Global (Commonwealth Union) _ The European Union has found itself in intense negotiations regarding the future of private communications, as Denmark, which took over the EU Council Presidency in July 2025, has placed the contentious chat scanning bill back at the forefront of the legislative agenda. The stated aim to combat child sexual abuse material (CSAM) would require messaging services to examine users’ private messages, including those secured by end-to-end encryption.
Referred to by opponents as “Chat Control,” the initiative has faced resistance since it was started in 2022, with conversations also having been stalled for more than three years because of the scope of the scanning and its implications for digital privacy. The European Commission continues to advocate for universal, mandatory scanning that includes encrypted messages, while the European Parliament adopts a more cautious stance, supporting limited scanning for those already deemed suspicious.
Denmark’s latest draft has re-energized the debate. It closely mirrors previous proposals from Belgium and Hungary, with no exceptions for encrypted chats. Poland proposed a softer version in early 2025 that suggested voluntary scanning and excluded encrypted messages, but it has now been shelved.
Out of 27 member states, 20 participated in a closed-door meeting in July, with many expressing legal and technical reservations. According to internal notes, Germany described the atmosphere as one of deep division, while countries like Austria, Poland, and the Netherlands voiced concerns about the implications for cybersecurity and human rights.
A long-standing assessment from the Council’s Legal Service found that the proposed measures conflict with fundamental rights, stating that “client-side scanning is a violation of human rights.” Despite this, some countries are reconsidering their positions. France, which had previously shown limited support, is now indicating that it could “basically support the proposal,” a significant shift given its large population.
Meanwhile, privacy advocates worry that the bill will erase protections offered by encryption services like Signal, WhatsApp, and ProtonMail, and mark a shift toward mass surveillance. According to former MEP Patrick Breyer, countries that previously resisted such controls in 2024 are now wavering “even though the 2025 plan is even more extreme.”
