The European Commission is preparing to compel all EU member states to eliminate Chinese telecom firms Huawei Technologies and ZTE from their national mobile networks under a newly proposed cybersecurity law, according to a report by the South China Morning Post. The initiative represents a significant escalation in the bloc’s approach to safeguarding digital infrastructure.
From recommendation to legal obligation
Since 2020, Brussels has urged member states to phase out equipment from Huawei and ZTE in 5G networks, warning that their presence could pose security vulnerabilities. Despite these recommendations, only 13 of the EU’s 27 countries have implemented such measures to date. The latest proposal would mark the first time the Commission seeks to turn guidance into a binding legal requirement.
Compliance timeline and legislative hurdles
Under the draft legislation, EU governments would be granted a three-year period to remove the specified equipment once the law enters into force. However, the proposal must first secure approval from the member states themselves before it can be enacted.
Broader implications for Chinese technology firms
The planned measures could signal wider consequences for Huawei, ZTE, and other Chinese technology providers if China were formally classified as a cybersecurity risk. Factors used to determine such a designation include documented links to cyber espionage, hacking incidents, or coordinated cyber operations.
