Ministers around the table of the Justice and Home Affairs Council, Luxembourg, 5 June 2026. Photo: Council of the EU, © European Union, 2026 (cropped).
How many of the 27 EU governments oppose Chat Control? On the public record of 10 October 2026 the answer is one, four or nine, depending on what is asked. Each number below is right for its own question, and each comes with the document behind it.
Four questions, four answers
- Against mandatory scanning of private messages? Nine governments are on record against it, with 32.9 % of the EU population: Austria, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia. Germany is conditional, Belgium, Portugal and Slovenia are unclear, and fourteen governments support it (governments page).
- Against the Council’s negotiating mandate? On 26 November 2025 four governments voted against it: Czechia, the Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia. Italy abstained and 22 voted for. The Permanent Representatives Committee does not publish its votes; the Czech news agency ČTK reported the split (Deník.cz).
- Against Chat Control 1.0? In the written procedure completed on 23 July 2026, which brought back voluntary scanning until 3 April 2028, one government voted against, Hungary. Belgium abstained and 25 voted for (Council voting result 12382/26).
- For scanning suspects only? One government is on record for limiting scanning to people under suspicion: Poland, with 8.3 %. Thirteen want voluntary scanning of everyone kept broad (our note of 5 October).
Why the numbers differ
The Council’s mandate has no detection orders. In its own words, it would “make permanent a currently temporary measure” that lets companies scan their services (Council, 26 November 2025). A government can therefore oppose mandatory scanning and still vote for the mandate, as Austria, Estonia, Finland and Luxembourg did. In July all nine governments against mandatory scanning voted for Chat Control 1.0. The one that voted against it, Hungary, is recorded as supporting mandatory scanning and published no reason (Hungary’s page).
Another count
Other trackers combine the questions in their own way. On 10 October fightchatcontrol.eu showed one member state opposing, 23 supporting and three split. Most of its 23 carry the line “Approved revised Danish Chat Control on November 26th 2025”, that is, the Council’s mandate. Its one opposing government is Italy. Its three split governments, Czechia, the Netherlands and Poland, are those it lists as opposing the permanent law and supporting Chat Control 1.0. It lists Slovakia as having approved the mandate; ČTK reported Slovakia among the four that voted against.
What it changes in the record
Nothing changes. The governments page and every country page show the position and the two Council votes separately, because they answer different questions. The record’s blocking-minority sum uses the first question only: whether the governments against mandatory scanning could stop a final text that contains it. They hold 32.9 %, 2.1 points short of the more than 35 % that four or more governments need. That is arithmetic, not a forecast of any vote. To try other combinations, use the blocking minority calculator. If a number here is wrong, tell us and it is corrected within 24 hours.
Sources
- Brussels Record, “Where the 27 governments stand”, governments page, as of 10 October 2026.
- Council of the EU, press release on the Council’s position, 26 November 2025.
- ČTK, “EU podpořila Chat Control, brojí proti dětské pornografii. Česko hlasovalo proti”, Deník.cz, 27 November 2025.
- Council of the EU, voting result 12382/26 on Regulation (EU) 2026/1881, 10 August 2026, written procedure completed on 23 July 2026.
- Brussels Record, “Only one of 27 governments is on record for scanning suspects only”, 5 October 2026.
- Brussels Record, Hungary: position on Chat Control, as of 10 October 2026.
- Fight Chat Control, fightchatcontrol.eu, member state positions, checked 10 October 2026.
