MPs in Romania have endorsed the 5G Law
The Romanian MPs have adopted a law under which telecommunication operators must use only 5G technologies authorized by the government
Eugen Coroianu, 20.05.2021, 14:00
The Chamber of Deputies with the
Romanian Parliament on Wednesday passed with a majority vote a draft law on
measures concerning information infrastructures, communication of national
interest and the conditions required by the implementation of the 5G networks.
The law refers to the authorization of
technology, equipment and software producers with a view to preventing, combating
and eliminating risks, threats and vulnerabilities in terms of national
security and defence.
Under the law, the use of these
technologies by the providers of networks and electronic communication services
is conditional on their obtaining an authorization granted through a Prime
Minister’s decision, under a notice from the country’s Higher Defence Council
CSAT.
The use of technologies, equipment
and software programmes in unauthorized 5G networks is punishable by fines
ranging from 1% to 5% of the culprit’s turnover. The draft law stipulates that
the CSAT notice must take into account the obligations Romania assumed towards
the European Union and its strategic partners. Under the same law, the old gear
and software of an unauthorized producer can be used only for five more years.
According to USR-PLUS MP, Radu
Miruţă, in spite of all the pressure exerted, Romania has chosen the right way;
namely to protect the citizens’ data as well as the state’s safety and
security. In turn, Liberal Pavel Popescu
has described the document as a historic law for Romania. According to the Social-Democrats,
the draft law corresponds to the 5G Memorandum the governments of Romania and
the USA signed in 2019. The document goes beyond the communication issue because
the idea of national security is also involved, MP Sorin Grindeanu has said. The
AUR MPs abstained from voting though.
The project has been initiated by
the government and has been endorsed in its initial form after which it is going
to be submitted to the decision-making Senate.
According to experts quoted by
Agerpres News Agency, state revenues from the entire 5G spectrum in Romania might
exceed 720 million Euros. The 5G technology offers higher speeds than the 4G
and a higher data transfer capability without fluctuations.
The law comes after the world’s
biggest producer Huawei has been contested by the USA, which invokes the risk
of espionage for the Chinese government. Huawei rejected the allegations
though.
Back in 2019, Washington included
the Chinese giant on a black list together with other Chinese enterprises forcing
companies in the USA to find other providers for their telecommunication
equipment.
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