Spain wants EU states to retain say in barring foreign telco providers
May 27 (Reuters) - Spain wants EU member states to retain a say over which countries, suppliers or products can be barred from infrastructure projects under a stronger European Cybersecurity Act whose overall direction it supports, a government spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The spokesperson at the digital transformation ministry told Reuters the issue touched on national sovereignty, as set out in EU treaties.
• The comments come as the European Commission plans a revision of the Cybersecurity Act to phase out components and equipment from high-risk suppliers in critical sectors.
• The plan is expected to affect Chinese companies including Huawei.
• The proposals, still under negotiation, would give Brussels the power to ban the use of equipment from high-risk suppliers in the EU market.
• Spain backs strengthening the Cybersecurity Act but wants it done within a legally sound framework consistent with the division of powers in EU treaties, the ministry said.
• Any classification of suppliers should be based on objective, proportionate and workable technical criteria, ensuring legal certainty and respect for national sovereignty, the ministry added.
• Earlier in May, the Commission recommended that member states exclude Huawei and ZTE technology from local telecom operators' connectivity infrastructure.
• Last year, Spain cancelled a fibre-optic service contract with Telefonica (NYSE: TEF) over the use of Huawei equipment.
(Reporting by Javi West Larrañaga. Editing by Andrei Khalip and Mark Potter)