Parliamentary deadlock raises uncertainty over extension of EU chat-scanning rules
A lack of majority support in the European Parliament’s civil liberties committee has left the proposed extension of the EU’s temporary chat-scanning regime unresolved as the April 2026 expiry deadline approaches.
Negotiations over the future of the European Union’s temporary chat-scanning framework have entered a period of uncertainty after members of the European Parliament failed to agree on a negotiating position for extending the rules.
The Parliament’s civil liberties committee reviewed amendments to a report intended to extend the current derogation allowing technology companies to voluntarily scan communications services for Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). However, the amended text did not secure the necessary majority support, leaving the proposal without endorsement at the committee level.
The temporary regime is due to expire in April 2026. It was originally introduced as an interim measure while the EU develops a permanent Child Sexual Abuse Regulation, but repeated delays in negotiations have already resulted in two extensions since 2021.
The Council of the European Union has already approved its position, aligning with the European Commission’s proposal to prolong the existing derogation. Without a clear mandate from Parliament, however, negotiations between the EU institutions face a compressed timeline.
If trilogue discussions between Parliament, Council, and the Commission do not conclude before the April deadline, companies operating in the EU would lose the legal basis that currently allows them to scan communications services under EU law.
The parliamentary committee confirmed that the file will now move to a plenary vote scheduled for the week of 9–12 March. Political groups may table new amendments, and the outcome will determine whether the temporary regime remains in place while negotiations on a permanent framework continue.
