Cyber & Technology — 2026-03-27

EU Parliament Defeats Chat Surveillance by One Vote in Second Re-Vote Attempt

The European Parliament defeated mass chat surveillance for the second time in two weeks, rejecting Chat Control by a single vote after the EPP group forced a re-vote on March 26, just 15 days after the initial March 11 rejection. The adopted amendment, tabled by Pirate Party MEP Marketa Gregorova, mandates scanning only of specific suspects under judicial authority. The transitional regulation allowing voluntary platform scanning expires April 4, meaning platforms must cease voluntary scanning unless a new framework is adopted. The EU Council may attempt to revive the measure through a separate legislative path.

Analysis
The one-vote margin on the second attempt in 15 days demonstrates how fragile the privacy consensus is. With the transitional regulation expiring April 4, platforms must cease voluntary scanning unless a new framework is adopted, creating a brief window where no scanning occurs at all. The EU Council remains an avenue for revival, making this a legislative delay rather than a definitive outcome.

3 sources

EU Parliament votes against chat control - Blue News
Re-vote in Parliament: EU scrambles to save Chat Control - EU Perspectives
End of Chat Control: EU Parliament Stops Mass Surveillance in Voting - Privacy Guides