What is the Accessibility Act about?
 

The Accessibility Act (Finnish Digital Services Act) implemented based on the Accessibility Directive sets requirements for the availability, quality, cybersecurity, and above all, accessibility of digital services. Its objective is to ensure that all users – including those with disabilities or functional limitations – have equal access to digital services.

Which services does the Act apply to?
 

Initially, the Accessibility Act applied mainly to public authorities and certain other public services:
 

• digital services of authorities and public institutions,

• services that have received more than 50% public funding for their development or maintenance,

• strong electronic identification services,

• water, energy, transport, and postal services, and

• financial sector entities such as banks, insurance companies, and credit institutions.
   

Over time, the Act has expanded to cover many private-sector consumer services, such as:
 

• e-commerce and e-books,

• passenger transport services,

• consumer financial services, and

• platforms of audiovisual content and communication services.
   

Microenterprises are exempt from the obligations, that is, companies with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than EUR 2 million.
 

What does the Accessibility Act require from service providers?
 

Service providers falling within the scope of the Act have three main obligations:
 

1. Accessibility of services: Services must comply with the European standard EN 301 549, which is further specified in the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).

2. Accessibility statement: Providers must maintain and publish an accessibility statement on their website.

3. Feedback and response: Users must be able to provide accessibility feedback, and service providers must respond within two weeks.

For consumer services, there are additional obligations, for example:
 

• E-commerce services must indicate the accessibility of their products and services.

• Financial and banking services must provide information at a minimum of B2 language proficiency level, as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

• E-books must meet accessibility requirements that ensure usability and navigation for all users.

When can the requirements be waived?

The Act recognises that in some cases meeting the accessibility requirements may be disproportionately burdensome. A provider may deviate from the obligations if implementing them would cause unreasonable hardship, which must be justified in a pre-prepared accessibility assessment.
 

For consumer services, exceptions are also allowed if there is at least one alternative and equally accessible way to use the service that meets functional performance criteria. Additionally, requirements may be waived if fulfilling them would fundamentally alter the nature of the service.
 

Why is compliance important?
 

Accessibility was originally associated with the public sector, but today it is part of everyday compliance for many private companies. Meeting the requirements is not only a legal obligation – it is also a matter of customer experience and corporate responsibility.
 

Accessible services reach a broader user base, improve usability, and strengthen the company’s reputation. Ultimately, accessibility is not only about compliance, but it’s also about inclusion, trust, and sustainable business.

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