Europe wants to move away from using Chinese suppliers for 5G networks, but getting there will take time.
On Wednesday, the European Union released a set of ”tools” that aim to limit the bloc’s dependence on Chinese telecom giant Huawei while boosting its domestic 5G industry. […]
The EU texts do not mention Chinese 5G equipment-maker Huawei by name. But the list of recommended actions would allow EU capitals to limit Huawei’s role in 5G networks across the Continent in coming years.
The toolbox comes one day after the U.K.’s decision to keep Huawei’s market access limited to peripheral, non-sensitive parts of 5G networks — a decision closely in line with the EU’s measures. […]
The new measures range from imposing ”audits” and regulatory checks on the telecom industry’s cybersecurity policies to having EU countries peer-review their policies.
But the attention-grabbing part is that the document calls on capitals to apply new ”restrictions — including necessary exclusions” for high-risk vendors in ”critical or sensitive” parts of 5G networks. Those parts include “core” networks that form the backbone of the internet, critical network management services and parts of the core networks that manage data traffic to base stations and antennas. Läs artikel