Digital accessibility in Latvia: the 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 effective June 28, 2025.
• The requirements primarily apply to e-commerce, banking, telecommunications, and other digital services, mandating the provision of an accessible user experience, content, and technical environment for all users.
• Accessibility is not merely a legal obligation; it directly impacts business outcomes, including user acquisition, conversion rates, SEO performance, and corporate reputation.

Digital accessibility is a set of principles and practices ensuring that websites, applications, and digital services are usable by the widest possible audience, including individuals with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments. This topic has become highly relevant over the last decade. Technology has evolved rapidly, and a growing range of assistive technologies is available to help individuals with disabilities participate in daily life.

In daily life, it may not seem like this audience is large. However, in reality, 15–20% of people live with a disability (World Health Organization), which equates to one in five people. This is why digital accessibility is a vital step toward a society where everyone has the opportunity to live a high-quality life—everyone deserves to feel included.

Digital accessibility regulations in Latvia and the European Union

Digital accessibility requirements in the European Union are defined by the European Accessibility Act. It mandates that digital products and services must be accessible to people with disabilities. This primarily affects e-commerce, banking, transport, e-books, and mobile applications. However, a directive does not have legal force in each member state until it is transposed.

For these requirements to be enforceable in Latvia, they must be established through national legislation. The conditions for digital accessibility in Latvia are set out in the Law on Accessibility of Goods and Services, which was adopted in 2023 and entered into force on June 28, 2025, with a transition period until 2030. It was further reinforced with detailed requirements in Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 128, which also took effect on that date. It is also worth examining global best practices regarding digital accessibility—WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).

Who is subject to the digital accessibility law?

The requirements primarily apply to companies providing specific digital services within the European Union, particularly:

• e-commerce;
• banking;
• telecommunications;
• transportation services.

An exemption may be granted to micro-enterprises, provided the company can justify why it is unable to implement the requirements.

Digital accessibility requirements for companies in Latvia

Without delving into minor technical details, let us examine the core principles established by the Law on Accessibility of Goods and Services.

Ensuring digital service accessibility

This requirement applies to websites, e-commerce platforms, mobile applications, and customer portals. In practice, this means that each of these must be easily accessible to individuals with:

• visual impairments;
• hearing impairments;
• mobility limitations;
• cognitive difficulties.

Adapting the user experience (beyond just design)

Every individual must have access to:

• navigation flows;
• registration and login processes;
• payment steps;
• error messages;
• customer support channels.

Important: If a single stage is inaccessible, the entire process may be legally considered non-compliant.

Ensuring accessible content

However, it does not stop at design or navigation; the content itself must also be adapted for every user. It is mandatory to provide:

• alternative text for images;
• subtitles for video content;
• clearly structured text;
• clear and consistent descriptions.

Demonstrating compliance

As with all laws and requirements, you must be able to prove that your company is implementing digital accessibility. This includes:

• accessibility assessments (audits);
• documentation;
• declarations of conformity.

Regular maintenance

Most products, websites, or digital services undergo regular improvements to their functionality, technical aspects, and design. Digital accessibility is an ongoing project that must be kept in mind whenever changes are made. Therefore, it is important to:

• conduct regular audits;
• perform testing;
• establish internal standards.

A 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 image contrast matters. This is why it 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 down into phases and working toward the final result over the course of a year.

0 – 3 months: audit

• review existing website / application;
• identify WCAG non-compliance;
• determine critical issues (checkout, login, navigation).

3 – 6 months: implementation of fixes

• UI/UX improvements (contrast, structure);
• ensure keyboard navigation;
• implement alt text and subtitles;
• improve error messaging.

6 – 12 months: system consolidation

• integrate accessibility into the development process (rather than as a separate project);
• adapt design systems;
• regular testing (e.g., Lighthouse or other tools).

Ongoing:

• accessibility audit for every new feature;
• maintain documentation;
• staff training.

Why is digital accessibility important for business?

Lost users

Technology has evolved rapidly, and today almost everyone uses the internet or some form of digital product. It is a major mistake to build your business by considering only the segment of society that can process information according to standard norms. Furthermore, accessibility is not just about people with disabilities, but also:

• older users;
• people with temporary impairments (e.g., a hand injury);
• mobile phone users (small screen, poor lighting);
• users with slow internet or limited device performance.

As a result, the company loses a portion of potential customers because the website or product/service is not convenient or easy to use.

Conversion drop

It is one thing to create a website or digital product, but quite another to make it user-friendly. Research, including data from Google and Akamai/SOASTA, shows that even a 1–3 second loading delay can significantly increase the probability of abandonment (up to a +32% bounce rate), which directly impacts conversion. Often, companies create:

• complex navigation;
• confusing forms;
• error messages without explanation;
• a checkout process that is not logically usable.

This often leads to:

• more abandoned carts;
• fewer completed purchases;
• lower trust in the process.

Loss of SEO potential

It might seem that the impact is minor if a page is heavy and difficult to use—surely those who really want to will manage. However, a lack of accessibility also affects the site's SEO, which begins to impact whether your company's page is found at all. In other words: an inaccessible website is often also a poorly discoverable website.

Reputational risk

However, these are all relatively technical and practical reasons that prompt consideration of digital accessibility. Yet, one remains the most important: how society perceives your brand. Accessibility is not a new concept, and the fight for an inclusive society has been ongoing for decades. Over the last ten years, it has become a highly relevant issue, and changes are happening rapidly.

Therefore, ignoring accessibility in business can severely damage its reputation. An increasingly large segment of society considers it a given, and if they observe a lack of it, they are not afraid to voice their opinions loudly. This, in turn, can lead to significant negative publicity, a loss of trust, and the departure of customers.

Digital accessibility as a decisive factor

Today, digital accessibility is no longer just a technical improvement or a separate design standard—it is part of how a company functions in the digital environment at all. As of 2025, it has become a legally binding requirement in the European Union and Latvia, but even without any penalties or regulations, it directly impacts how many people can use a product, how convenient the user experience is, and how effectively a company's digital business operates.

Companies that implement accessibility early gain a double advantage: they reduce future risks while simultaneously improving product quality, customer reach, and user satisfaction. In other words, accessibility is not a question of legal compliance, but of how good and competitive a company's digital product is in a market where user experience is becoming one of the primary deciding factors.

Frequently asked questions

What is digital accessibility?

Digital accessibility means that websites, mobile applications, and digital services are usable by people with various functional limitations, including those who use assistive technologies. Practically, this includes both clear content and intuitive navigation, as well as technically sound 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 force on June 28, 2025, incorporating the requirements of the European Union’s European Accessibility Act into Latvian legislation. These are defined by the Law on Accessibility of Goods and Services and related Cabinet of Ministers regulations.

Does digital accessibility also affect SEO and business results?

Yes. An accessible website is generally more technically sound, faster, and easier for search engines to understand. This can positively impact SEO, user experience, conversion rates, and overall customer satisfaction, while simultaneously reducing the risk of losing a portion of your audience due to poor usability.