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| The Netherlands imposes measures to combat espionage on communications |
On Wednesday, the Dutch government enacted new security rules for telecom service providers, including rules for hardware and software providers, which only require individuals who pass security controls to access the network.
The requirement, which will cover major service providers such as KPN, T-Mobile and Vodafone, is part of a series of initiatives to raise standards after assessing the risks posed by China and other countries in 2019, which are determined to launch a "cyberattack" strategy.
In a ministerial decree, the Minister of Small Economy (Mona Cijres) also stipulated that telecom service providers must retain network data for at least three months to avoid having to analyze the "advanced threats and vectors" attack.
The United Kingdom and France have effectively banned Huawei from participating in the construction of 5G telecommunications networks. The Dutch government said last year that if the suppliers had "close ties with foreign governments involved in espionage activities, they could be expelled." Despite congressional pressure, Huawei was not named specifically.
KPN said last month it would use the Swedish company (Ericsson) to build the building blocks of a 5G cellular network.
In May, the Senate passed a law authorizing the government to prevent “unintended” acquisitions of telecommunications companies. This includes an obligation to potential buyers who can purchase more than 30% of the shares in the Dutch telecom company, forcing the government to come forward.
The Swedish Postal and Communications Administration (PTS) is responsible for monitoring communications in Sweden. Yesterday, the auction of 5G frequencies was suspended. The court had previously suspended part of the office's decision to exclude Huawei from 5G networks.
Due to national security risks, Sweden followed the UK last month to ban the use of Huawei devices on 5G networks.
Companies participating in the 5G auction must remove these components from the Chinese company by January 1, 2025. Huawei appealed the decision last week.