| dc.description.abstract | 5G, the fifth generation of telecommunication systems, is a technological advancement that
is expected to revolutionize our society. 5G, compared to 4G, implies an exponential transfer
of data through the networks. With increased interoperability, our societies will also become
progressively more vulnerable to attacks to 5G networks. Existent studies claim that the
Chinese enterprise Huawei, one of the biggest telecom provider on the market, could engage
in sabotage and espionage and put entire countries at security risks. The United States, in a
trade and technology competition with China, have undertaken a striking lobbying strategy
against Huawei, addressing the international community, including European Governments.
The issue turned into a geopolitical dilemma, and the European Union finds itself in a difficult
position. This qualitative study analyses and compares the German, Italian and Hungarian
approaches to the issue of Huawei through an economic and security approach and tests the
theory of intergovernmentalism on European integration. First, this study established the EU
position on the Huawei issue through the analysis of official EU documentation. The findings
show that the European Union shares security concerns on the utilization of Huawei services
in 5G networks and published a Toolbox, where it is asked to EU Member States to
autonomously assess the risks posed by 5G vendors and differentiate the supply chain.
Furthermore, the comparison illustrates the emergence of different National approaches on
the issue of Huawei, but detects that the three EU Member States ultimately follow the
directions of European institutions. The conclusion reinforces intergovernmentalism as a
theory that supports European cooperation on the issue of 5G and highlights the
intergovernmental nature of the EU Toolbox. | |
