Critics have labeled the legislation as «chat control» due to its significant privacy concerns, especially regarding end-to-end encrypted communication.
This week, the European Parliament will once again vote on a contentious law that permits technology companies to monitor online communications for materials related to child sexual abuse. This vote will follow altered voting procedures that increase its chances of being passed, thanks to a strategic move by the European People’s Party.
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Until 3 April, a legal framework permitted platforms like WhatsApp and Messenger to voluntarily implement measures overriding e-privacy regulations to detect users suspected of distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Although a revised version of this legislation is under discussion, the European Commission proposed a temporary extension of the framework, which was rejected by Parliament in March with 311 votes against, 228 in favor, and 92 abstentions.
The law is often referred to as «chat control» by its opponents, due to concerns about privacy, especially its impact on end-to-end encrypted chats.
“Children are safeguarded by targeted enforcement, not by scanning private messages belonging to millions of innocent individuals,” Greens/EFA MEP Ignazio Marino told Euronews, describing the legislation as a form of “mass surveillance.”
A strategic maneuver to gain advantage
However, the European People’s Party (EPP), the largest faction in Parliament, revived the temporary extension via a seldom-used legislative mechanism.
In March, most EPP MEPs voted against the extension, opposing amendments introduced by Socialist rapporteur Birgit Sippel and other left-wing members aimed at narrowing the scanning scope, according to officials from the center-right group who spoke to Euronews.
EPP leader Manfred Weber has been advocating for the extension’s adoption without modifications and found a pathway to realize this goal.
Sources familiar with the issue reveal that on 17 June, the EPP requested the Parliament’s President, Roberta Metsola, to advance the interim proposal, with no other group lodging objections.
The following day, Metsola urged EU leaders to “proceed” with the legislation during her speech at the EU summit, after which member states consented to reinstate the temporary measure last week.
The version of the extension adopted by EU member states contains no substantial amendments and enables online service providers to detect, report, and eliminate online child sexual abuse content until 2028.
Now, Parliament’s approval is required. However, the EPP’s maneuver introduces a procedural twist that significantly favors proponents of the legislation.
Under the «ordinary legislative procedure,» a proposal passes unless an absolute majority of all MEPs—at least 361—vote to reject or amend it.
Despite its designation, this procedure is rarely employed in EU lawmaking, as Parliament and the Council often adopt their own stances on individual bills and subsequently negotiate the final details.
“Commonly, when Parliament rejects a text, the Council ceases work on it, and the Commission eventually withdraws it. Now, there is pressure for a second vote which challenges core democratic principles,” Greens/MEP Markéta Gregorová told Euronews, blaming the EPP for pushing their agenda through an uncommon tactic.
The vote on the extension is scheduled for Thursday, provided Parliament approves the EPP’s urgent procedure request on Tuesday. The EPP is eager to finalize the interim rules promptly.
Rapporteur Birgit Sippel was contacted for comments on this article.