How EU rules bring inclusivity to investment firms

September 3, 2025

The European Union’s Accessibility Directive, Directive (EU) 2019/882, was adopted on 17 April 2019 to introduce common accessibility standards across the bloc. For the financial sector, the law brings new obligations for investment firms offering certain consumer banking services to retail clients, such as investment advice, portfolio management, and order execution.

Zeidler Group, which helps firms with their investment funds law, recently delved into the impacts of the regulation on investment firms.

The purpose of the legislation is to make banking and investment services clearer, easier to use, and accessible to a wider range of people, particularly those with disabilities or other accessibility needs. It sets out the meaning of accessibility, provides guiding principles, and details the responsibilities of firms when providing services to consumers.

The Directive came into force on 28 June 2025, covering all relevant services and products launched after this date. Agreements signed before the deadline can continue under their original terms until they end or until 28 June 2030, whichever comes first. However, firms offering services exclusively to professional clients remain outside the Directive’s scope.

Investment firms covered by the Directive include those providing consumer banking services as defined under MiFID II. This extends to management companies operating under MiFID top-up permissions. In-scope services include order execution, portfolio management, investment advice, and related ancillary services like financial research, safekeeping financial instruments, credit provision, and foreign exchange linked to these activities.

The Directive is based on four main principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust — collectively known as the POUR principles. These ensure services can be accessed through multiple sensory channels, navigated using assistive technologies, presented in clear language, and remain compatible with current and future digital tools.

Article 4(3) requires firms to provide service information, instructions, and user support in formats that meet accessibility standards. Content must be available online, in multiple accessible formats, and designed with features such as readable fonts, alternative text for images, and adaptable interfaces. Support services like call centres and help desks must also follow the same standards.

To comply, firms should review whether their services qualify under the Directive, assess local implementation rules, audit websites and digital channels for accessibility, update internal policies, and assign responsibilities clearly across their vendor networks.

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