According to reports, Denmark, which is currently holding the rotating presidency of the European Council, has withdrawn a proposal that originally aimed to require platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal to allow authorities to screen their content before messages are encrypted and sent.
This legislative proposal, known as "chat monitoring," was initially introduced in May 2022 and aimed to combat the spread of illegal content through messaging services.
The proposal was reintroduced this year, and critics once again argued that it would undermine encrypted communication and people's privacy rights.
The withdrawal of the proposal means that the relevant measures will continue to adhere to voluntary principles.
According to Denmark's Politiken newspaper on October 30, Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard stated that the proposal "will not be part of the new compromise plan for the EU rotating presidency, and the principle of voluntary screening of encrypted messages by tech giants will continue."
Currently, a voluntary framework is in place, which is set to expire in April 2026. Politiken reported that Hummelgaard indicated that if the long-standing political deadlock surrounding chat monitoring cannot be resolved, the EU will lack legal tools to address the misuse of messaging services by criminals.
The adjustment of the chat monitoring policy aims to ensure that a new framework can be implemented before the deadline.
The withdrawal of the proposal by Denmark has elicited strong reactions from various parties. The X global government affairs team stated on Saturday that Denmark's withdrawal is a "major defeat for advocates of mass surveillance," and that platforms will "continue to monitor the progress of related negotiations and oppose any measures that implement government mass user surveillance."
Patrick Hansen, Director of EU Strategy and Policy at stablecoin issuer Circle, also praised this move, calling it "a significant victory for digital freedom in the EU."
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a nonprofit organization focused on civil liberties, expressed a similar viewpoint and speculated that public pressure "prompted the EU Council to withdraw its dangerous encrypted message scanning plan."
EFF security and privacy activist Thorin Klosowski stated in a blog post on Friday that lawmakers should no longer attempt to bypass encryption technology under the guise of public safety.
He believes that the focus should be on "developing real solutions that do not infringe on the human rights of people worldwide."
He said, "As long as lawmakers continue to misunderstand the principles of encryption technology, proposals regarding message scanning will have no way forward, whether in the EU or anywhere else."
Ireland will take over the rotating presidency of the European Council in July 2026, a year after Denmark hands over the reins.
Related: Reports indicate that a Nordic bank that once rejected cryptocurrency is set to launch a Bitcoin (BTC) ETP.
Original article: “Denmark Ultimately Abandons EU Chat Monitoring Proposal Due to Privacy Controversy”
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