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Digital Accessibility in Latvia: Law, Requirements, and Practical Implementation

In Brief: Digital accessibility in Latvia is a legally binding requirement stemming from the European Union's European Accessibility Act, which was incorporated into Latvian legislation starting June 28, 2025. The requirements primarily apply to e-commerce, banking, telecommunications, and other digital services, aiming to ensure an accessible user experience, content, and technical environment for all users. Accessibility is not just a legal obligation—it directly impacts business outcomes, including user numbers, conversions, SEO performance, and company reputation. Digital accessibility (sometimes referred to as inclusivity) is a set of principles and practices that ensure websites, apps, and digital services are usable by the widest possible range of people, including those with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments. It has become a highly relevant topic over the past decade. Technology has advanced rapidly, and a growing number of assistive technologies are available to help people with disabilities integrate into daily life. In everyday life, it might not seem like this audience is large. But in reality, 15–20% of people live with disabilities (World Health Organization), which is one in five individuals. This is why digital accessibility is a crucial step toward a society where everyone has the opportunity to live a quality life—everyone deserves to feel like a part of it. Regulation of Digital Accessibility in Latvia and the European Union The requirements for digital accessibility in the European Union are defined by the directive European Accessibility Act. It mandates that digital products and services must be accessible to people with disabilities. This mainly affects e-commerce, banking, transportation, e-books, and mobile apps. However, no directive has legal force in each member state on its own. To make these requirements enforceable in Latvia, they must be incorporated into domestic legislation. The conditions for digital accessibility in Latvia are outlined in the "Goods and Services Accessibility Law", adopted in 2023 and effective from June 28, 2025, with a transition period until 2030. This was reinforced with detailed requirements in the Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 128, which came into effect on the same date. It is also worth exploring global best practices regarding digital accessibility—WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). Who Does the Digital Accessibility Law Apply To? The requirements mainly apply to companies providing specific digital services within the European Union, particularly: e-commerce; banking; telecommunications; transportation services. Exemptions may apply to micro-enterprises, but the company must justify why it is not feasible to implement the requirements. Digital Accessibility Requirements for Businesses in Latvia Without delving into details and minor technical requirements, let's look at the basics outlined in the "Goods and Services Accessibility Law." Ensure Accessibility of Digital Services This condition applies to websites, e-commerce platforms, mobile applications, and customer portals. Practically, this means that each of these must be easily accessible to people with: visual impairments; hearing impairments; motor limitations; cognitive difficulties. Adapt the User Experience (Not Just the Design) Every individual must have access to: navigation flows; registration and login processes; payment steps; error messages; customer support channels. Important! If one step is inaccessible, the entire process can legally be considered non-compliant. Provide Accessible Content But it doesn't stop at design or navigation; the content itself must also be adapted for all users. It is mandatory to provide: alternative text for images; subtitles for video content; clearly structured text; understandable and consistent descriptions. Proof of Compliance As with all laws and requirements, businesses must be able to prove that they are implementing digital accessibility. This includes: accessibility evaluations (audits); documentation; compliance declarations. Regular Maintenance Most products, websites, or digital services undergo regular improvements in functionality, technical aspects, and design. Digital accessibility is a project that must always be considered when making any changes. Therefore, it is important to: conduct regular audits; test; establish internal standards. Practical Action Plan for Businesses Regarding digital accessibility requirements, it is important to understand that "the devil is in the details." Every color, font size, and contrast in an image matters. This is not a task that can be completed in a day or a week—especially if the product or digital environment has an outdated design. Therefore, it is worth breaking this project into phases and achieving the final result over a year. 0–3 Months: Audit review the existing website/app; identify WCAG non-compliance; determine critical issues (checkout, login, navigation). 3–6 Months: Implement Fixes UI/UX improvements (contrast, structure); ensure keyboard navigation; implement alt texts and subtitles; improve error messages. 6–12 Months: System Stabilization integrate accessibility into the development process (not as a separate project); adapt the design system; conduct regular tests (e.g., Lighthouse or other tools). Ongoing: accessibility audits for each new feature; maintain documentation; employee training. Why Is Digital Accessibility Important for Business? Lost Users Technology has advanced rapidly, and almost everyone now uses the internet or a digital product. It is a significant mistake to build a business considering only the segment of society that can process information according to standards. Accessibility is not just about people with disabilities but also: older users; people with temporary limitations (e.g., a hand injury); mobile phone users (small screens, poor lighting); users with slow internet or limited device capabilities. As a result, businesses lose potential customers because the website or product/service is not convenient or easy to use. Conversion Drop Creating a website or digital product is one thing, but making it user-friendly is another. Studies, including Google and Akamai/SOASTA data, show that even a 1–3 second delay in loading can significantly increase bounce rates (up to +32%), directly impacting conversions. Often, businesses create: complex navigation; unclear forms; error messages without explanations; checkout processes that are not logically usable. This often leads to: more abandoned carts; fewer completed purchases; lower trust in the process. SEO Potential Loss It might seem that the impact is minimal if a site is heavy and hard to use—those who want to will manage. However, a lack of accessibility also affects a site's SEO, which impacts whether your business site is found at all. In other words: an inaccessible website is often also a less discoverable website. Reputation Risk However, these are all relatively technical and practical reasons to consider digital accessibility. But there is one more, the most important—how society perceives your brand. Accessibility is not new, and inclusive society has been a cause for decades. In the last decade, it has become a very relevant issue, and changes are happening rapidly. Therefore, ignoring accessibility in business can severely damage its reputation. An increasing part of society considers it a given, and if they notice its absence, they are not afraid to voice their opinions loudly. This, in turn, can lead to a lot of negative publicity, loss of trust, and customer attrition. Digital Accessibility as a Decisive Factor Digital accessibility today is no longer just a technical improvement or a separate design standard—it is part of how a business operates in the digital environment. From 2025, it became a legally binding requirement in the European Union and Latvia, but even without any penalties or regulations, it directly affects how many people can use a product, how comfortable the user experience is, and how effectively a company's digital business operates. Businesses that implement accessibility in a timely manner gain a double advantage—they reduce future risks while improving product quality, customer numbers, and user satisfaction. In other words, accessibility is not about legal compliance but about how good and competitive a company's digital product is in a market where user experience becomes one of the main decisive factors. Frequently Asked Questions What is digital accessibility? Digital accessibility means that websites, mobile apps, and digital services are usable by people with various functional limitations, including through assistive technologies. Practically, this includes understandable content, clear navigation, and technically correct development that allows the digital environment to be used by the widest possible range of people. When does digital accessibility become mandatory in Latvia? Digital accessibility requirements in Latvia come into effect on June 28, 2025, implementing the European Union's "European Accessibility Act" requirements into Latvian legislation. These are defined by the "Goods and Services Accessibility Law" and related Cabinet of Ministers regulations. Does digital accessibility also affect SEO and business results? Yes. An accessible website is usually also technically better organized, faster, and easier for search engines to understand. This can positively impact SEO, user experience, conversion rates, and overall customer satisfaction while reducing the risk of losing part of the audience due to poor usability.