The European Commission is exploring ways to force European Union member states to phase out Huawei Technologies and ZTE from their telecommunications networks, according to people familiar with the matter.
Vice President Henna Virkkunen wants to convert the commission’s 2020 recommendation to stop using high-risk vendors in mobile networks into a legal requirement, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the negotiations are private.
While infrastructure decisions rest with national governments, Virkkunen’s proposal would compel EU countries to align with the commission’s security guidance. If the recommendations become legally binding, member countries that don’t follow the rules could face a so-called infringement procedure and financial penalties.