The European Commission has begun issuing disposable phones and basic laptops to some of its staff members working in the United States, aiming to protect against potential espionage threats. This precautionary measure, typically applied during trips to China, Financial Times reports.
According to four sources familiar with the matter, European Commission members and officials who are set to attend the IMF and World Bank spring meetings next week have been instructed to use these devices. These measures are similar to those previously enforced for trips to Ukraine and China, where regular computer equipment is often deemed too risky due to concerns about espionage from Russian or Chinese entities.
“They are concerned that the US could infiltrate the Commission’s systems,” commented one official.
The shift in attitude toward the US as a potential security threat underscores the deterioration of relations since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January. Although the European Commission acknowledged that its security guidelines had recently been updated, it declined to provide further details.
The Commission clarified that the EU diplomatic service had played a role in the process, as is customary when such security recommendations are revised.
Employees traveling to the US have been advised to turn off their phones at the border and store them in special cases designed to safeguard against espionage if left unattended.
Additional risks are posed by US border authorities, who have the legal right to seize visitors’ phones and computers and examine their contents.
Brussels and Washington are currently involved in sensitive negotiations on various matters, each side potentially gathering intelligence on the other. From April 21 to 26, three European Commissioners are scheduled to travel to Washington for the IMF and World Bank meetings.
