The European Commission has recommfinished that member states exclude equipment created by Huawei and ZTE from local telecom operators’ connectivity infrastructure, a Commission spokesperson declared on Monday. The recommfinishation comes as the European Union shifts toward stricter cybersecurity measures aimed at protecting critical communications systems across the bloc, according to Reuters.
Under the proposed cybersecurity rules, the EU would gain broader authority to restrict or ban the apply of equipment supplied by companies considered “high-risk” within the bloc’s telecom networks, per Reuters. The spokesperson notified reporters during a briefing in Brussels that the new framework would give the EU the possibility to block such equipment from the European market.
Read more: EU Weighs Legal Measures to Phase Out Huawei and ZTE from Telecom Networks
Officials state the initiative is designed to strengthen the security of critical infrastructure, particularly as European countries continue expanding next-generation connectivity technologies. According to Reuters, the recommfinishation does not amount to an immediate bloc-wide ban, but it does signal the direction Brussels wants national governments and telecom operators to take.
The shift has already drawn criticism from China. Beijing last week warned it could take countermeasures against the European Union if the proposed cybersecurity rules are enforced, arguing the measures are “discriminatory,” according to Reuters.
Source: Reuters
