iOS Accessibility and European Accessibility Act Compliance

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) applies from 28 June 2025. If your iOS app provides consumer services in the EU, it must comply with EN 301 549 — regardless of where your company is headquartered. Fines vary by country and can reach €100,000 to €1,000,000 depending on the member state and severity.

At AtalayaSoft, accessibility is not a last-minute audit. Our iOS architect, Francisco José García Navarro, has worked on Juegos ONCE (the lottery app of Spain's National Organisation of the Blind, where the primary users are visually impaired) — an app where accessibility is the primary feature, not a secondary requirement. Users with visual impairments depend on every interface element working correctly with VoiceOver, Dynamic Type and assistive technologies.

That direct experience — making an app genuinely usable for people who depend on it — is what we bring to your team.

iOS accessibility development at AtalayaSoft

The EAA clock is already running

The European Accessibility Act is not a future goal. It is a binding obligation in force since June 2025 across all 27 EU member states. Here are the key facts:

Enforcement date: 28 June 2025 for new digital products and services. Existing services that undergo substantial modifications must comply immediately. French disability organisations issued formal legal notices to major retailers within days of the deadline.

It applies to you — wherever you are based: If your app provides consumer services to EU customers, you must comply regardless of where your company is headquartered. The EAA has extraterritorial reach: banking, e-commerce, transport, telecommunications and audiovisual services are all covered.

Fines vary by country — and they are significant: Germany: up to €100,000 per violation. France: up to €250,000 plus €25,000/year for missing accessibility statements. Italy: up to 5% of annual turnover for large companies. Spain: up to €1,000,000 for very serious violations. Ireland has even introduced criminal penalties for serious non-compliance.

Beyond fines: Non-compliant apps can be removed from the EU market, and companies may be excluded from public procurement across all member states.

Scope: 101 million people in the EU have some form of disability (1 in 4 adults). Accessibility is not niche — it is a quarter of your potential market.

What we do in iOS Accessibility

iOS accessibility work and screen review
VoiceOver accessibility testing on iPhone
iOS development setup with Accessibility Inspector

Real Accessibility, not theoretical

The difference between "passing an audit" and "being genuinely accessible" is learned by working with users who depend on accessibility every day. At Juegos ONCE, Francisco José García Navarro worked on an app built for visually impaired users. Every button, every transition, every notification must work perfectly with VoiceOver. There is no room for shortcuts.

That experience translates into a practical approach: we do not simply add accessibilityLabel to elements. We review the complete user flow with VoiceOver enabled, test with Dynamic Type at extreme sizes, verify focus order on every screen and ensure the app works for real people, not just automated auditing tools.

How we execute an Accessibility project

  • 01. Initial Audit

    We review the app screen by screen against EN 301 549 and WCAG 2.1 AA. We test with VoiceOver, Switch Control and Dynamic Type. We deliver a report prioritised by severity.

  • 02. Remediation Plan

    We define a correction roadmap ordered by impact: critical blockers first (inaccessible elements that prevent app use), then experience improvements.

  • 03. Implementation or Team Integration

    Depending on your needs, we can implement fixes directly (as developers integrated in the team) or guide your team with pair programming and accessibility-focused code reviews.

  • 04. Validation, Documentation and Training

    Final testing with real assistive technologies, preparation of the mandatory accessibility statement and a training workshop so your team maintains accessibility in future development.

Companies we have worked with on Accessibility

We have implemented accessibility improvements in production apps for companies like Juegos ONCE, Zara/Inditex and Banco Santander, where accessibility is not a "nice to have" but a requirement for millions of users.

Zara
Inditex
Banco Santander
ONCE
ZEAL Network SE
View all projects
iOS developer coding with an accessibility focus

Is your iOS app EAA-compliant?

In one week we tell you exactly where you stand and what concrete steps you need to take to comply with EN 301 549.

Request an accessibility audit

Testimonials

“ I am very pleased to recommend Francisco for any position in software development, especially in the iOS field. I have been fortunate to work closely with him during his time on our development team and the various new connections we have had in the workplace, where he has proven to be an exceptional professional.

He distinguishes himself by his thoroughness and commitment to quality in every task he undertakes. His work is based on Clean Architecture and SOLID principles, which is reflected in the clarity, efficiency and maintainability of his code. These practices not only ensure the quality of the final product, but also facilitate collaboration within the team and the scalability of projects.

In addition to his technical skills, Francisco has a remarkable ability to communicate his ideas clearly and concisely. This has been particularly valuable in presenting solutions and defending his proposals, always with well-founded arguments based on industry best practices.

During his time in our team, he has proven to be an invaluable asset, not only for his talent and knowledge, but also for his positive attitude and willingness to help his colleagues. His ability to lead and collaborate has contributed significantly to the success of our projects.

