This has been discussed in several threads (like here) in the forum over the years but it seems appropriate to append this this here due to the source, which kinda book-ends the saga (well, technically it’s not over, but still): After Years of Controversy, the EU’s Chat Control Nears Its Final Hurdle: What to Know | Electronic Frontier Foundation. From the text:
After a years-long battle, the European Commission’s “Chat Control” plan, which would mandate mass scanning and other encryption-breaking measures, at last codifies agreement on a position within the Council of the EU, representing EU States. The good news is that the most controversial part, the forced requirement to scan encrypted messages, is out. The bad news is there’s more to it than that.
Another report on it is: "A disaster waiting to happen" – The privacy tech world reacts to the new Chat Control bill | TechRadar and from there:
“By cementing ‘voluntary’ mass scanning, they are legitimizing the warrantless, error-prone mass surveillance of millions of Europeans by US corporations,” he said. “This is not a victory for privacy; it is a disaster waiting to happen.”
Despite the privacy backlash, the November 26 agreement means that the Danish proposal will continue to the final step of the legislative process. The EU Council, Parliament, and Commission are set to begin the trialogue negotiations to confirm the final text, with adoption expected by April 2026.