European digital chief Andrus Ansip will present the recommendation tomorrow, and while it has no legal force, it will carry political weight which can eventually lead to national legislation in European Union countries.
The United States has were trying to get the EU to shut Huawei out of the 5G sales claiming that the outfit is spying for China. However, at no point has the US ever provided any evidence of this and it is starting to look like this was just part of Trump’s trade war with China.
Ansip will tell EU countries to use tools set out under the EU directive on the security of network and information systems, or NIS directive, adopted in 2016 and the recently approved Cybersecurity Act.
For example, member states should exchange information and coordinate on impact assessment studies on security risks and on certification for internet-connected devices and 5G equipment.
The Commission will not call for a European ban on global market leader Huawei, leaving it to EU countries to decide on national security grounds.
The Commission said the recommendation would stress a common EU approach to security risks to 5G networks.
The EU executive’s guidance marks a tougher stance on Chinese investment after years of almost unfettered European openness to China, which controls 70 per cent of the global supply of the critical raw materials needed to make high-tech goods.
Germany this month set tougher criteria for all telecoms equipment vendors, without singling out Huawei and ignoring US pressure.
Big telecoms operators oppose a Huawei ban, saying such a move could set back 5G deployment in the bloc by years.