Italy holds 13.19 % of the EU population. Its government is on record against mandatory scanning of private messages, since 26 Nov 2025.
Against Last checked 22 October 2026
Sintesi in italiano
Secondo questo registro il governo italiano è contrario alla scansione obbligatoria e di massa dei messaggi privati. Il 26 novembre 2025 l’Italia è stata l’unico Paese ad astenersi sul mandato negoziale del Consiglio. Fonti di governo citate dall’ANSA hanno spiegato che l’Italia condivide la necessità di rafforzare gli strumenti contro gli abusi sessuali online, ma non accetta forme di monitoraggio di massa delle chat e dei dati personali.
Nel giugno 2026 l’Italia ha chiesto che gli ordini di rilevazione siano emessi da un giudice e limitati a materiale già noto, e che il Centro UE non effettui ricerche. A luglio 2026 ha votato a favore di Chat Control 1.0, che ripristina la scansione volontaria.
Dei 76 eurodeputati eletti in Italia, 39 hanno votato il 9 luglio 2026 per respingere Chat Control 1.0 e 13 contro il rigetto. Il dossier spetta al ministro dell’Interno Matteo Piantedosi e al ministro della Giustizia Carlo Nordio; non risultano dichiarazioni pubbliche di nessuno dei due sul tema. L’Italia rappresenta il 13,19 % della popolazione dell’UE.
Sintesi aggiornata al 10 ottobre 2026. Fa fede la scheda in inglese qui sotto, che indica una fonte per ogni dato.
What the government has said
“Italy shares the need to strengthen the tools against online sexual abuse, but does not accept forms of mass monitoring of chats and personal data.”Italian government sources, ANSA, 26 November 2025, translated from Italian
Receipt: Abstention on the mandate, government sources, ANSA, 26 Nov 2025
The only abstention on the mandate. Wants detection orders issued by courts and limited to known material, and no searches by the EU Centre (June 2026). Voted for Chat Control 1.0 in July 2026.
How it voted in the Council
- Negotiating mandate, 26 November 2025
- abstained The Council position adopted in Coreper: voluntary scanning only, no detection orders. Coreper does not publish votes; the split was reported the same day by the Czech news agency CTK.
- Chat Control 1.0, 23 July 2026
- yes The vote that brought back the temporary rules: voluntary scanning of private messages allowed until 3 April 2028.
A government can oppose mandatory scanning and still vote for the voluntary regime. The two are listed separately for that reason. Council votes need 15 states with 65 % of the population; four states with more than 35 % block.
How its MEPs voted
On 9 July 2026 the European Parliament voted on a motion to reject the Council text that brought back voluntary scanning, Chat Control 1.0. Rejection needed 361 votes and got 314, so the text passed. Of the 76 MEPs elected in Italy, 39 voted to reject it, 13 voted against rejection, 0 abstained and 24 did not vote.
- 39 for rejection, that is against voluntary scanning
- 13 against rejection, letting the text pass
- 0 abstained
- 24 did not vote
The government line above concerns mandatory scanning; this vote concerned the voluntary regime. They are different questions, which is why both are shown. Source: roll-call vote 195775 as published by the European Parliament and compiled by HowTheyVote.eu; all 27 delegations side by side on the governments page.
Who decides in Italy
- Minister
- Matteo Piantedosi, Minister of the Interior. Justice Minister Carlo Nordio. Neither has spoken on the record; the abstention of 26 Nov 2025 was reported through government sources
- Ministry in charge
- Ministry of the Interior; Ministry of Justice
- Permanent representation
- Ambassador Vincenzo Celeste, Permanent Representative (Coreper II, since 17 Apr 2023); Ambassador Marco Canaparo, Deputy Permanent Representative (Coreper I, since 5 Feb 2025)
Source: www.governo.it/it/i-governi-dal-1943-ad-oggi/governo-meloni/20727
Timeline
- Council vote on Chat Control 1.0, the temporary rules. Italy: yes.
- European Parliament votes on rejecting Chat Control 1.0; the motion fails, the text passes. MEPs elected in Italy: 39 for rejection, 13 against, 0 abstained, 24 did not vote. source
- Recorded as against. Receipt: Abstention on the mandate, government sources, ANSA, 26 Nov 2025 source
- Council negotiating mandate adopted in Coreper. Italy: abstained.
Sources
- Abstention on the mandate, government sources, ANSA, 26 Nov 2025 (receipt)
- Council minutes, 10 Jun 2026 (‘again very critical’), via netzpolitik.org
- Il Sole 24 Ore, 26 Nov 2025
- Permanent Representation of Italy to the EU, the ambassadors
- Method: what the labels mean and where the population shares come from
This page is one of 27 records behind Where the 27 governments stand. Together the governments against hold 32.9 % of the EU population; a blocking minority needs more than 35 %.
Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0. Data for all 27: JSON · CSV. Found a mistake? Tell us; we correct openly and say what changed.
Cite as: Brussels Record, “Italy: position on Chat Control”, last checked 22 October 2026, https://brusselsrecord.com/member-states/italy/
