Copenhagen Municipality will replace nearly 800 surveillance cameras from Chinese companies Hikvision and Dahua with non-Chinese models by 2026, according to the city’s budget agreement. The decision comes amid cybersecurity concerns that the Chinese government could access data from the cameras.

The budget agreement allocates DKK 8.6 million annually for 2026 and 2027 to facilitate the replacement. The 795 cameras, manufactured by Hikvision and Dahua, are currently used to monitor various locations throughout the city, including municipal buildings, sports facilities, squares, plazas, and traffic hubs.

Cybersecurity experts have repeatedly warned about the risks associated with using Chinese surveillance equipment. These concerns stem from the companies’ partial ownership by the Chinese state and the potential for unauthorized data access.

Professor Ivan Bjerre Damgård, a cybersecurity expert at Aarhus University, previously expressed surprise at the length of time it has taken to address this issue. Reports have also surfaced indicating that Hikvision cameras have sent data from other countries, such as Italy, to Chinese IP addresses.