nEUwsletter 09/02/2020

Tories against the inclusion of Huawei in the expansion of 5G in the United Kingdom

By Lise Faliu

Credits: Andy Wrong/AP

Since May 2019, the first operators of the mobile telephony market have been offering 5G as a new very high speed network to their customers. Vodafone launched it in July 2019 in seven of the country's largest cities: Glasgow, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Cardiff and London.

But what is 5G, this science-fiction network that is now part of our 2020 reality?

British operator Three explains that the‘5G is the fifth generation of the mobile network delivering a massive leap forward in both speed and quality. Its super-fast speeds, capacity and low lag mean more people will get more data, faster…It will turbo downloads so you’ll be able to get a 4K movie in seconds’ (Three.co.uk).

Remains the question of how will be the gradual transition from 4G to 5G in the United Kingdom. According to the blog SearchNetworking ‘Fourth-generation (4G) Long-Term Evolution (LTE) wireless technology provides the foundation for 5G. Unlike 4G, which requires large, high-power cell towers to radiate signals over longer distances, 5G wireless signals will be transmitted via large numbers of small cell stations located in places like light poles or building roofs’ (SearchNetworking). 5G is still relatively slowly implemented, so slow so that it is currently only available in selected locations in the major cities listed above. As example still according to the SearchNetworking blog, in London 5G is available on Oxford Street but not in the Camden district.

Manifestly, the arrival of such a revolutionary technology does not come without fear from politicians. And it is particularly 5G compatible devices proposed by the Chinese firm Huawei that are questioned. Indeed, the US are waging a diplomatic battle against the deployment of these devices that they consider being highly risky, and fear that by opening such a market to this manufacturer, this offers a way of monitoring the devices of the Western countries, which would undoubtedly harm the privacy of British citizens. Moreover ‘the US government has brought criminal charges against its CFO for evading sanctions and doing business with Iran, charged the company with intellectual property theft, helped Poland arrest a Huawei employee accused of spying for China, and tried to ban US companies from doing business with Huawei.’ (Wired.com).

However, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's cabinet announced on January 16, 2020 that ‘Huawei kit was necessary to ensure that the 5G mobile network was affordable. It is expected, however, to agree fresh restrictions on the company at a ministerial meeting next week.’ (The Guardian ) Conversely, MPs Owen Paterson, Damian Green, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, David Davis, Bob Seely and Tobias Ellwood wrote an attached letter published by the BBC on 8 February 2020 in which they opposed such a decision, hoping that the government notes that there are alternatives to the products offered by the Chinese multinational company: ”We are seeking to identify a means by which we ensure that only trusted vendors are allowed as primary contractors into our critical national infrastructure,” also adding: ”Trusted vendors would be companies from countries that have fair market competition, rule of law, respect human rights, data privacy and non-coercive government agencies.” (BBC)

Coronavirus in Europe

By Ruiling Zhang

Credits: iStock

Last December, coronavirus was first confirmed and reported in Wuhan, China, the city that had been blocked in mid-January. As of February 8, more than 37,000 people in China have been infected, and about 800 have died of it. Meanwhile, 37 cases have been confirmed in Europe with no deaths, including 14 in Germany and 11 in France.

On January 30, the WHO (World Health Organization) defined the new crown virus outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the move was not a vote of no confidence in China, but to prevent the virus from spreading to countries with weak health systems. Many EU countries have taken evacuation actions and partially restricted direct flights to China.

The European Commission announced that the European Union will allocate $ 11 million from the Horizon 2020 research and innovation program to study new coronaviruses. The funding is expected to support two to four research projects. The Commission states that it is using all means at its disposal in order to enable research work to start as soon as possible. Grants will be subject to rapid data-sharing clauses to ensure that authorities can apply research findings immediately in their response. This rapid action is made possible by a provision of Horizon 2020 for the "Mobilisation of research funds in case of public health emergencies". Jan 20th, Coronavirus expert, Lulfeck University professor Rolf Hilgenfeld brings two inhibitors to China to test their effect on new coronaviruses. According to the relevant information from the Chinese side, the EU Emergency Response Coordination Center is in contact with all EU member states to facilitate the sending of relevant protective materials that are urgently needed. 12 tons of protective materials were mobilized and shipped to China as a preliminary emergency response measure. The European Commission will continue to provide support to China.

