Germany’s government reportedly set out plans to increase scrutiny on Huawei and ZTE by restricting operators from using certain components from the Chinese vendors, three years after the country stopped short of implementing outright bans.

Local newspaper Zeit Online reported the country’s cybersecurity agency and interior ministry had been conducting tests for months to assess whether there were components in 5G networks that could compromise security, a review which had produced clear results.

Along with banning new components, the government could also order operators to rip and replace existing equipment, the newspaper reported.

Despite long-running pressure from the US, Germany opted not to follow other countries in ordering a ban on Huawei 5G equipment in 2020.

Instead, the country passed updated IT regulations into law which imposed stricter rules on vendors, requiring companies to guarantee their equipment could not be used for spying or terrorism.

Reuters added the German government’s position has now somewhat shifted, as it also is in the middle of a broader evaluation of its trade links to China.

Huawei and ZTE have always rejected claims their equipment is used for spying.

In response to a possible Germany ban, a Huawei representative told Reuters it had a “very good security record” during its 20 years of delivering technology to Germany and the rest of the world.