European Commission: Joint Research Centre, Mochan, A., Farinha, J., Bailey, G., Rodriguez, L. et al., Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.

This report documents the process and findings of a horizon scanning exercise, part of a series under the FUTURINNOV (FUTURe-oriented detection and assessment of emerging technologies and breakthrough INNOVation) project, a collaboration between the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the Joint Research Centre (JRC), aiming to bolster the EIC's strategic intelligence through foresight and anticipatory methodologies. The workshop, held on 24 April 2024, had as its primary goal the evaluation and prioritisation of trends and signals on emerging technologies and breakthrough innovation, across all technology readiness levels (TRLs) and within the EIC's Quantum technologies portfolio. Signals for the workshop were gathered from experts, literature review, and text/data mining of patents, publications, and EU-funded projects. These signals were then scrutinised for their significance to the field's future by a diverse group of sector experts which led to the identification of nine key topics: quantum sensing; quantum algorithms for lattice-based computational fluid dynamics models; materials for quantum; Artificial Intelligence for quantum; error correction; solid-state scalability; quantum for Artificial Intelligence; quantum as a service – metacloud; and quantum computers.

European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking and Publications Office of the European Union, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.

Supercomputers can answer some of our most complex scientific questions. This CORDIS Results Pack on supercomputing highlights 15 European projects supported by the unique European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU), which aims to put Europe at the forefront of the high-performance computing and quantum computing revolution. The investment made by the EuroHPC JU supports the objective of building a world-class supercomputing and quantum computing ecosystem in Europe, one that will accelerate research and industry, boost European competitiveness and innovation and improve the quality of life of European citizens.

European Commission: European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.

Over the past decade, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, and France have been at the forefront of quantum advancements. To accompany this development and sustain their leadership, several countries have launched dedicated national strategies to enable institutional and legislative coordination, as well as extraordinary means. One notable milestone in this trajectory is the enactment of the National Quantum Initiative (NQI) Act in 2018 in the United States. The strategic impetus provided by the NQI Act has spurred nations to invest significantly in quantum research and development, establishing quantum technology as a critical frontier in their technological landscape. In response to the NQI Act, the European Union launched the same year its Quantum Technology Flagship, aiming to propel the development and integration of quantum technologies into various sectors, such as communication, computing, and sensing. The coordinated efforts under these initiatives helped pave the way for a structured European ecosystem of quantum research and innovation. In parallel, from the first national strategy launched in the Netherlands in 2019, national strategies within EU members were progressively established.

European Commission: Joint Research Centre, Farinha, J., Vesnic Alujevic, L., Alvarenga, A. and Polvora, A., Publications Office of the European Union, 2023.

Growing volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity today present major challenges in policymaking. Anticipatory thinking and foresight are of utmost importance to help explore trends, risks and emerging issues, and their potential implications and opportunities in order to draw useful insights for strategic planning, policymaking and preparedness. This report is a part of the project ‘Anticipation and monitoring of emerging technologies and disruptive innovation’ (ANTICIPINNOV), a collaboration between the European Commission Joint Research Centre and the European Innovation Council (EIC). The findings include a set of 106 signals and trends on emerging technologies and disruptive innovations across several areas of application. It is based on a review of key reports on technology and innovation signals and trends produced by public and private bodies outside of the EU institutions. Its goal is to strengthen the EIC’s strategic intelligence capacity through the use and development of anticipatory approaches that will - among other goals – support prioritisation in innovation funding. Other insights were identified, namely those related to the scope of EIC programme manager portfolios.

European Commission: Joint Research Centre, López Cobo, M., Signorelli, S., Torrecillas Jódar, J. and Papazoglou, M., Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.

This technical report quantifies and analyses the parts of the EU’s long-term budget which have the potential to impact the Digital Decade targets and general objectives. In doing so, we first map five key funding instruments — Recovery and Resilience Facility, Cohesion Policy, Horizon Europe, Digital Europe Programme and Connecting Europe Facility-Digital — onto each Digital Decade target. Results of this exercise indicate that, out of the EUR 957 billion planned in total across these funding instruments, EUR 177 billion could potentially impact the domains related to the Digital Decade targets and EUR 27 billion for its general objectives. The digitalisation of businesses and of public services are the main cardinal points of focus, receiving 64% of the total mapped budget with potential to impact Digital Decade targets. The online provision of key public services and the basic digitalisation of small and medium enterprises are the two targets that receive the largest allocations. We also find that the allocation by Digital Decade target is homogeneous across countries with a few, interesting exceptions. From our findings, we conclude that the fund distribution seems balanced, with the exception of some targets that receive little specific attention, like edge nodes, electronic identification or quantum computing.