In summary, I consider Francisco to be an outstanding professional who will bring value to any organisation lucky enough to have him. I am sure he will continue to be a positive influence and a driver of innovation in his next job challenge. ”

“ It is a pleasure to recommend Fran, who is a key member of the team at B-FY, serving as the lead for iOS development in Biocryptology. He is responsible for app programming and security libraries, showcasing profound technical knowledge and an admirable ability to deliver results of the highest quality.

He stands out for his diligence and responsibility, consistently meeting established deadlines. His work, both in implementing new features and enhancing security, is always aligned with the product goals and meticulously planned, enabling him to meet sprint objectives without fail.

When the iOS team expanded within the company, Fran took on the challenge of coordinating the team, leading both functional development and code migrations to Swift. His leadership has been crucial in maintaining the quality and cohesion of the product during a period of significant technological change. He consistently demonstrates a proactive and problem-solving attitude, offering innovative solutions and ensuring the team achieves collective success.

His work is impeccable, and his commitment to excellence is evident in every project. Beyond his technical skills, his approach fosters a collaborative and respectful team environment. I am confident that his analytical ability, meticulousness, and team leadership skills are a valuable asset to any company he chooses to join. ”

“ Francisco is a great professional, and this is evident in his more than 11 years of experience in the internet sector.

This extensive experience, along with his continuous desire for learning and training, makes Francisco a highly qualified professional for software development and the internet sector. The work with multiple technologies that he has done over all these years of experience broadens the range of challenges that Francisco can successfully tackle.

Additionally, on a human level, Francisco has an open character, is capable of delegating and sharing, skills that make him very capable of working in a team. Another remarkable aspect of Francisco is his initiative in sharing knowledge and learning from others, which fosters the learning of the entire group.

During the almost three years I worked with Francisco, he was a true reference for me, as well as the person who introduced me to the sector and trained me during that time. ”

“ I have been working with Fran as an Acilia resource for a couple of years, and his best qualities are his proactivity, his interest in continuous learning and staying up-to-date with web and app technologies, and his ability to work in a team, collaborating with various profiles to carry out developments. ”

“ Francisco José is a great professional and very hardworking with high motivation and a positive spirit. I appreciate that he is very calm and creates a good atmosphere within the team. ”

“ Fran is a well-trained and experienced worker, always learning new things. Very methodical in everything he does and with very clear ideas. Always willing to share his knowledge with the group. And as a person, he is an excellent guy! ”

“ Fran is a highly experienced professional who is not only contributing to our iOS app development but also to many other key areas essential for the growth of a start-up. ”

“ Francisco José is highly skilled in iOS development, and it’s evident that he is truly passionate about it. He has all the necessary hardware resources and is well-versed in agile methodologies. In our case, we worked with Trello and Excel. Communication with him is seamless, which makes it easy to resolve any questions that arise during development. I would definitely recommend him. ”

“ An example of order, seriousness, and immense love for his work. Factors that not only affect his productivity and performance but also translate into a close relationship with his colleagues, being attentive and willing to listen, debate, teach, share… undoubtedly, his desire to progress will take him wherever he wants. ”

“ When Dandan joined our team the first thing that attracted me was her curiosity for learning. She was ready to learn eagerly from everyone, from everything. And she made it, very fast. Her progress not only on Digital Marketing but learning Spanish and English was fascinating and motivating. She is passionate about what she does, but also she is open and always willing to help and to develop others work. ”

“ Dandan is one of the most capable programmers I’ve had the pleasure of working with. She never backs down from a challenge and tackles it head-on until it’s resolved and completed. She is always looking for the best way to do things. Additionally, she is a sponge for knowledge and an incredibly well-rounded individual, not only as a programmer but also possessing a set of qualities that are hard to find, which enable her to be a natural manager and leader when needed. ”

“ I have worked with Dandan for more than a year, and she has never ceased to amaze me with her professionalism, dedication, and being an excellent colleague—very friendly, cheerful, and polite. She is always willing to help, responsible, and very hardworking. I highly recommend her. ”

Loading...

The team working on your project

Frequently asked questions about Accessibility and the EAA

If your app provides consumer services in the EU (banking, e-commerce, transport, communications, audiovisual services), yes. Micro-enterprises (fewer than 10 employees and turnover below €2M) are exempt.
EN 301 549, which incorporates WCAG 2.1 Level AA criteria adapted for native software. The W3C published the WCAG2Mobile guide in May 2025 with specific recommendations for native apps.
No. They detect labelling and contrast issues, but cannot assess whether the navigation flow makes sense with VoiceOver or whether the experience is genuinely usable. Manual testing with assistive technologies is always required.
It depends on the size and state of the app. A full audit typically takes 1–2 weeks. Remediation can take from 4 weeks to several months depending on accumulated technical debt.
No. Implemented correctly, accessibility is invisible to users who do not need it: it has no performance impact and does not force design compromises. Labelling, focus order and Dynamic Type adjustments integrate into existing code without visible changes, and AA contrast is usually achieved with minor palette tweaks.
Yes. We offer practical 1–2 day workshops tailored to your stack (SwiftUI, UIKit or both), with exercises using your own app.