EU recommits to telecoms R&D and mulls new surveillance lab

Foreign interference measures announced alongside update on telecoms cybersecurity

The EU has reiterated its need to fund research and innovation into telecommunications technologies amid a crackdown on suppliers over security concerns. It is separately considering creating a new laboratory to analyse the use of mobile phone software for surveillance.

A review of member states’ progress on implementing the bloc’s strategy for cybersecurity in 5G telecoms networks, published on June 15, highlighted that funding R&I is among the strategy’s objectives. The strategy calls on countries to promote the resilience of their telecoms supply chains by “investing in R&I capacities”.