Italian lawmakers push for Huawei 5G ban
- Intelligence committee report concludes that security concerns over Chinese companies installing next-generation networks are ‘largely grounded’
- Panel also cites past security vulnerabilities identified in equipment supplied by Huawei in Italy
An Italian parliamentary body has told the government to “very seriously” consider banning Huawei Technologies and other Chinese equipment suppliers from the country’s fifth-generation mobile networks.
In a report concluding a year-long review, the intelligence and security committee said concerns about using Chinese companies to install and maintain 5G networks in Italy were “largely grounded,” given the Beijing government’s power to interfere in their activities.
The review aimed to identify cybersecurity risks in national infrastructure and propose measures to address them. The committee’s final report was sent to the Rome parliament on December 12.
Some of the details were carried earlier on Friday by newspapers La Stampa and Corriere della Sera.
European governments are weighing restrictions on Huawei over fears that its systems could be accessed by Chinese intelligence to spy on other countries or disrupt communications, something the company denies.