08/04/2019 (Agence Europe) – The European Commission has responded rather evasively to a parliamentary question put forward by Marietje Schaake (ALDE, the Netherlands) on Huawei. The latter was concerned about articles published in the US media reporting a request by the US government to "at least two Member States" to persuade their wireless and Internet providers to avoid Huawei's telecommunications equipment. In its reply published on 8 April, the Commission states that US officials informed it of “their assessment of this case”, without saying anything more. As to whether it uses Huawei equipment and whether it plans to launch a trade defence investigation, it replies that it chooses its equipment in accordance with European public procurement rules and that it is prepared to open an investigation in the event of a duly justified complaint from a European industry. Commission Vice-President Andrus Ansip has never concealed the use of a Chinese computer. (SPj)