With the expiry of the temporary exemption for voluntary chat control set to expire on 3 April 2026, the European Union faces a legal gap in the voluntary detection of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online. Following the failure of the EU Council and the European Parliament to agree on an extension of the exemption, pressure is mounting to find a swift and long-term solution for voluntary proactive measures by service providers within the framework of the trilogue negotiations on the CSAM Regulation.

Ahead of the European Parliament’s vote on the report on artificial intelligence and copyright, eco points out that the existing European legal framework already provides a balanced basis for AI development and the protection of rights holders.

At the start of the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 in Davos, eco is calling for a commitment to greater and more offensive digitalisation in Europe. In light of geopolitical tensions and potential threats to industrial and technological supply chains, this is crucial for Europe’s competitiveness and ability to act.