European Commission
5G Recommendations
Commissioner for the Security Union, Julian King, and Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society, Mariya Gabriel, said:
We greatly welcome the completion of the coordinated risk assessment of 5G networks by EU Member States with the support of the European Commission and the European Agency for Cybersecurity. Not only will the process and report help bolster the cybersecurity of our 5G networks for citizens and businesses but they also represent an important step forward in the trust Member States have shown in dealing with these issues together to remain resilient in a changing geopolitical climate. The security of 5G networks is and will be a top priority in the years to come as they will form the future backbone of our societies and economies, connecting billions of objects and systems, including in critical sectors such as energy, transport, banking, and health, as well as industrial control systems carrying sensitive information and supporting safety systems.Having completed the risk assessment the next step will be to produce by the end of the year a toolbox of possible responses for managing and mitigating these risks. This joint approach by all Member States will underpin secure roll-out of 5G networks across the European Union.
The report is based on the national risk assessments that all Member States submitted to the Commission earlier this year. It identifies the main cyber threats and actors, the most sensitive assets, key vulnerabilities and a number of strategic risks. Moving into the third phase of the Recommendation, Member States will now advance the work on a set of a possible risk alleviating measures (‘toolbox’) to mitigate the cybersecurity risks identified at national and EU levels, together with the Commission and the European Agency for Cybersecurity. The toolbox is expected to be ready by 31 December 2019. With worldwide 5G revenues estimated at €225 billion in 2025, 5G is a key asset for Europe to compete in the global market and cybersecurity is crucial for ensuring the technological sovereignty of the EU. A press release is available here.
More information
- Updated Q&A
- Risk assessment
- Commission’s Recommendation for a common EU approach to the security of 5G networks
- European Agency for Cybersecurity