The Portuguese government will adopt a law requiring telecommunication equipment suppliers to prove they are safe, thus creating the necessary instruments to implement potential bans on risky suppliers. The Minister of the Presidency, Mariana Vieira da Silva, told Expresso that all potential suppliers will be subject to certification and evaluation processes.
The minister said the government is working to apply the EU recommendations for mitigating security risks, through permanent risk assessment, certification of the technology used and the nature of the assets in which it will be incorporated. It will not a priori exclude any supplier, said Vieira da Silva.
Her comments follow recent threats from the US that Portugal could face repercussions if it does not take action against Chinese companies like Huawei. US ambassador to Portugal George Glass said earlier that Portugal “has to choose between its allies and the Chinese” in an interview with Expresso.
