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Vystrčil and Vondráček agreed that the EU underestimated its dependence on China

by AI | 04.Nov 2024 | Europe in brief AI

The European Union underestimated the risk of dependence on Chinese information technologies. Now it is trying to replace it with a security directive, but it will mean high additional costs.

The Chinese flag flies in the wind. Photo: Oliver Berg/dpa

Prague – The European Union underestimated the risk of dependence on Chinese information technologies. It is now trying to replace this with a security directive, which the Czech Republic is implementing in the form of a cybersecurity law, but this will mean high additional costs. This was agreed upon by the President of the Senate, Miloš Vystrčil (ODS), and MP, Radek Vondráček (ANO), on the Nova TV program “Za pět minut dvanáct”.

“We did not pay attention and allowed a strategic dependence in this area on the People’s Republic of China. We should be careful about this because at some point it may cost us huge amounts of money to regain cybersecurity, or it will cost us by having far more known about us than we would like,” said Vystrčil. “I agree that all of Europe should have thought about it. Now it is issuing the NIS2 directive, saying this is what you should do, and we will all be paying for it,” added the Senate President.

According to Vondráček as well, the EU underestimated the threat of dependence on China in the field of electronics, similar to how it was with the production of components for photovoltaic power plants or some medicines. The current correction of the situation, according to Vondráček, will mean costs for private entities in the order of tens of billions of crowns. However, Vondráček criticized the proposed cybersecurity law, which in some areas is stricter than the European directive.

The government proposal for a new cybersecurity law passed its first reading in the Chamber of Deputies in September. The regulation is intended to allow the scrutiny of suppliers who may pose a security risk to the state and also their exclusion. According to critics, the bill in its proposed form could affect many small companies, increase bureaucracy, and the number of state officials.

As early as the end of 2018, NÚKIB issued a warning against using the software and hardware of Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE, considering them a security threat. The Security Information Service (BIS) also repeatedly warns against Huawei’s technologies. (November 3)