January 20, 2026, 3:05 p.mJan 20, 2026, 3:27 p.m
Germany and other EU countries should completely abandon the network technology from Chinese manufacturers Huawei and ZTE in mobile communications. The European Commission wants to create a legal basis that would ultimately enable a ban on the use of technology by particularly risky foreign companies, as the Brussels authority announced. There are fears of sabotage and espionage.
The commission fears sabotage and espionage by mobile phone providers.Image: keystone
Strong recommendations to EU countries not to use Huawei and ZTE technology in their mobile networks for security reasons could become mandatory. In the past, the European Commission had expressed dissatisfaction with the cooperation of member states on the issue. In their opinion, too few countries have followed the recommendation to exclude Huawei and ZTE from operating 5G mobile networks.
Huawei and ZTE are widely installed in German mobile networks
In Germany and other European countries, components from the two manufacturers have been fundamental components of mobile networks for years. However, the use of foreign technology has come under increasing criticism in recent years due to suspected security risks and potential influence by China.
Specifically, the mechanism now proposed by the EU Commission would allow the Brussels network monitors to initiate a risk assessment for certain manufacturers together with the member states. If a provider is seen as too risky, the EU Commission could, in a final step, put it on a corresponding list. Technology from manufacturers on this list would then no longer be allowed to be installed in the critical infrastructure of EU countries; existing components would have to be replaced under the proposal. The EU Commission had already identified Huawei and ZTE as high-risk providers during audits in the past due to fears of Chinese influence. (sda/dpa)