Germany has decided to prohibit Chinese telecommunications companies from participating in the development of its 5G network.


Germany has finalized an agreement with telecommunications service providers to prohibit Chinese companies, including Huawei and ZTE, from participating in the nation's 5G network infrastructure projects from the year 2029 onwards, as announced by the Minister of the Interior on Thursday.

"We have now reached a clear and strict agreement with the telecoms companies," The Honorable Nancy Faeser, Minister of the Interior and Community, convened a press conference in Berlin to announce a pivotal agreement that will serve as a cornerstone in safeguarding the digital security landscape of Europe’s leading economic power.

An accord has been reached following discussions between the Ministry of the Interior and Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, and Telefonica Deutschland. The purpose of this agreement is to safeguard Germany’s critical infrastructure from potential security risks posed by China’s growing influence.

Faeser stated that Berlin had notified Beijing of the accord and did not anticipate any negative repercussions from the proposed restrictions on Chinese technology.

The minister refrained from elaborating on the specifics of the accord.

The planned phase-out, as reported by Reuters on Wednesday, will commence with an initial stage wherein operators will proceed to remove Chinese-made technology from the nation’s core network of 5G data centers in the year 2026.

In the second phase, domestic manufacturers of components such as antennas, transmission lines, and towers will be phased out by 2029.

Germany is perceived to be behind in executing the European Union’s security protocols for 5G networks.

Telecommunications providers have frequently opposed Berlin’s attempts to expedite the costly phase-out of Huawei, while Huawei has refuted what it refers to as the “politicization” of cybersecurity in the nation.