EU Lawmakers Revive Controversial Message Scanning Proposal

The procedural maneuver, spearheaded by the European People’s Party, aims to reinstate the ePrivacy derogation until 2028. By bypassing standard deliberation, proponents seek to bypass previous amendments that limited the scope of message scanning. Opponents, including Pirate Party MEP Markéta Gregorová, argue this use of an urgent procedure is unprecedented, noting that reaching the new 361-vote threshold to defeat the proposal is significantly more difficult than previous efforts.

For the blockchain sector, the stakes are high. The International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications (INATBA) warns that mandatory client-side scanning—which checks data on a device before it is encrypted—could create vulnerabilities in crypto wallets. By integrating scanning tools into operating systems, developers fear they are effectively creating backdoors that attackers could exploit to harvest seed phrases or session keys. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has criticized these measures, suggesting that systemic weaknesses in encryption jeopardize security for all users rather than providing a targeted solution. If enacted, Web3 projects with decentralized social features may face a stark choice: implement government-mandated content monitoring or exit the European market entirely.