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EAA Country Guide

EAA compliance in France

EAA compliance requirements for France

National legislation

National law

Loi n° 2023-171 (transposing EAA provisions into existing accessibility framework)

Reference

Integrated into Code de la consommation and existing RGAA framework

Enforcement authority

ARCOM (Autorité de régulation de la communication audiovisuelle et numérique) for digital services, and DGCCRF (Direction générale de la concurrence, de la consommation et de la répression des fraudes) for consumer protection enforcement

Contact: arcom.fr / economie.gouv.fr/dgccrf

Penalties

Administrative fines of up to €50,000 per infringement for digital accessibility failures. France has been notably proactive in enforcement - the DGCCRF has already initiated investigations into major e-commerce retailers for accessibility non-compliance.

Sectors in scope

E-commerce, banking, telecommunications, transport, audiovisual media, e-books, consumer electronics, self-service terminals. France has historically interpreted accessibility obligations broadly, extending coverage to many digital service providers.

Key deadlines

Enforceable from 28 June 2025 for new products and services. France's existing RGAA (Référentiel Général d'Amélioration de l'Accessibilité) framework has been in place for public sector sites since 2012, and the EAA transposition extends similar requirements to the private sector.

France-specific requirements

France has one of the most mature digital accessibility frameworks in the EU. The RGAA provides a detailed technical framework that goes beyond WCAG in some areas, requiring a specific conformity percentage declaration. French accessibility statements must include a detailed conformity level (e.g., '75% compliant with RGAA 4.1'). France also requires accessibility statements to be published on a dedicated /accessibilite page and filed with ARCOM. The French approach is notably more prescriptive than most EU member states.

Frequently asked questions

What is the RGAA and how does it relate to the EAA?

The RGAA (Référentiel Général d'Amélioration de l'Accessibilité) is France's national accessibility standard. It maps to WCAG 2.1 AA but includes additional criteria specific to the French regulatory context. Under the EAA, the technical standard is EN 301 549, which incorporates WCAG 2.1 AA. In practice, meeting RGAA requirements will substantially satisfy EAA requirements.

What are the EAA fines in France?

Administrative fines of up to €50,000 per infringement. The DGCCRF can also order businesses to remediate non-compliance within specified deadlines, and repeated failures can result in escalating penalties.

Has France already enforced EAA accessibility requirements?

France has been one of the most active EU member states in accessibility enforcement. The DGCCRF has initiated investigations into major retailers, and ARCOM actively monitors digital service accessibility. France's long history of RGAA enforcement means the enforcement infrastructure is well-established.

Related resources

Last reviewed: April 2026. Regulatory details are reviewed quarterly for accuracy.

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