by Act No. 424/2023 Sb. (the Act on Accessibility Requirements for Certain Products and Services).

2. Which Companies Are Affected by the Accessibility Act?

Previously, accessibility requirements primarily applied to public administration. Now, the obligation to meet WCAG standards is extended to private companies providing public services. This includes banks, insurance companies, telecom providers, and transport companies.

3. Are There Any Exceptions?

The law does not apply to micro-enterprises (under 10 employees or turnover below 2 million euros) or companies for which adjustments would represent "unreasonable hardship." Digital products no longer planned for updates or apps that will be discontinued within six months of the law's enactment are also exempt.

4. Which Touchpoints Need to Be Addressed?

Accessibility applies to all digital channels accessible to end users—websites, mobile apps, as well as terminals, ATMs, or even chatbots and virtual assistants. Additionally, it applies to all digital documents (Word, Excel, PDF…) available for download on the platform.

5. Who Will Monitor This?

In our country, the Ministry of Industry and Trade oversees compliance with the European directive. In practice, the Digital and Information Agency (DIA) will be responsible for checking the accessibility of digital products. If a company fails the check, it will receive a short report listing the errors, along with a six-month deadline for corrections.

6. How Many Companies (Don’t) Pass the Check?

For instance, in Slovakia, according to government statistics, only 40–45% of websites and apps of institutions required to comply with the accessibility law pass the check. This means that more than half of organizations do not meet the legal requirements and face high penalties.

7. How High Are the Fines?

The state may impose fines of up to 10 million CZK for violations of the law. Penalties can either be fixed amounts or calculated based on the company’s turnover. Consequently, product development that doesn’t consider accessibility can become significantly more expensive.

8. Is It Necessary to Prove Accessibility in Any Way?

Each website covered by accessibility legislation must include an Accessibility Statement. This digital document contains information about the website’s accessibility and serves as an official confirmation that the website or application meets accessibility requirements.

9. What Are the Most Common Issues Found During Accessibility Checks?

With our clients, we mostly see:

• Missing alt texts and captions
• Incorrect heading hierarchy and typography
• Poor color contrast
• Text in image format (e.g., scanned documents)
• Missing link purpose ("click here", "more info here...")
• Incorrectly set page language
• Inadequate element labeling (e.g., for forms, buttons)

10. How Does the Accessibility Act Relate to Company Branding?

The Accessibility Act overrides corporate branding rules, meaning visual elements must conform to accessibility standards. WCAG standards clearly define what is still acceptable in terms of accessibility and what is not.

Does the New Accessibility Act Apply to You?

The June 28, 2025 deadline is approaching, but there is still time to prepare adequately for the legislation. We recommend conducting an accessibility audit, training internal teams, and establishing a governance model that ensures your digital products are always compliant with the law. By doing so, you avoid unnecessary fines from the state and costly fixes.

👉 Contact us. We’ll help you create digital products that meet the current WCAG requirements and are accessible to all potential customers.