Next week the coordinators of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties (LIBE) are expected to say what they intend to do with the backlog of files in their committee and, in particular, the pending trilogues, such as those on the regulation on the removal of terrorist content online.
Three weeks ago, the LIBE Committee began work on identifying the files that need to be taken forward and which could, among other things, be the subject of a resumption of work in the form of a videoconference.
The issue is very sensitive for the regulation on terrorist content online (see EUROPE 12385/10), and Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson personally wrote a letter to the Chair of the parliamentary committee, Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar (S&D, Spain) in early April to urge that the trilogues, the last of which took place in early March, be resumed as soon as possible by videoconference.
“We believe it is important to continue and conclude the negotiations quickly. This is a matter of critical importance”, the Commission explains. The posting and circulation of terrorist content “has not ceased with the coronavirus pandemic, so there is no reason to delay the work”.
At this stage, however, the Parliament groups are reportedly moving towards refusing to resume these trilogues in the form of videoconferencing, according to two sources. A majority of groups are opposed to this idea and prefer that this work be restarted, when possible, in ‘physical’ form.
Greens/EFA MEP Patrick Breyer told EUROPE that work should not be rushed on such a sensitive issue, which will “set a precedent” in digital legislation.
The MEP believes that this issue deserves to be discussed in the best possible context, the priority of the moment being the fight against the pandemic and the current withdrawal measures, as applied by online platforms and service providers, which may still allow us to wait.
His opposition to the Commission’s text is well known: his group rejects mandatory proactive measures and automatic filters. The issue of withdrawal orders with direct cross-border effect is another sticking point, also with the EU Council, which shares the Commission’s view.
Parliament was able to make progress towards a compromise by relying in particular on specific measures and the use of more staff to monitor content. The immediate effect of a withdrawal order on another jurisdiction was also qualified.
But the EU Council has not held any meetings on the subject for a long time, with no working party having addressed it recently, a diplomatic source said.
For the German, it would make more sense for the EU Council to continue its work and move towards a compromise before these trilogues can resume.
Contacted by EUROPE on the next steps, the Croatian Presidency of the EU Council indicated that it was ready to return to the meetings “as soon as Parliament is”.
Link to LIBE files in progress: https://bit.ly/3ffHz6q (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)