New Delhi: The European Union is preparing to tighten its stance on Chinese-made equipment by pushing for a mandatory phase-out from critical infrastructure, including telecom networks and solar energy systems, a report has said.
The move could directly impact Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE, which are currently used by several European telecom operators, according to a report by the Financial Times. At present, the EU has a voluntary framework in place to restrict so-called high-risk vendors, but the bloc’s upcoming cybersecurity proposal is expected to make these restrictions compulsory for all member states.
The report said the new proposal is likely to be presented on Tuesday. Once approved, EU countries would be required to remove Chinese equipment from sensitive infrastructure over time.
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However, the timeline for the phase-out would vary depending on the level of risk posed to the EU and the specific sector involved. Factors such as the cost of replacing equipment and the availability of alternative suppliers would also be taken into account, the report said.
Some telecom companies in large European markets like Spain and Germany have earlier resisted implementing strict curbs on Chinese vendors, mainly due to cost concerns and reliance on existing infrastructure.
The proposed changes could force these companies to accelerate their transition to non-Chinese suppliers. However, there were no official statement on it while writing the news article. The European Commission, China’s commerce ministry, Huawei, and ZTE also did not respond yet.
If implemented, the EU’s proposal would mark a significant shift in Europe’s approach to cybersecurity and critical infrastructure, potentially reshaping the region’s telecom and renewable energy supply chains in the coming years.
Meanwhile, in another report, Financial Times said that the European Union is considering hitting Washington with 93 billion euros ($107.68 billion) worth of tariffs or restricting American companies from the bloc’s market, in response to US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats over Greenland.
