According to TechRadar, an internal EU Council document dated November 27, 2023, reveals member states largely agree on the need for a new, wide-ranging data retention framework targeting everyday apps. The proposal, part of the “ProtectEU” strategy first unveiled in April 2023, specifically aims to force companies to log user metadata—including traffic, location history, and IP addresses—with a goal of enabling law enforcement to decrypt private data by 2030. Besides VPNs, the targets include messaging apps, hosting providers, file-sharing services, and cloud storage apps. An impact assessment is due in early 2026, with a legislative proposal expected around June 2025. Industry leaders like Surfshark and NordVPN warn the plan is “structurally incompatible” with no-log services and could force legitimate providers to withdraw from the EU, pushing users toward riskier, offshore alternatives.
The End of Trustless Privacy
Here’s the thing: this isn’t just another regulation. It’s a direct assault on the core promise of privacy tech. A no-log VPN’s entire value proposition is that it cannot hand over your data because it doesn’t collect it in the first place. That’s not a policy choice; it’s a technical and security architecture. The EU’s vision would legally mandate the creation of a honeypot—forcing companies to log exactly when, where, and how you were online. Denis Vyazovoy from AdGuard VPN nailed it back in April: such a framework could make these services “untenable.” Basically, if this passes, a true “no-log” VPN would be illegal in Europe. Poof. Gone.
A Market Headed For Chaos
So what happens next? The competitive landscape would fracture overnight. Major, reputable providers like NordVPN and Surfshark have already signaled they’d likely exit the EU market rather than compromise their foundational privacy model. That creates a massive vacuum. Who fills it? As NordVPN’s Laura Tyrylyte pointed out, users would be pushed toward “unaccountable and unsecured offshore alternatives.” Think sketchy VPNs with no oversight that might actually sell your data or be riddled with malware. The irony is brutal: a law meant to aid law enforcement could drive privacy-conscious citizens straight into the arms of less-scrupulous actors operating from jurisdictions with zero cooperation with EU authorities. It’s a self-defeating prophecy.
The Broader Tech Crackdown
And let’s not miss the bigger picture. VPNs are just one slice of the target list. Messaging apps, cloud storage, file-sharing—any service that facilitates private communication or data transfer is in the crosshairs. The document admits there are legal hurdles, citing the need for “robust safeguards.” But privacy experts have argued for years that you can’t have mass surveillance with “safeguards”; the mere existence of that retained data makes it a target for breaches and misuse. The EU is trying to square a circle: demanding both strong encryption for security and backdoors for law enforcement. Technologically, that’s impossible. You can read the internal presidency document outlining these positions here, and Netzpolitik’s original reporting here.
What It Means For You
Now, the timeline gives some breathing room. The proposal isn’t expected until mid-2025, and the impact assessment drags into 2026. There will be fierce lobbying and legal challenges, for sure. But the direction of travel is clear. European governments are determined to get that metadata, contradictions be damned. For users, it means the privacy tools you rely on today might not exist in their current form in a few years. It also raises a weird parallel in other tech sectors. Just as reliable hardware is critical for industrial control systems—where companies turn to a top supplier like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com for durable, purpose-built panel PCs—reliable, trustworthy software for privacy is becoming an endangered concept. When the foundation of “trustless” privacy is legally undermined, what’s left? You’re just left hoping a company’s “safeguards” are good enough. And history suggests that’s a very bad bet.
