Germany’s Decision Crucial in EU Council Vote on Controversial "Chat Control" Law

• The EU Council will vote on the "Chat Control" law, requiring encryption platforms to allow pre-encryption message screening for CSAM material.
• Germany’s stance is pivotal in the law’s passage, as it would secure the population threshold for approval.

The European Union is approaching a decisive vote on the proposed "Chat Control" law, officially known as the "Regulation to Prevent and Combat Child Sexual Abuse (CSA)." Cointelegraph reported on September 10, 2025, that the EU Council is expected to finalize positions on the law by September 12. If enacted, the legislation would require end-to-end encrypted messaging services such as Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal to screen private messages for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) prior to encryption. Germany’s position is likely to determine the law’s fate.

The legislation, prioritized under Denmark's EU Council presidency, requires the support of at least 15 member states that collectively account for 65% of the EU’s population. While 15 countries have expressed backing, they currently fall short of the population minimum. With 83 million citizens, Germany’s support would push the measures beyond the 65% threshold to 71%, securing its passage. A final vote on the proposal is set for October 14.

The "Chat Control" law has sparked intense debate, with arguments focusing on the balance between combating child abuse and protecting personal privacy and secure communication. Proponents argue that the legislation provides a vital tool for law enforcement to detect and prosecute those who exploit encrypted messaging platforms for illegal purposes. Supporters believe the regulation is necessary to address the growing distribution of CSAM online effectively.

Opponents have raised significant concerns about the implications of the proposed law. Privacy advocates argue that mandated message screening constitutes mass surveillance and violates fundamental privacy rights established in the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights. Security experts warn that creating backdoors to enable message scanning would compromise encryption, leaving systems vulnerable to exploitation by malicious actors, including criminals and hostile governments.

Critics have also highlighted the technical challenges and risks associated with implementing the law. Over 500 leading researchers and cryptographers have stated that large-scale scanning risks producing overwhelming numbers of false positives, burdening law enforcement and potentially implicating innocent users. Additionally, some fear that the surveillance infrastructure introduced by the law could be misused for broader monitoring activities, which might erode democratic freedoms over time.

Germany’s stance remains undecided, with internal deliberations ongoing. While the country allows law enforcement to bypass encryption under certain circumstances, there has been widespread political and public resistance to expanding such measures across the EU. Leaked documents reportedly reveal opposition to the draft among German Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) across party lines, though key lawmakers from the ruling coalition remain uncommitted.

The law’s outcome will shape the future of digital privacy and security for hundreds of millions of people within and beyond Europe. The final vote on October 14 is anticipated to have far-reaching consequences for encrypted communication platforms globally.

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