The key facts

  • French MP François Calvet called for restricting BYD in public procurement and access to military facilities
  • According to him, Britain and Poland have already restricted Chinese cars' access to military facilities, and the US military banned BYD at the Kadena base in Japan
  • The proposals include designating BYD a high-risk supplier under EU cybersecurity legislation

Appeal to the Prime Minister and the European Commission

European lawmakers have called for restrictions on the Chinese automaker BYD over potential security risks — up to excluding the company from public procurement and limiting access of its vehicles to military facilities. According to Anadolu, French MP François Calvet said on Wednesday, November 5, that he had sent a letter to French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and, together with eight other parliamentarians, appealed to the European Commission.

The essence of the concerns

According to Calvet, cameras, GPS systems, microphones and laser sensors in connected Chinese cars could collect sensitive information near military bases and strategic infrastructure. He urged France and the EU to act before a confirmed espionage incident occurs, citing the need to protect strategic facilities from hybrid threats.

What has already been done elsewhere and what is being proposed

Calvet noted that Britain and Poland have already restricted Chinese cars' access to military facilities, and the US Department of Defense has banned BYD vehicles at its Kadena base in Japan; France, he said, has not yet taken similar measures. His proposals include designating BYD a high-risk supplier under the EU cybersecurity legislation, which is currently in negotiations, as well as restricting imports of the company's vehicles. For now, these remain only proposals from parliamentarians: the publication reports no decisions by the European Commission or the French government.