A victory for Huawei as EU ignores US calls to ban it in 5G security blueprint, despite ‘worry’ about Chinese security law
- The guidelines are a setback for the US, which has been lobbying allies in Europe to boycott Huawei over cybersecurity fears
- Huawei said it welcomed the ‘objective and proportionate’ recommendations
The European Commission has ignored US calls to ban Chinese tech supplier Huawei as it announced on Tuesday a series of cybersecurity recommendations for next-generation mobile networks, in a move which was hailed by the Chinese tech giant.
Huawei said in a statement it welcomed the commission’s “objective and proportionate” recommendations.
In its guidance for the roll-out of ultra-fast fifth generation, or 5G, telecoms systems across the European Union in coming years, the commission urged member states to assess cyber threats to the 5G infrastructure in their national markets.
That information should then be shared among EU countries as part of a coordinated effort to develop a “toolbox of mitigating measures” and minimum common standards for 5G network security by the end of the year, the EU’s executive branch said.
The proposals are a setback for the United States, which has been lobbying allies in Europe to boycott Huawei over fears its equipment could be used by China’s communist leaders to carry out cyberespionage.