The European Parliament has voted in favour of extending the EU’s temporary legal exemption allowing online platforms to voluntarily detect and report child sexual abuse material in private communications, known as ‘Chat Control 1.0’. The vote means that the measure will be in force until August 2027 while negotiations continue.
MEPs endorsed the proposal by 458 votes in favour, 103 against and 63 abstentions. If it does not become law, the current derogation is to expire on 3 April 2026. According to the Parliament’s position, the voluntary detection measures “need to remain proportional and targeted and should not apply to end-to-end encrypted communications”. It also emphasises that the rules do not allow authorities to scan traffic or content data.
MEPs also narrowed the scope of detection technologies. The Parliament also adopted an amendment stating that scanning of private communications should apply only to users or groups suspected of CSAM (child sexual abuse material) and authorised by a competent judicial authority. Digital rights organisations welcomed the amendment as an important safeguard against untargeted monitoring.
The rapporteur of the file, MEP Birgit Sippel (S&D/DEU), defended the compromise as a necessary interim measure. “We have a responsibility to address the horrific crime of child sexual abuse while safeguarding everyone’s fundamental rights,” she said after the vote. “This interim derogation, which I support, is a temporary, strictly limited instrument allowing providers to continue voluntary detection measures under specific conditions.”
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Earlier this month, the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) rejected a draft report on the file. At the time, the European People’s Party (EPP) and several Renew Europe members voted against the proposal. But the Socialists & Democrats (S&D) supported the extension.
A compromise solution
At the end of the day, a solution—albeit only temporary—was born. According to digital rights advocate and former MEP Patrick Breyer, the Socialists & Democrats, the EPP and Renew Europe reached a compromise to secure a majority in today’s vote.
Rapporteur Birgit Sippel (S&D, Germany) defended the agreement as a necessary interim measure. “We have a responsibility to address the horrific crime of child sexual abuse while safeguarding everyone’s fundamental rights,” Ms Sippel said. The compromise allowed the proposal to pass with a broad majority in plenary while negotiations on a permanent framework continue.
We have a responsibility to address the horrific crime of child sexual abuse while safeguarding everyone’s fundamental rights – MEP Birgit Sippel (S&D/DEU)
‘A historic vote’
Supporters of digital rights welcomed the vote as an important safeguard for privacy. Mr Breyer described the outcome as a turning point in the debate on ‘Chat Control’. “Today is a sensational victory for the countless citizens who made calls and sent emails to save their digital privacy of correspondence,” he said. “Today’s vote is a clear stop sign for this surveillance obsession.”
Digital rights organisation EDRi also welcomed the Parliament’s position, saying a large majority agreed that mass surveillance of private communications is not allowed and that end-to-end encrypted communications cannot be weakened or undermined.
The group also noted that Parliament shortened the proposed extension of the temporary regime by eight months compared to the Commission’s proposal. However, the final shape of the rules will depend on negotiations with EU governments, many of which have so far resisted restrictions on untargeted scanning.
Avoiding a legal gap
“Protecting children online must not become a victim of political manoeuvering”, said MEP Javier Zarzalejos (EPP/ESP) ahead of the vote. According to his party, reports of child sexual abuse material dropped by 58 per cent in 2021 during a period when legal uncertainty limited detection activities. For the groups, the gap would make it harder for authorities to identify victims and perpetrators.
The Parliament is now ready to open negotiations with the Council on the extension. A third trilogue is scheduled for 4 May 2026, followed by a fourth—and presumably final—negotiation on 29 June 2026. If political agreement is reached, formal adoption by Parliament and Council is currently expected in July 2026.
