In the latest development, legislators faced challenges as an amendment was added to the contentious legislation, exempting end-to-end encrypted services like WhatsApp and Signal from scanning rules.
Ultimately, neither side was satisfied.
German lawmaker Lena Düpont, the center-right group’s home affairs spokesperson, expressed that the group favored a straightforward return of the law without amendments. “We’re not satisfied with the results of today,” she stated.
Irena Joveva, a Slovenian liberal lawmaker who opposed the scanning regime entirely and supported one of the successful amendments, remarked, “I remain deeply disappointed that the Council, with the backing of one political group, managed to force this vote upon us.”
Tech companies, which continue to scan despite the legal gap, face ongoing uncertainty and delays. “We hoped for approval today,” said Ben Brake, director general of tech lobby group DOT Europe. “Adopting amendments — even if they’re well-intentioned — is delaying the process.”
Meanwhile, children remain vulnerable, argued Nathalie Meurens, spokesperson for ECLAG, a coalition of child rights groups. “Today’s vote was about closing a critical legal gap that continues to put children at risk,” she asserted.
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