• Research
  • Politika
  • About
Carnegie Russia Eurasia center logoCarnegie lettermark logo
  • Donate
{
  "authors": [
    "François Godement",
    "Mathieu Duchâtel"
  ],
  "type": "other",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "asia",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "AP",
  "programs": [
    "Asia"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "East Asia",
    "China",
    "Western Europe"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Technology"
  ]
}

Source: Getty

Other

Europe and 5G: the Huawei Case Part 2

5G brings with it unprecedented possibilities of applications, including healthcare, education, autonomous vehicles, augmented reality, industrial production, public services. But it does come with risks.

Link Copied
By François Godement and Mathieu Duchâtel
Published on Jun 7, 2019

Source: Institut Montaigne

Is Huawei paying the price for its high profile? The case serves to create attention to Europe’s hard choices for 5G infrastructure. 5G brings with it unprecedented possibilities of applications, including healthcare, education, autonomous vehicles, augmented reality, industrial production, public services. But it does come with risks.

Donald Trump’s decision to forbid American companies from trading with Huawei is a game changer, with repercussions exceeding by far the US-China confrontation. European companies will inevitably be faced with hard choices, and the Chinese company’s long standing 5G offer suddenly poses a much more critical dilemma.

In its quest for the status of global leader in telecommunications network equipment, Huawei's strong presence in European 3G/4G has compensated for its absence in American networks. Indeed, Huawei is already at the heart of Europe’s telecommunications networks. But will it be able to maintain its offer without its American suppliers?

For the time being, France and several European countries have excluded a ban against Huawei and are opting instead for a regulatory approach aimed at securing sensitive data. Will such an approach be sufficient?

Institut Montaigne has decided to address the issues related to 5G deployment at a European level. The growing dilemma around Huawei sheds light on European weaknesses in digital networks.

Read Full Text

This policy paper was originally published by Institut Montaigne.

About the Authors

François Godement

Former Nonresident Senior Fellow, Asia Program

Godement, an expert on Chinese and East Asian strategic and international affairs, was a nonresident senior fellow in the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Mathieu Duchâtel

Mathieu Duchâtel is Director of the Asia Program at Institut Montaigne since January 2019.

Authors

François Godement
Former Nonresident Senior Fellow, Asia Program
François Godement
Mathieu Duchâtel

Mathieu Duchâtel is Director of the Asia Program at Institut Montaigne since January 2019.

TechnologyEast AsiaChinaWestern Europe

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    Russia and the West Want Different Things From Telegram’s Durov

    While France and Australia are seeking to establish the legal obligations of messaging apps like Telegram, Russia wants total subordination.

      Maria Kolomychenko

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    As It Turns 25, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Reflects the New World Order

    With the growth in points of friction between the great powers, organizations like the SCO will continue to play a role in the strategic adaptation of the smaller powers caught between them.

      Temur Umarov

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    How the Kremlin Turned Tech Whiz-Kid VK Into a Loss-Making State Corporation

    The war in Ukraine and a change in ownership led VK to neglect its commercial ventures in favor of implementing the Kremlin’s online agenda. Now it’s been sanctioned by the EU.

      Maria Kolomychenko

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    Russia Is Not Even a Contender in the Global AI Race

    When political power is concentrated in the hands of a small circle of people, a country invariably ends up with technological stagnation.

      Aleksei Kiselev

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    Kremlin Struggles to Solve a VPN Problem of Its Own Making

    With its scattershot approach to enforcing internet censorship, the Russian regime risks losing a battle against the many Russians who have learned to evade online restrictions.

      Maria Kolomychenko

Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center
Carnegie Russia Eurasia logo, white
  • Research
  • Politika
  • About
  • Experts
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • For Media
Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.