1.
It seems there is a clear division of views into two camps in the western media regarding Huawei, and that is (a) American government attacks and rumours, and (b) what European officials publicly said. Notice most of the rumours are pro-American and anti-Huawei, such as the line in the above artilce ... "The European Union is considering proposals that would amount to a de facto ban on Huawei, senior officials say," ... who exactly are these senior officials? That anonymous source is fake news. Actual senior European officials have made actual quotes and opinions in the press they do not support the American position. 2.
This call for European wide testing is very surprising from one angle, but entirely predictable from another angle. From the business angle, this sounds awful! More red tape! From the political and national security angle, this added layer of bureaucracy probably is inevitable. Since Hauwei is committed to working with their clients and partners in Europe, they will all work together on this.
3.
What these calls for Europe wide testing, is really what the Americans call the run-around to US demands. Since everyone will work with Hauwei to ensure Hauwei equipment along with other competing equipment all pass security tests, seems like a good way to ensure everything is kosher. If everything is kosher, and all of Europe agrees, then to decline the US demands regarding Hauwei is much easier to do, especially for smaller European countries if they decide to go with Hauwei anywhere in their network core or periphery.
In their testing, would they find and remove any backdoors reputedly to exist in other competing telecom equipment, was left unsaid ...