However, in the context of global efforts to fight the virus, some bad things are also sprouting. While governments of various countries have issued policies to protect their nationals, some overseas Chinese have been discriminated against to varying degrees. People equate Chinese faces with viruses and tended to avoid or even beat them. With more and more confirmed cases, this situation is getting worse, and it should be valued and corrected by all circles.

May the world work together and win the fight against the virus as soon as possible, stay calm and best wishes.

Will Julian Assange be deported to the United States?

By Thomas Lezeau

Credits: Getty Images

Julian Assange, an Australian national, has been known since 2006 as the founder of Wikileaks. This internet site became notorious in 2010 for publishing classified information from the United States Army especially revealing combat footage in Iraq in which the US army mistakenly targeted unarmed Iraqi civilians. Ever since then Julian Assange has been a wanted man by the United States on various charges under the Espionage Act of 1917. Being a wanted man since November 2010 in Sweden on allegations of sexual assault, an international warrant was issued the same year.

Being in London at that time, he surrendered to the English police in December 2010. While on bail during his trial during which he challenged the extradition proceedings, he sought asylum in the Ecuador embassy in London in June 2012. He remained inside the embassy until April 2019 after a dispute with the Ecuadorian authorities and was thus handed over to the English police. Found guilty of breaching his bail, he was condemned to 50 weeks of imprisonment in May 2019 and was thus incarcerated in HM Prison Belmarsh. He is however still a wanted man in the United States where no less than 18 criminal charges relating to WikiLeaks await him. The hearing to determine if Assange is to be deported to the United States is scheduled to start on February 24 and to last one week, with three more weeks of hearings scheduled for May.

However, the threat of extradition of Assange to the United States has been met with opposition from defenders of human rights. For instance, the UN special rapporteur on torture called last year on Assange’s release and extradition to the United States to be blocked. The non-profit organization RSF (Reporters Without Borders) when along the same line, stating that Assange’s arrest “…sets a dangerous precedent for journalists…”

“…the U.S. government is chasing journalists all over the world, they claim they have extraterritorial reach. They have decided that all foreign journalists have no protection... this is not about Julian Assange. It's about press freedom" as it was stated Wikileaks editor Kristinn Hrafnsson, Assange’s arrest and hearing concerning his extradition have further implications than simply discussing his own future.

Europe Going Green: EU States Clash Over Use of Toxic Mercury in Light Bulbs

By Nomfundo Ndlwana

Credits: Intelligent CIO

The well flaunted European Green Deal has suffered its major challenge this week. A row erupted over the continued use of mercury in fluorescent lighting, splitting the EU member States (EU-27) into two factions. While some states sided with Germany’s industrial interests, others were for the environmental concerns of Sweden. Germany, Netherlands, Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic have petitioned the EU Commission for permission to continue to use mercury in light bulbs despite its potential damage to the environment and human health. The main purpose seems to be the protection of the major employers of workers in the energy sector in Germany and Hungary which are; General Electric, Phillips and Osman.

In 2011, exemptions were granted to the lightening industry from the general ban of mercury use enunciated under the EU Directive of the Restriction of Hazardous Substances. However, the critics state this exemption is no longer justifiable. The successful argument for granting the exemption then was two-pronged. Firstly, there was no readily available substitute for mercury in the manufacture of fluorescent lamps. Secondly, the mercury-free LED light bulbs were said to produce significantly poorer levels of lightning. However, Sweden, Finland and Bulgaria contend these arguments are now defunct because the technology has significantly taken progressive strides since then. Sweden, in a letter sent to the EU Commission, stresses that there are no legal grounds for renewing this exemption since there are economically viable substitutes available for most mercury-containing light sources. Hence, Brussels decision on this is considered a major test of its stated commitment to fighting climate change.

The enforceable instrument, the Minamata Convention signed by the EU in 2017, obligates the EU-27 to reduce the use of toxic material such as mercury. Thus, the contention of Sweden is valid since a continued use of mercury will be in breach of its legal obligations. Sweden additionally argues that renewing the exemptions for mercury will be contrary to the goal of climate neutrality and the ambitions on chemicals of the green deal recently launched by the Commission. In December last year, the EU Commission President, Ursula Von der Leyen, said the whole basis of the EU Green Deal is to target a climate-neutral continent by 2050. While laying out policies to revamp EU rules and regulations, Von der Leyen also announced that the old growth model of based on fossil fuels and pollution was outdated. Sweden also has already put plans in place for its country to phase mercy out by September 2021. Discussions amongst the EU-27, the Commission and stake-holders on mercury-bearing lamps will be continuing this coming week.