European Council scraps plan to replace cookie banners with automated signal

What happened

• The European Commission’s Digital Omnibus proposal to replace cookie banners with an automated signal was announced in autumn 2025.
• The Council of the EU issued a position paper on 18 June 2026 that withdrew support for the proposal.
• Member states including Germany and France, backed by Google’s lobbying, argued the change would undermine consent mechanisms.
• The decision keeps existing cookie banner requirements in place across the EU.

Why it matters

EU member states and Google now require cookie banners that secure explicit consent, so businesses must keep implementing and updating them in line with GDPR, as the expected automated signal will not appear.

Business impact

Businesses will need to retain existing consent‑management solutions and cannot rely on a simplified technical signal, preserving current compliance costs and operational processes.