Brussels is reportedly considering a mandatory ban on member states utilizing companies deemed to pose security risks in their 5G networks, particularly Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei.
Concerns have arisen in the European Union (EU) that some national governments are hesitating to take action on this issue, according to officials familiar with the discussions.
Despite Brussels’ recommendations to exclude high-risk vendors from technology investments, only a third of EU countries have implemented bans on Huawei in critical parts of their 5G communications.
EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton expressed dissatisfaction with this low number, stating that it exposed the collective security of the union.
The recommendations, which were unanimously agreed upon by member states in 2020, included certification requirements and the diversification of suppliers. However, they fell short of a complete ban.
Should member states, including Germany, continue to delay, the EU may introduce a mandatory prohibition on companies deemed security risks, such as Huawei.
The European Commission declined to comment on the matter, but it is scheduled to provide a progress report on the implementation of the recommendations across the bloc in the coming week.
Nevertheless, the introduction of new rules mandating a ban is unlikely to occur before the current European Commission’s five-year term ends in 2024. Such legislation requires the support of both the European Parliament and member states, a process that demands considerable time.
Huawei has expressed its opposition to the politicization of cybersecurity evaluation and emphasized the importance of adhering to technological standards and conducting proper evaluations.
The company contends that excluding specific suppliers without appropriate technological assessments violates the principles of fairness, non-discrimination, as well as EU laws and regulations.
Washington has previously accused Huawei of being a criminal enterprise involved in intellectual property theft from US companies, violating sanctions against North Korea, and providing false statements to the FBI. The US government has urged its allies to prohibit the use of Huawei in their critical communications infrastructure.
Officials knowledgeable about the discussions in Brussels have warned of the risks associated with long-term dependencies on China. They draw parallels to the bloc’s previous dependence on Russian energy supplies before the conflict in Ukraine.
As concerns about technological reliance on China, trade practices, and human rights records grow within the EU, some European nations, including Portugal, are reevaluating their dependence on Chinese companies in critical telecommunications infrastructure.
Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and the UK have already implemented bans on Huawei in their 5G networks.
EU leaders are now emphasizing the urgency of taking action to avoid creating major vulnerabilities that could be difficult to reverse in the future, while also reducing or eliminating dependencies that may be exploited against the EU’s interests.