Just before its summer recess, the European Parliament has approved a renewed temporary derogation from the ePrivacy Regulation, extending the framework commonly known as “Chat Control 1.0”. Although more MEPs voted against the proposal than in favour, opponents failed to reach the absolute majority required to reject the Council’s position under the second reading procedure. An amendment adopted during the vote ensures that encrypted communications remain excluded from the measure.
Supporters presented the extension as a child protection measure, while critics argued that it continues to allow large-scale voluntary scanning of private communications and risks undermining the fundamental right to privacy. Opponents maintain that effective alternatives already exist, including targeted investigations, improved reporting mechanisms, stronger prevention measures, and enhanced law enforcement resources.
CEPIS has been a long-standing opponent of Chat Control proposals, arguing that blanket or untargeted scanning of private communications is technically flawed, privacy-intrusive, and incompatible with fundamental rights. Earlier this year, CEPIS welcomed Parliament’s initial rejection of Chat Control 1.0, describing it as a victory for digital rights and proportional, evidence-based child protection measures.
As part of its advocacy, CEPIS, led by its Legal and Security Issues expert group, has published policy statements, provided technical assessments to policymakers, engaged with Members of the European Parliament and European Commission officials, and repeatedly warned against mass monitoring of private messages, weakened encryption, and mandatory age-verification requirements. In June, the organisation urged EU lawmakers to reject what it described as “backdoor” chat monitoring and to pursue targeted, judicially supervised investigations instead of indiscriminate surveillance.
The legislation now returns to the Council for further consideration, while negotiations on the EU’s broader child protection and child sexual abuse regulation package are expected to resume after the summer.
