Wawsome, the AI-powered web accessibility platform helping companies make digital experiences more inclusive and compliant, participated in GPeC Summit May 2026, one of Central and Eastern Europe’s most important e-commerce and digital marketing events.
Held on 26 May 2026 at the National Theatre of Bucharest, GPeC Summit brought together the digital commerce community for a full day of conference sessions, expo interactions, networking, and strategic conversations on the future of online business. The event, now in its 21st year, has become a reference point for the Romanian and CEE e-commerce ecosystem, connecting online retailers, technology providers, digital marketers, agencies, founders, and C-level decision makers.
Wawsome’s presence at GPeC came at a decisive moment for the European digital economy. As of 28 June 2025, the European Accessibility Act has become applicable across EU Member States, creating a common accessibility framework for a range of products and services, including e-commerce. For companies selling to consumers in the European Union, digital accessibility is no longer a peripheral topic. It is now a matter of compliance, customer experience, market access, and corporate responsibility.
“Accessibility is becoming one of the most important tests of digital maturity in Europe,” said George Onofrievici, CEO & Co-Founder Wawsome. “The companies that will lead the next stage of e-commerce will not be the ones that simply optimize traffic and conversion. They will be the ones that remove friction for every customer, including people with disabilities, older users, and people who rely on assistive technologies. Inclusion is no longer only a CSR statement. It is a business operating principle.”
Across Europe, the implementation of the European Accessibility Act is changing the way companies need to think about websites, mobile applications, online stores, payment journeys, customer service interfaces, and digital content. Accessibility can no longer be reduced to isolated design adjustments or post-launch technical fixes. It requires a continuous approach: monitoring, remediation, user-centered design, clear governance, and alignment with recognized standards such as WCAG and EN 301 549.
Given the fact that over 80 million people in the EU have some form of disability, for e-commerce businesses, the implications are especially relevant. Online stores depend on seamless navigation, readable content, intuitive product discovery, accessible forms, keyboard compatibility, sufficient contrast, meaningful image descriptions, and frictionless checkout experiences. When these elements are not accessible, businesses do more than create poor user experience. They exclude customers from participation in the digital economy.
Wawsome addresses this challenge through a comprehensive web accessibility solution and expert-led audit services designed to help organizations improve and maintain accessibility across their entire digital presence. Its solution includes an accessibility widget, accessibility monitoring, accessibility checking, AI-supported improvements, customizable user profiles, and no-code implementation options. In addition, Wawsome performs complete accessibility audits conducted by certified accessibility experts, covering not only websites, but also mobile applications and any other digital platforms used by a company. The solution is built to support businesses in aligning with accessibility requirements while improving usability for a broader audience.
The company’s participation at GPeC also reinforces a broader CSR conversation. For many organizations, corporate social responsibility has traditionally been expressed through philanthropy, sustainability campaigns, or community initiatives. In the digital economy, however, CSR also lives inside the product experience itself. A website that can be used by everyone is a form of responsibility. A checkout process that does not exclude users with disabilities is a form of responsibility. A brand that treats accessibility as part of quality, not as an afterthought, is building trust into its infrastructure.
“Digital accessibility sits at the intersection of law, ethics, and growth,” added George Onofrievici, CEO Wawsome. “The European Accessibility Act gives companies a regulatory reason to act. But the deeper reason is strategic. Accessible digital experiences expand participation, reduce friction, strengthen brand trust, and make e-commerce more resilient.”
GPeC Romania provided an important platform for this conversation because of its role in connecting the region’s e-commerce and digital marketing ecosystem. As AI, automation, personalization, and performance marketing continue to shape the future of online commerce, Wawsome argues that accessibility must evolve in parallel. A smarter digital economy should also be a more open one.
For companies operating in the EU, the accessibility agenda is now moving from awareness to execution. The next competitive advantage will not belong only to brands that attract more visitors. It will belong to brands that make sure more visitors can actually participate.
About Wawsome
Wawsome is an AI-powered web accessibility platform designed to help businesses make their websites more inclusive, user-friendly, and aligned with digital accessibility standards such as WCAG, EAA, and EN 301 549. The platform provides accessibility tools, monitoring, checking, automated support, and no-code implementation options for organizations that want to improve access for all users.
About GPeC
GPeC is one of the most important e-commerce and digital marketing communities in Central and Eastern Europe. Through conferences, expos, training programs, audits, and networking events, GPeC brings together online retailers, digital specialists, technology providers, agencies, founders, and business leaders shaping the future of digital commerce in Romania and the region.
For media inquiries please contact:
Bianca Schmidt – Commercial Director, Wawsome
[email protected]
www.wawsome.com
Media ContactCompany Name: WawsomeContact Person: Bianca SchmidtEmail: Send EmailCountry: RomaniaWebsite: http://www.wawsome.com/
