EU CSAM Interim Regulation
In force European Union · In force Jul 31, 2026 · next deadline Feb 1, 2028 (in 16 months)
Deadlines
Summaries for reference, not legal advice. Check the official text.
What it does
Lets providers of number-independent interpersonal communications services, such as messaging and email, voluntarily scan for and report online child sexual abuse despite ePrivacy confidentiality rules, under strict conditions. It replaces Regulation (EU) 2021/1232, which expired on 2026-04-03. The permanent CSA Regulation proposed in 2022 is still not adopted.
- Who it applies to
- Providers of number-independent interpersonal communications services that voluntarily detect, remove and report child sexual abuse material.
- Penalties
- No specific fines; processing outside its conditions falls back under the ePrivacy Directive and GDPR.
- Enforced by
- National data protection authorities; Commission reporting.
- Official name
- Regulation (EU) 2026/1881 on a temporary derogation from certain provisions of Directive 2002/58/EC for combating online child sexual abuse
- Citation
- Regulation (EU) 2026/1881 (successor to Regulation (EU) 2021/1232)
- Topics
- privacy, children, online-safety
Research notes
There was a gap with no legal basis for voluntary scanning between 2026-04-03 and 2026-07-31. The proposed permanent Regulation laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse (COM(2022) 209) remained in negotiation as of 2026-09-25.
Related
Questions about EU CSAM Interim Regulation
- What are the EU CSAM Interim Regulation compliance deadlines?
- Apr 3, 2026: Previous interim regulation expires. Jul 31, 2026: New interim regulation enters into force. Feb 1, 2028: Commission implementation report. Apr 3, 2028: Interim derogation expires.
- When does EU CSAM Interim Regulation take effect?
- EU CSAM Interim Regulation took effect on Jul 31, 2026. The next milestone is Feb 1, 2028: Commission implementation report.
- Who does EU CSAM Interim Regulation apply to?
- Providers of number-independent interpersonal communications services that voluntarily detect, remove and report child sexual abuse material.
- What are the penalties under EU CSAM Interim Regulation?
- No specific fines; processing outside its conditions falls back under the ePrivacy Directive and GDPR.