EU Parliament approves Chat Control 1.0 urgent procedure
On July 7, 2026, the European Parliament narrowly approved an urgent procedure to reactivate "Chat Control 1.0," a temporary measure allowing digital services to voluntarily scan private messages. By reviving the file as a "second reading," the controversial extension will be automatically adopted unless an absolute majority of 361 MEPs votes to reject it on July 9.
Bypassing democratic votes through procedural technicalities sets a dangerous precedent for EU tech policy, significantly weakening communication privacy. The "second reading" urgent procedure shifts the burden of proof, requiring opponents to muster an absolute majority of all MEPs to block the proposal rather than a simple majority. Reinstating voluntary scanning is viewed by digital rights advocates as a backdoor attempt to normalize mass surveillance and undermine end-to-end encryption. This procedural showdown serves as a critical bellwether for the ongoing negotiations over the mandatory scanning rules of Chat Control 2.0.
DISCOVERED
2h ago
2026-07-07
PUBLISHED
3h ago
2026-07-07
RELEVANCE
AUTHOR
miroljub