What are the key dates in the EU chat control legislative timeline (adoption, signature, publication)?
This fact-check may be outdated. Consider refreshing it to get the most current information.
Executive summary
EU “Chat Control” (the proposed Regulation to Prevent and Combat Child Sexual Abuse, aka CSAR/CSA Regulation) has been in active debate since the Commission proposal in May 2022; recent negotiation milestones in 2025 include Council working‑group deadlines around 12 September and an earliest Council vote on 14 October 2025 [1], and a COREPER/Council draft approval on 26 November 2025 followed by the start of trilogue talks [2] [3]. Available sources do not give a single final adoption, signature, or Official Journal publication date because the text remained in inter‑institutional negotiation and politically contested through late 2025 [2] [4].
1. The origins: Commission proposal and early parliamentary action
The legislative push widely known as “Chat Control” began with a Commission proposal on 11 May 2022 to create a Regulation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse online; that proposal set the formal EU lawmaking path that later became the subject of parliamentary questions, broad political debate and public campaigns [5] [4] [6].
2. Parliament and the 2023/2024 posture
European Parliament activity and public pressure shaped early readings: Parliament adopted a first‑reading position in November 2023 that emphasised encryption protections while leaving scope for later revision, fueling continued cross‑institutional tug‑of‑war between privacy advocates and safety proponents [1].
3. Key 2025 Council calendar markers: September and October
In 2025 several external trackers and advocacy groups identified critical Council milestones: Member States were expected to finalise positions in Council working groups by 12 September 2025, with an earliest possible Council vote on 14 October 2025 — dates framed as the decisive window for national governments to endorse or reject the Council’s stance [1] [7]. Reporting from Euronews in September 2025 flagged the urgency around that imminent Council vote [8].
4. Pause, pressure and shifting positions in mid‑late 2025
Multiple outlets and watchdogs document delays, intense lobbying and national reservations across 2024–2025. Denmark, which took the Council presidency in July 2025, reshaped the Council text; some reports say the presidency backed down on mandatory interception/scanning in mid‑2025, underscoring that the instrument was evolving rather than fixed [4] [5].
5. COREPER / Council action on 26 November 2025 and its significance
On 26 November 2025 EU ambassadors in COREPER (the Committee of Permanent Representatives) approved a revised Council text by a narrow margin; several civil‑society and tech sources interpret that vote as a pivotal political compromise that removed the most controversial mandatory encryption‑breaking elements while adding other contentious measures such as age verification or “risk mitigation” language [2] [3] [9]. This November action triggered the opening of trilogue negotiations between Council, Parliament and Commission [3] [2].
6. Why adoption, signature and publication dates are not in the record yet
Available sources show intense late‑2025 negotiations (COREPER approval, trilogue start) but do not report a final inter‑institutional agreement, a formal Council adoption, signature by the Presidents of Parliament and Council, or publication in the Official Journal — the procedural steps that turn a text into binding EU law [2] [4]. Therefore a definitive adoption/signature/publication date is not found in current reporting.
7. Competing narratives and what they mean for the timeline
Privacy advocates and many tech firms frame the late‑2025 Council moves as either a retreat from mandatory client‑side scanning or a stealthy revival of harmful obligations by alternative wording [9] [2]. Proponents argue the Council’s November text codifies a political compromise that removes the worst encryption‑breaking demands while preserving tools to combat CSAM [9]. Those conflicting readings explain why the timeline stalled at trilogue rather than culminating in the final formal steps immediately after COREPER [2] [9].
8. What to watch next — practical milestones to track
Given the state of reporting, the next verifiable dates to monitor will be: (a) a formal trilogue outcome and agreement between Parliament, Council and Commission; (b) final votes in both Parliament and Council on that agreed text; and (c) the publication date in the Official Journal, which marks entry into force and will be the only sourceable confirmation of adoption/signature/publication (not yet reported in available sources) [2] [4].
Limitations and sourcing note: this briefing relies solely on the provided documents; each factual assertion above is supported by those sources [1] [2] [4] [7] [6] [3] [5] [9]. Available sources do not mention a completed legislative adoption, official signature, or Official Journal publication date as of late 2025 [2] [4].