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Outlook Report on Quantum

BACCO F. Manlio, BAILEY Gwendolyn, Caterina Benincasa, BERGAMINI Michela, Laurent Beslay, Indaco Biazzo, Daniele Borio, BULGHERONI Antonio, Stefano Calzati, CAPATO Silvia, CAPPUCCI Fabrizio, Mathilde Chenu, Mario Chizzini, Dentener Frank, Thomas Diehl, Andrea Favalli, HERRERA ALCANTARA Antonio, IACUS Stefano, Γεώργιος Καρόπουλος, Kopecky Stefan, KOTSEV Alexander, LEWIS Adam, Nicola Morandi, NAGY Orsi, Igor Nai Fovino, Michela Nardo, Gillian O’Neill, Matteo Paonni, Antonio Puertas Gallardo, RICHARD Guillaume, RUIZ MORENO Ana, SCUDO Petra, STERI GARY, Giuseppe Tirone, Franck Wastin, Heinz Wilkening, Martino Travagnin

Published Jan 1, 2026• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Quantum technologies — encompassing sensing, communication and computing — will significantly impact most research fields and, consequently, society at large. This Outlook Report on Quantum by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) examines the impact of quantum technologies on 12 research themes, and explores how scientific institutions can prepare for the changes brought by quantum-enhanced research.As quantum technologies mature at different speeds, scientific organisations must embrace them in agile and anticipatory ways. Europe scientific competitiveness and autonomy increasingly depends on being able to adopt, evaluate and regulate quantum technologies. In this context, and considering the investment needed for quantum technologies, it is necessary to build frameworks to evaluate, validate, deploy and advise on their use. The JRC, as the in-house scientific service of the European Commission, is uniquely positioned to support this transition, drawing on its interdisciplinary expertise and deep engagement with EU policy domains, to support future European policymaking.

