The European Union is reportedly preparing to impose a bloc-wide ban on Chinese telecommunications equipment from firms such as Huawei and ZTE, Bloomberg has revealed.
The proposal, driven by European Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen, would make existing recommendations on excluding “high-risk” vendors legally binding, forcing member states to phase out Chinese-made components from mobile and fixed-line networks.
Countries that fail to comply could face infringement proceedings and financial penalties under Brussels’ enforcement powers.
The move comes amid deepening trade tensions between the EU and China, with Brussels accusing Beijing of industrial overproduction and China denouncing EU protectionism.
The plan also includes efforts to persuade non-EU nations to join the restrictions, broadening a coalition against Chinese telecom suppliers.
Beijing has condemned the proposal as a violation of fair-market principles and an act of discrimination.
The measure follows earlier European crackdowns on Chinese-linked tech assets, including the Dutch government’s seizure of chipmaker Nexperia earlier this year.
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