Does the EAA Apply to Croatian Webshops?

In most cases, yes. The European Accessibility Act, Directive (EU) 2019/882, applies across the European Union and reaches consumer-facing e-commerce, which includes an ordinary online shop selling into Croatia. Its rules have applied since 28 June 2025. Because it is a Directive, it is transposed into Croatian law and supervised by a Croatian authority rather than by an EU body reaching directly into your shop.

Who is covered

If you run a webshop that sells to consumers, the accessibility duties generally apply to you. In practice that means the shop should meet EN 301 549, which for websites points to WCAG 2.1 at level AA — sufficient colour contrast, keyboard navigation, labelled checkout forms and alt text on meaningful images.

Who is exempt

There is an exemption for microenterprises that provide services. A microenterprise here means a business with fewer than ten people and an annual turnover or balance-sheet total of no more than two million euro. If your shop sits under both thresholds, the service obligations do not bind you — though accessibility remains good practice, since it makes the shop easier for every customer to use.

The Croatian angle

Because the rules are transposed into national law, it is a Croatian authority that supervises them locally, and consumer-facing text should read clearly in Croatian. Enforcement practice can develop over time, so treat the local detail as something to revisit. Our complete accessibility guide covers the requirements in more depth.

This answer is educational, not legal advice.