EU countries back tough line on 5G suppliers in potential blow to Huawei

BRUSSELS: EU countries on Friday endorsed a tough line for selecting 5G suppliers, including vetting the domestic legal framework to which they are subjected, potentially dealing a blow to telecoms equipment market leader Huawei Technologies.

Ambassadors meeting in Brussels agreed to the approach, a spokeswoman for Finland, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, said in a tweet.

EU countries should consider non-technical factors such as the legal and policy framework to which suppliers may be subject in third countries, a draft document seen by Reuters ahead of the meeting said. The document did not mention any specific countries or companies.

EU governments should also diversify their suppliers and not depend on one, the document said. EU ministers will give the green light to the approach at a meeting next month.