Key facts
- EU lawmakers will vote on Thursday on legislation that would allow tech firms to scan messages for child sexual abuse material.
- The legislation, dubbed 'chat control' by critics, would revive rules that expired in April.
- The European Parliament used a rarely used urgent procedure to bring the vote forward.
- The proposal was revived by the European People's Party, the largest group in Parliament.
- Rejecting or amending the proposal requires an absolute majority of 361 votes.
The European Parliament is preparing for another vote on controversial legislation known as 'chat control,' which would mandate tech companies to scan private messages for child sexual abuse material. The vote is scheduled for Thursday, following the Parliament's decision on Tuesday to use an urgent procedure to bring the matter forward. This procedure allows for a swift revival of the legal framework, which expired in early April.
Critics, including Pirate Party MEP Markéta Gregorová, have condemned the use of the urgent procedure, calling it a violation of parliamentary rules and an attempt to bypass a previous rejection of similar measures. In March, Parliament voted against a temporary extension of the scheme. However, the European People's Party, the largest political group, has pushed for the current proposal, reportedly seeking to pass it without amendments.
If the proposal is to be rejected or amended, it will require an absolute majority of 361 votes in Parliament. The vote on Tuesday to proceed with the urgent procedure passed narrowly, with 331 in favor, 304 against, and 11 abstentions. Meanwhile, EU member states had previously agreed to reinstate an interim 'chat control' measure until 2028, allowing service providers to detect, report, and remove abusive material.