BRUSSELS, Oct 2 (Reuters) - The European Commission will assess the risks of four critical technologies, including semiconductors and artificial intelligence, being weaponised by countries not aligned with its values and will take measures next year to tackle the issue, an EU official said on Monday.
The move by the EU executive is part of the European Union's economic security strategy announced in June and echoes similar measures taken by the United States, Australia and other countries concerned about China's increasingly assertive role.
The other two critical technologies on the EU list are quantum technologies and biotechnologies such as vaccines and genome sequencing.
"The Commission will do risk assessments of these four technologies with member states. The deadline is by the end of the year. The next step is to mitigate the risks next year," the official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Possible measures could include export controls and partnering with like-minded allies.
Commission Vice President Vera Jourova and EU industry chief Thierry Breton will hold a press conference on the issue at 1330 GMT on Tuesday.
The European Union has in recent years sought to reduce its dependence on China and other countries for key products following supply chain disruptions triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine that set off an energy crisis in the bloc.
Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Richard Chang
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Antique_Elk9380 on October 3rd, 2023 at 16:32 UTC »
Competition is good, so I think it's a good thing, but I'd be interested to see if they could actually pull it off positively given the level of large scale coordination that would be required - something the EU doesn't have the best track record in.
It's a lot harder than doing something on the level of just ordering Apple to require standardised usbs at least.
donutloop on October 3rd, 2023 at 06:57 UTC »
Submission Statement:
The European Commission is set to evaluate the potential threats of weaponizing four critical technologies, namely semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and biotechnologies such as vaccines and genome sequencing. This initiative, as part of the EU's economic security strategy, mirrors similar actions undertaken by nations like the US and Australia in response to China's growing assertiveness. By year's end, risk assessments of these technologies will be conducted in collaboration with member states, aiming to implement mitigation strategies in the coming year. Potential measures include export controls and forging partnerships with aligned nations. This effort stems from the EU's ongoing attempt to minimize its reliance on countries like China for essential products, a decision influenced by recent supply chain disruptions and regional crises.