The EU and China have signed a key agreement in the global race to develop 5G networks, during EU-China High Level Economic and Trade Dialogue on Monday, September 28 in Beijing, the EU website reports.
In the future, everybody and everything will use 5G, the next generation of communication networks. By 2020 there will be more than 30 times as much mobile Internet traffic as there was in 2010.
The joint declaration was signed by Günther Oettinger, European Commissioner in charge of the Digital Economy and Society, and Miao Wei, Chinese Minister of Industry and Information Technology.
Commissioner Günther Oettinger said: "5G will be the backbone of our digital economies and societies worldwide. This is why we strongly support and seek a global consensus and cooperation on 5G. With today's signature with China, the EU has now teamed up with the most important Asian partners in a global race to make 5G a reality by 2020. It's a crucial step in making 5G a success."
Both parties are committed to reciprocity and openness in terms of access to 5G networks research funding, market access as well as in membership of Chinese and EU 5G associations.
This joint declaration builds on similar agreements with South Korea and Japan signed with the Commission in recent months.
The European Commission is investing €700 million through the Horizon 2020 Programme to support research and innovation in 5G.
Through its Digital Single Market Strategy announced in May, the Commission is committed to improving spectrum coordination in the EU, particularly in view of future 5G needs.
