A group of MEPs from the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), Renew Europe, and the European People's Party (PPE) have submitted a written parliamentary question to the European Commission, warning that the continued abuse of SIM cards by criminals and saboteurs poses a serious internal security risk to the EU. The MEPs—Assita Kanko (ECR), Malik Azmani (Renew), Aurelijus Veryga (ECR), Jeroen Lenaers (PPE), and Lena Düpont (PPE)—highlight that SIM cards are being used for drone navigation, smuggling balloon operations, disinformation campaigns, and scams, exploiting gaps in national registration rules.
The question, filed on 11 April 2026 under Rule 144, notes that while several Member States have tightened rules on SIM card acquisition, identity registration is still not required in some countries. Even where registration exists, criminals circumvent it by paying minors to buy and resell SIM cards. The MEPs stress that within the EU's open internal borders and fee-free roaming area, SIM cards obtained in one Member State can be used freely across the bloc, amplifying the security threat.
Concrete asks and policy direction
first, the Commission is asked to assess the internal security risks of the current patchwork of national rules; second, whether it intends to propose legislation or urge Member States to close the security gap by mandating identity registration for SIM card purchases; and third, whether the Commission agrees that more measures are needed to prevent abusive reselling of SIM cards, even where registration is required. The MEPs do not propose numerical targets or deadlines but seek a clear policy direction from the Commission.
Expected follow-up
The Commission is required to respond to the written question within approximately six weeks. Its answer will signal whether the executive views the issue as a priority and whether it plans to take legislative action or rely on Member State cooperation. The question reflects growing concern among lawmakers about the exploitation of digital infrastructure for criminal and hybrid threats, and the response could shape future EU rules on telecommunications security.
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