Strasbourg (dpa) – European Union countries are to no longer have components from Chinese manufacturers Huawei and ZTE in their network infrastructure, according to plans from the European Commission. The commission on Tuesday tabled a proposal for the legal basis to exclude particularly risky foreign tech companies.

Existing recommendations to EU countries not to use Huawei and ZTE technology in their mobile networks for security reasons could thus become mandatory in the future. Some European countries rely on components from the two firms.

EU Commission Vice President sees "strategic risks to our democracy"

The use of foreign technology has come under increasing criticism in recent years due to suspected security risks and potential influence from China. "Cybersecurity threats are not just technical challenges. They are strategic risks to our democracy, economy, and way of life," said European Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen in a statement. The proposed measures are "an important step in securing our European technological sovereignty and ensuring a greater safety for all," she said.

In the past the commission had expressed dissatisfaction with the cooperation of capitals as too few EU countries have followed the recommendation to exclude the two companies from the operation of 5G mobile networks.

The mechanism proposed by the commission is to allow EU regulators, together with EU countries, to initiate a risk assessment for certain manufacturers. If a supplier is deemed too risky, the commission can place it on a corresponding list. Technology from manufacturers on this list would then no longer be allowed to be installed in the critical infrastructure of EU countries and existing components would have to be replaced. The commission had previously identified Huawei and ZTE as high-risk suppliers as part of investigations due to concerns over Chinese influence.

Author: pundy.doris

EU court: Hungary broke law by restricting independent radio station

EU Commission plans to ban Huawei and ZTE from networks

pundy.doris

EU court: Hungary broke law by restricting independent radio station

EU Commission plans to ban Huawei and ZTE from networks