DOI
10.2760/3778089

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Quantum technologies — encompassing sensing, communication and computing — will significantly impact most research fields and, consequently, society at large. This Outlook Report on Quantum by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) examines the impact of quantum technologies on 12 research themes, and explores how scientific institutions can prepare for the changes brought by quantum-enhanced research.As quantum technologies mature at different speeds, scientific organisations must embrace them in agile and anticipatory ways. Europe scientific competitiveness and autonomy increasingly depends on being able to adopt, evaluate and regulate quantum technologies. In this context, and considering the investment needed for quantum technologies, it is necessary to build frameworks to evaluate, validate, deploy and advise on their use. The JRC, as the in-house scientific service of the European Commission, is uniquely positioned to support this transition, drawing on its interdisciplinary expertise and deep engagement with EU policy domains, to support future European policymaking.
Quantum technologies are increasingly recognized as a disruptive frontier that will shape the next generation of industrial strategies. Developments in quantum computing, communication, and sensing promise not only technical breakthroughs but also significant economic and geopolitical consequences. Quantum computing can accelerate drug discovery, materials research, and complex optimization, while quantum communication opens new possibilities for secure data transfer beyond the reach of classical encryption. According to European Commission Reports and National Quantum Initiative Act, leading economies are already investing heavily: the European Union has committed over €1 billion to its Quantum Flagship program, while the United States launched the National Quantum Initiative Act in 2018 to coordinate research and industrial applications. These initiatives underscore the strategic nature of the field. For industrial policy, they also raise important questions: How should governments design roadmaps that foster public–private collaboration? What forms of regulation or incentives are needed to align innovation with competitiveness and security? At the same time, quantum technologies could support sustainability goals, for example through energy-efficient algorithms and advanced climate modeling. Positioning quantum technologies not only as an enabler but as a driver of future industrial policy is essential. Unlike incremental innovations, quantum breakthroughs will actively shape the direction of national strategies, global competitiveness, and sustainability agendas. Recognizing this driver role ensures that policymakers and industries move beyond adaptation, taking a proactive stance in designing resilient and forward-looking industrial ecosystems.
Recently, the European Commission supported by many European countries has announced large investments towards the commercialization of quantum technology (QT) to address and mitigate some of the biggest challenges facing today's digital era - e.g. secure communication and computing power. For more than two decades the QT community has been working on the development of QTs, which promise landmark breakthroughs leading to commercialization in various areas. The ambitious goals of the QT community and expectations of EU authorities cannot be met solely by individual initiatives of single countries, and therefore, require a combined European effort of large and unprecedented dimensions comparable only to the Galileo or Copernicus programs. Strong international competition calls for a coordinated European effort towards the development of QT in and for space, including research and development of technology in the areas of communication and sensing. Here, we aim at summarizing the state of the art in the development of quantum technologies which have an impact in the field of space applications. Our goal is to outline a complete framework for the design, development, implementation, and exploitation of quantum technology in space.
This chapter explores the transformative effect of quantum technologies in the European Union (EU), emphasising their impact on digital sovereignty and drawing conclusions from the securitisation process. Moreover, the chapter offers a historical overview of quantum-related policy in the EU, distinguishing three phases: inception (2016–2018), consolidation (2019–2022), and strategic awakening (2023-present). The analysis discusses how the EU’s engagement with quantum technologies has been shaped by internal political dynamics and strategic needs, leading to increased public investment and initiatives aimed at harnessing and securing these technologies.
The Quantum Technologies Flagship, officially launched on 29 October 2018 in Vienna, is a EUR 1 billion initiative, supported by the European Commission and Member States, funding over 5,000 of Europe's leading Quantum Technologies researchers over the next ten years and aiming at placing Europe at the forefront of the second quantum revolution. Its long-term vision is to develop a quantum web, where quantum computers, simulators and sensors are interconnected via quantum communication networks. This will help kick-starting a competitive European quantum industry transforming research results into commercial applications and disruptive technologies. \nThe Joint Research Center (JRC) in cooperation with the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC), European Commission’s Directorate General Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT), and the German Institute of Standardisation (DIN), organised in Brussels on 28-29 March 2019 the Putting-Science-Into-Standards (PSIS) workshop on Quantum Technologies. The PSIS workshops is an initiative that brings together researchers, industry and standardisers with the purpose of facilitating the identification and screening of emerging science and technology areas that can be introduced early into the process of standardisation to enable innovation.\nThe experience with the innovation impact pathway of the Graphene Flagship that combined technology push and market pull by working with industry stakeholders was used to demonstrate the benefit of a strategic use of standardisation to increase technology readiness levels and reach the market.\nThe participants of the workshop identified aspects that would benefit from standardisation activities in three main areas: (i) Quantum Key Distribution and quantum-safe security, (ii) Quantum metrology, sensing and imaging, (iii) and Quantum computing and internet. Several existing standardisation activities focussing on quantum enabled security techniques, quantum computing and communication were also mapped. With the direct involvement of the participants, the workshop prepared the ground towards a roadmap of additional pressing technology fields where standardisation could add value to the deployment of Quantum Technologies in industrial applications, including security, sensing, imaging and measurement. \nAn active dialogue between the communities of researchers and standardisers as well as a continuous interchange with the Quantum Technologies Flagship would be beneficial for future interactions and cooperation. The Standards, Innovation and Research Platform (STAIR / CEN and CENELEC) methodology could constitute a straightforward approach to host interactions between the communities of researchers and standardisers.\nNext steps would be to start an interaction (e.g. a cooperation agreement) with the Quantum Flagship and in particular with the recently (April 2019) launched Coordination and Support Action of the Quantum Flagship. As concrete actions for standardisation, the workshop suggested to focus on the standardisation of a quantum technology terminology and on the development of an EU standardisation roadmap for Quantum Technologies. These could be addressed by a European Committee for Standardization workshop or by a focus group.
In the era of digital transformation quantum technologies represent a new challenge for the society, industries, governmental sector. The benefits and consequences of the adoption of quantum technologies have yet to be fully explored. In this context the role these technologies will play in urban context is essential to explore. The present study examines the European Union’s quantum initiatives and its vision of the possible applications of quantum solutions. This study applies these considerations to the European urban context and explores it through the prism of public values created by the smart cities and smart city dimensions. The findings of this research highlight the socio-technical implications and transformative potential of quantum technologies on European smart urban environments and offer strategic insights for urban planners, policymakers, and city managers to prepare for the opportunities presented by quantum technologies.