EU to assess risks of critical technologies being weaponised -official

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.

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.

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.

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AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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