The Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Counsellors of the EU Council are scheduled to meet on 30 June 2026 to discuss the outcome of the fifth trilogue on the proposed regulation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse (CSA Regulation), according to a notice of meeting and provisional agenda published by the Council on 25 June 2026. The meeting, set for 10:00 in the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels, will also address a follow-up to the Coreper discussion on extending the interim ePrivacy derogation under Regulation (EU) 2021/1232.
The agenda lists two main items. Under item 2, the Counsellors will review the results of the fifth trilogue negotiations held on 29 June 2026 between the Council, the European Parliament, and the European Commission on the CSA Regulation. This regulation aims to establish binding obligations for online service providers to detect, report, and remove child sexual abuse material, while balancing privacy and fundamental rights concerns. The fifth trilogue is expected to address remaining contentious issues, such as the scope of detection orders, the role of artificial intelligence, and safeguards against over-blocking.
Item 3 concerns a follow-up to the Coreper discussion of 26 June 2026 on a proposal to extend the period of application of Regulation (EU) 2021/1232, which provides a temporary derogation from certain ePrivacy rules to allow voluntary detection of child sexual abuse material by providers of interpersonal communications services. The extension is necessary because the permanent CSA Regulation has not yet been adopted, and the current derogation is set to expire. Coreper, the Committee of Permanent Representatives, discussed the extension on 26 June, and the JHA Counsellors will now consider the next steps.
The meeting format is 1+0, meaning only one representative per member state plus the Council secretariat. No exclusions or restrictions on participation are stated. The agenda also includes the adoption of the agenda and any other business. The Council's contact for the meeting is csa@consilium.europa.eu.
The CSA Regulation and the extension of the ePrivacy derogation directly affect online service providers, including social media platforms, messaging apps, and cloud storage services, which would face new compliance obligations. Privacy and digital rights groups have raised concerns about potential mass surveillance and weakening of encryption. EU member states are divided on the balance between child protection and privacy, with some pushing for stronger detection mandates and others advocating for more limited measures. The European Parliament has insisted on robust safeguards, including judicial oversight and proportionality requirements. The outcome of the trilogue and the extension will determine the regulatory landscape for child safety online in the EU for years to come.
After the JHA Counsellors meeting, the outcome will be reported to Coreper, which may then prepare the file for adoption by the Council. If the trilogue reaches a provisional agreement, the text would need to be formally approved by both the Council and the European Parliament before entering into force. The extension of Regulation (EU) 2021/1232 requires a separate legislative procedure, likely following the ordinary legislative procedure with the Parliament's consent.