Stefano De Luca, S. and Reichert, J., European Parliamentary Research Service, 2024.

The emergence of quantum information science and technologies marks a pivotal moment in technological progress. As the strategic importance of quantum gains global recognition, efforts are intensifying to harness its potential while also addressing security and regulatory challenges. With China, the United States and the European Union investing heavily in quantum, the race for technological dominance is well under way.

European Commission and European Investment Bank, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.

Quantum technologies offer a vision of a healthier, more sustainable and resilient Europe. They will one day enable disruptive innovations that could transform our societies, economies and almost all industries by solving problems that have eluded even our most powerful computers. From chemicals and life sciences to finance and renewable energy, quantum technologies can speed up the development of groundbreaking new products and improve the ways we do things now. But despite a world-leading academic foundation in quantum technologies, European quantum companies consistently lag behind global peers. The European Union is home to 25% of all quantum companies worldwide, but accounts for less than 5% of global funding. Companies struggle to scale commercial operations due to a lack of knowledgeable investors or commercial partners. This study aims to answer the key questions about the future of quantum technologies: What can we expect from groundbreaking innovations? Why should we already begin to boost investment into the nascent European quantum industry? How can we speed up the development of the industry in Europe? We recommend a mix of policy and financing measures to accelerate the journey from academic knowledge to large-scale commercial success.

European Commission: Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology, The EU's quantum technologies flagships – Taking the lead in the quantum revolution – An overview of major achievements in 2018 – 2021 (Ramp-Up Phase), Publications Office of the European Union, 2022.

In autumn 2018, the European Commission launched the Quantum Technologies Flagship, a 10-year initiative with an expected budget of EUR 1 billion. The Flagship is a long-term collaborative initiative that represents a major milestone for quantum technologies in Europe. It is fundamental for European efforts to compete globally in a field of great strategic importance; the Flagship will enable Europe to stay ahead in the second quantum revolution and facilitate the transformation of its economy and society. The present report marks the conclusion of the Flagship’s ramp-up phase, and the review of these 21 projects in the fields of quantum communication, quantum computing, quantum simulation, quantum sensing and metrology, and basic quantum science, led by independent experts from academia and industry, that was carried out at this point in its lifetime.

Europol, Publications Office of the European Union, 2023.

Quantum computing and quantum technologies hold significant potential to improve a wide range of applications and tasks. At the same time, recent technological progress in this field, also referred to as the ‘Second Quantum Revolution’, is threatening to break the encryption we use to keep our most sensitive information safe. The purpose of this report is to provide a forward-looking assessment of the impact of quantum computing and quantum technologies from the law enforcement perspective. In offering an extensive look at the wide range of potential applications in this context, this report is the first of its kind. The report is the result of a collaborative effort of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), and the Europol Innovation Lab. It aims to inform decision-makers, policy-makers, and practitioners on the benefits and threats stemming from quantum computing and quantum technologies.

European Commission: Joint Research Centre, Lewis, A. and Travagnin, M., Publications Office of the European Union, 2022.

This document describes a vision for a European terrestrial fibre and satellite infrastructure for quantum communications. It will initially provide quantum-secured distribution of encryption keys to ensure communications confidentiality; other security-linked applications will be progressively added as they reach the necessary technological maturity level. In addition, it will seed the ground for a quantum network connecting quantum computers and quantum sensors, to enhance their performance for societal benefit. Use cases for this secure Quantum Communications Infrastructure are briefly described in telecommunications, data centres, critical infrastructure protection, secured synchronisation, defence, government communications, space-based systems, and distributed quantum computing. A roadmap for its deployment is presented and the challenges to be faced, including at the policy level, are reviewed.

European Commission: European Quantum Flagship, 2024.

The SRIA 2030 comprises two main parts. Part 1 focuses on the usual four pillars of QT: quantum computing, quantum simulation, quantum communication, and quantum sensing and metrology. Each chapter follows a similar structure, commencing with a discussion on the impact, societal challenges, and quantum opportunities associated with the technology. Subsequently, the document addresses the primary challenges, whether they are scientific, technological, or industrial. It then outlines actions to address these challenges, offering a clear strategy and roadmap. Each chapter concludes with specific objectives and recommendations. A dedicated chapter consolidates recommendations that are relevant across all pillars, as concepts, tools, and technologies developed in one pillar may have applications in others. For example, advancements in quantum communications can support the design of quantum sensor networks or distributed quantum computing protocols. Techniques for efficient quantum information processing may also find application in quantum repeaters for long-distance quantum communication.