The European Commission is considering measures to compel EU member states to phase out Huawei Technologies Co. and ZTE Corp. from their telecom networks.

Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen is pushing to turn the EU’s 2020 recommendation against using high-risk vendors into binding legislation, according to Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the matter.

While network infrastructure decisions currently lie with national governments, her proposal would require member states to comply with the bloc’s security rules.

The move reflects growing EU concerns over Chinese telecom suppliers amid deteriorating relations with Beijing.

Officials fear that allowing firms closely tied to China access to critical infrastructure could endanger national security.

Virkkunen is also exploring ways to restrict Chinese equipment in fixed-line networks as member states expand high-speed fiber connections.

Debate over Huawei and ZTE has resurfaced across Europe, with Germany and Finland considering tougher restrictions.

The UK and Sweden have already banned Chinese vendors, but countries like Spain and Greece continue to permit their use, a divide that EU security advocates warn could expose the bloc to greater risks.

The issue first came to prominence during US President Donald Trump’s first term, when Washington banned Huawei and lobbied European nations to do the same.

In response, the European Commission issued its “5G toolbox,” recommending that member states exclude high-risk vendors from both radio and core network infrastructure.