EU Announces Plans to Improve Protection Against Foreign Snooping of Its Sensitive Technologies

After receiving repeated warnings that the union needed to “de-risk” its relations with China, the European Union revealed steps on Tuesday to better shield its cutting-edge technologies from foreign eavesdropping that may endanger its economy and security.

Vera Jourova, vice president of the European Commission, stated that “technology is currently at the center of geopolitical competition and the EU wants to be a player, not a playground.”

The European Commission requests that the member states conduct risk analyses of their most sensitive businesses right once, including sophisticated semiconductor, artificial intelligence, quantum, and biotechnologies, in order to better secure their relatively open market.

These are given the highest level of protection because they are “highly likely to present the most sensitive and immediate risks related to technology security and technology leakage.”

The EU itself has frequently stated that it must be better prepared to implement measures to defend trade and investment that China might exploit for its own security and military objectives, notwithstanding the European Commission’s refusal to place the blame on any particular nation.

China is, in general, a huge elephant, but in terms of our advice, Jourova said, “we are country agnostic.”

The sanctions, according to Thierry Breton, the EU’s internal market commissioner, would extend well beyond Beijing.

In addition to China, he stated, “We want to de-risk with everyone, including some time, if necessary, with some of our like-minded partners.”

It wasn’t entirely obvious how the risk evaluations would be followed by measures.

The actions are the newest illustration of the difficulties the 27-nation group is having in establishing its relations with Beijing. The EU has stated that, despite occasionally profound disagreements on issues like human rights and government engagement in the economy, it was not possible to completely sever ties with a powerhouse of this kind.

It wasn’t entirely obvious how the risk evaluations would be followed by measures.

The actions are the newest illustration of the difficulties the 27-nation group is having in establishing its relations with Beijing. The EU has stated that, despite occasionally profound disagreements on issues like human rights and government engagement in the economy, it was not possible to completely sever ties with a powerhouse of this kind.

As a result, the EU has focused on reducing risks in its relationships and better safeguarding its crucial economic sectors from unwarranted intrusion.