The European Commission on Thursday called on EU member states to ban or restrict the use of Chinese company Huawei's equipment in their 5G networks for security reasons. Britain and 11 EU countries have done so so far, but Poland is not among them.
EC spokesman Thomas Regnier said during a press briefing in Brussels that the Commission had already identified Huawei as a “high-risk supplier” in 2020 and called on member states to take action to restrict or block the company’s access to their 5G networks.
On Thursday, the EC renewed its appeal. “We call on all member states to take swift action in this direction, failure to do so could put the entire EU at risk. The security of our 5G networks is of course crucial to the EU economy,” Regnier said. The spokesman added that the EC will continue to work with member states to ensure the security of EU telecommunications networks.
The EC is not alone in its warnings. The US administration, during Donald Trump's first term, also warned against Huawei. The Americans accused the company of using its equipment for espionage by the PRC authorities. Although the company vehemently denied reports of interference by the Chinese government, some EU member states have actually begun to withdraw the company's equipment from their telecommunications networks.
To date, 12 European countries have decided to withdraw from the technology supplied by Huawei and taken specific steps in this direction, including Estonia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia and the United Kingdom; Poland is not on the list.
The then candidate, and current EU Commissioner for Digital Affairs and Security, Henna Virkkunen, raised concerns about the insufficient implementation of 5G security in the EU during her hearing in the European Parliament. The EC has long warned that ensuring the resilience of 5G networks is crucial for society, as the technology affects not only digital communications but also critical sectors such as energy, transport, banking and health, as well as industrial control systems. 5G networks also transmit sensitive information and support security systems that rely on them.
Also on Thursday, the investigative website Follow the Money reported that Huawei was involved in a new corruption scandal in the European Parliament, and that lobbyists for the Chinese company allegedly bribed former and current MEPs. According to the website, as part of a wide-ranging investigation, police allegedly searched a total of 21 offices and homes of lobbyists associated with Huawei in both Belgium and Portugal. An EC spokesman declined to comment on the reports on Thursday.
From Brussels Jowita Kiwnik Pargana (PAP)
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