EU proposes ending cookie pop-ups

The European Commission has proposed a reform that could finally eliminate the endless cookie-consent pop-ups. Under the plan, users would set their privacy preferences once at the browser level, and websites would be required to automatically respect those choices.

Today, users in Europe and beyond must accept or reject cookies on nearly every website, a practice that has been in place since 2018.

The new initiative aims to remove the constant “Accept,” “Reject,” and “Necessary Only” clicks. A Commission spokesperson explained that the goal is to centralize privacy management: users configure their settings in the browser, and all websites must follow them. This is expected to significantly simplify web browsing.

The proposal is part of a broader EU digital package focused on streamlining regulation. During the transition period, cookie prompts will be redesigned into a simplified “one-click” format, after which browsers will gain official support for centralized settings. Websites will be required to honor a user’s chosen preferences for at least six months.

The EU also wants to prohibit the use of cookie banners for unrelated purposes, such as gathering visit statistics, in an effort to reduce the volume of pop-ups.

According to the Commission, today’s cookie prompts often push users to click anything out of sheer frustration, without considering their privacy. The updated rules are intended to give people more reliable control over which cookies are placed on their devices and how their data is used.