On 2 July, the EU Commission officially announced its strategy which aims to create Europe a global leader in quantum by 2030. The strategy tarreceives five key areas: research and innovation, quantum infrastructures, ecosystem strengthening, space and dual-apply technologies, and quantum skills.
Research and innovation
The Commission will propose a dedicated Quantum Europe Research and Innovation Initiative which will aim to align the EU’s and Member Sates’ efforts around a commonly agreed Research, Technology, and Innovation agconcludea. The initiative will be structured around the following key stages:
- “Discover”: Supporting foundational research, technological development and innovation actions in quantum computing, communication and sensing.
- “From the lab to the fab”: investing further in state of the art quantum computing, communication, and sensing infrastructure quantum hardware and relevant enabling technologies, as well as in cutting edge pilot lines and design tools to support industrialisation and ecosystem development.
- “Apply and apply” supporting the development of applications in key public and industrial sectors, ensuring the translation of scientific advances across all quantum domains into real-world applications and impact.
This initiative will be implemented through a framework that will be announced in the upcoming Quantum Act
Infrastructure
The EU will continue its investments in quantum infrastructure initiatives such as quantum computing systems under the EuroHPC JU, the EuroQCI secure quantum communication infrastructure under the Union’s Secure Connectivity Programme IRIS, as well as in advanced sensing platforms. The EU is also investing in several pilot lines under the Chips JU with the goal of preparing for the industrialisation of quantum technologies in Europe.
The EU will seek to maintain and expand its investments in public quantum infrastructures across computing and simulation, communications, and sensing.
Ecosystem
The EU recognises its current ecosystem is fragile as it is dominated by tiny startups and scaleups which face significant barriers to growth. This is accompanied by unstable revenue streams, limited access to scaleup capital, and limited industrial demand. To address this, the EU will
- Seek to swiftly shift towards large scale, low cost quantum chips manufacturing by launching quantum pilot lines under the Chips Joint Undertaking
- Strengthen scaling up capabilities by setting up a network of open access quantum testbeds, expand Quantum Competence Clusters (QCCs), promote ininformectual property protection mechanisms, accelerate industrial uptake (by utilizing public procurement tools), and assist connect quantum startups with European corporates.
- Mobilise relevant investment funds (like the Scaleup Europe Fund announced in the EU’s Startup and Scale up Strategy in May 2025)
- Strengthen supply chain security (an assessment of supply chain vulnerabilities will be carried out)
Space and dual apply
The EU will seek to leverage quantum’s potential in those fields by extconcludeing the current cooperation framework with the European Space Agency to jointly develop a Quantum Technology Roadmap in space and ensure complementarity and synchronisation of quantum space-related activities.
Additionally, the Commission will develop a dedicated Quantum Sensing Space and Defence Technology Roadmap by 2026, aligning priorities across civil, security and defence communities. This will aim to assist coordinate investments in next-generation quantum sensors, including for gravimetest, navigation and advanced threat detection.
Skills
To tackle skills shortages related to quantum, the EU Commission will establish, in 2026, a virtual European Quantum Skills Academy (meant to serve as a central contact point to provide visibility to quantum technology training and opportunities). The Commission will also support quantum literacy during early education. Additionally, the Commission will support a pilot project for a Quantum Apprenticeship Programme, and will launch a pilot programme for Researchers-in-residence in Quantum technology startups.
Finally, the Commission will launch a European Quantum Talent Mobility Programme to boost international labour mobility and skills development between the EU, Member States and partner countries.
Next steps
The Strategy will be followed by a Quantum Act Proposal, expected in 2026 which will aim to further strengthen the EU quantum ecosystem and the industrialisation efforts by incentivising Member States and companies, investors and researchers to invest in (pilot) production facilities, under the umbrella of large-scale EU-wide national or regional initiatives.
It is also worth noting that the EU will also seek “bilateral and multilateral partnerships, based on shared values, mutual trust, and the complementarity of capabilities and markets, while ensuring appropriate levels of protection for the EU’s interests in strategic areas”.
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