Bilingual

EU Council forces Chat Control via fast-track
23 days ago
- The EU Council is pushing to reactivate the expired voluntary chat monitoring regulation via a fast-track procedure before the summer break.
- Chat Control 1.0 allowed providers to scan encrypted messages for child abuse content, but expired in April; the Council now proposes a nearly identical new regulation.
- Critics view this as a tactic to circumvent democratic oversight, aiming to rush approval when many Parliament members are absent.
- The new regulation seeks to prevent legal gaps and national fragmentation while maintaining privacy safeguards like data deletion within 12 months if no suspicion is confirmed.
- The proposal is in its 2nd reading, requiring an absolute majority in Parliament to stop or amend, a high hurdle given the timing.
Chat Control 1.0 vs. 2.0
21 days ago
- Chat Control 1.0 is Regulation (EU) 2021/1232, a temporary law that allowed voluntary scanning of private messages for child sexual abuse material, excluding encrypted messages; it expired in April 2026 but is being revived by the Council via a fast-track process.
- Chat Control 2.0 is the proposed permanent CSA Regulation, which would mandate detection and reporting; negotiations are deadlocked over issues like mandatory scanning and encryption, with no agreement after five trilogue rounds.
- The EU Parliament has taken protective stances, rejecting extensions of Chat Control 1.0 and advocating for targeted scanning with judicial oversight, while the Council pushes for broader scanning measures.
- Key events include the expiration of Chat Control 1.0, Council attempts to resurrect it, and ongoing trilogue failures for Chat Control 2.0, with encryption and suspicionless scanning as major points of contention.
- As of July 2026, Chat Control 1.0's revival is pending an urgency vote in Parliament, requiring an absolute majority to stop it, while Chat Control 2.0 negotiations continue under the Irish presidency.
Procedural Trick Before Recess Pushes EU Towards Capitulation on "Chat Control"
21 days ago
- The European Parliament will vote on an urgent procedure to revive the previously rejected "Chat Control 1.0" regulation, which allows untargeted scanning of private chats, pushed by the EPP group and EU Member States ahead of summer recess.
- This procedural move bypasses the Parliament's earlier rejection and requires an absolute majority (361 votes) to amend or reject the Council's position; if not met, the law is automatically adopted, potentially reinstating mass surveillance without parliamentary consent.
- Critics argue the urgency undermines negotiations for a permanent child protection framework (CSA Regulation), favoring voluntary mass scanning over targeted measures, and risks stalling efforts for better online child safety.
- Rapporteur Birgit Sippel and cybersecurity experts warn against the procedure, citing high error rates in scanning technologies, privacy concerns, and reduced pressure for a viable long-term solution, with civil rights groups urging MEPs to reject the urgency.
Chat Control passed first round in EU Parliament
21 days ago
- EU Parliament narrowly approves urgency motion to reconsider Chat Control 1.0 before summer break.
- Proponents aim to reinstate expired regulation allowing voluntary scans of private communications for child abuse material without suspicion.
- Critics argue the move violates parliamentary procedure and enables mass surveillance under general suspicion.
- Social Democrats cave to pressure, supporting urgency despite prior rejection of Chat Control extension.
- Tactical advantage for proponents due to lower vote threshold on final session day, making re-enactment likely.
- Concerns raised over AI scan error rates and erosion of privacy, with fears it may delay more effective regulations.

child protection

EU Council forces Chat Control via fast-track

Chat Control 1.0 vs. 2.0

Procedural Trick Before Recess Pushes EU Towards Capitulation on "Chat Control"

Chat Control passed first round in EU Parliament