Overview
- Brussels unveiled a mechanism to assess vendors with member states and place “high‑risk” firms on an EU blacklist that would require removal from critical infrastructure.
- The scope spans 18 critical sectors including mobile networks, cloud services, medical devices, semiconductors, surveillance equipment, and drones.
- Mobile operators would have 36 months to replace key components from listed suppliers, with deadlines for fixed networks such as fiber and subsea cables to be set later.
- The Commission cites sabotage and espionage concerns tied to foreign government influence, while China and Huawei denounce the plan as protectionist.
- The proposal now heads to negotiations with the European Parliament and EU countries, as Germany advances its own 5G phase‑out to 2029 and ENISA’s role is slated to expand alongside Europol coordination.