EU moves to protect sensitive tech from rivals

STRASBOURG: The EU unveiled Tuesday a list of sensitive technologies that should be kept out of the hands of rivals, as the bloc takes further measures to confront China’s aggressive trade policies.

Brussels is building a trade policy armoury to protect the bloc from actions by rival nations, after supply chain shocks rocked European economies during the Covid pandemic, and the energy crisis that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

It includes a tool approved by the European Parliament Tuesday that aims to punish nations that seek to put pressure on one of its member states.

The European Commission published a list of four of the most critical technologies it believes Europe must monitor more carefully since they have the potential to harm the bloc’s security in the wrong hands.

They are advanced semi-conductors used for many of the electrical goods people use daily; artificial intelligence including cloud computing; quantum technologies; and biotechnologies including genetic modification techniques.

The commission will carry out risk assessments with member states by the end of the year to determine what follow-up measures to take, which could include export controls.

“We need to continuously monitor our critical technologies, assess our risk exposure and — as and when necessary — take measures to preserve our strategic interests and our security,” EU internal market commissioner Thierry Breton said.

Europe is “putting an end to the era of naivety”, Breton added in a statement.

There was no direct mention of China or Russia, but the targets of the list are clear.

The United States has taken several measures in recent years to curb Beijing’s access to technology, including limiting the sale of advanced computer chips to China.

Although the European Union says it seeks to maintain dialogue with Beijing, Brussels has stepped up its efforts to curtail critical trade with China. It is part of a strategy of “de-risking” but not “decoupling” from China, pioneered by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.