DIGITAL EUROPE – European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI) – 2025

Objectives

• To stimulate the maturing and the transition to security certified (common criteria) of compact and efficient European components and systems for quantum key distribution and quantum secure networks
• To ensure a coherent EuroQCI initiative and support the Commission, ESA, and Member States by providing key support functions in coordination, industrialisation, dissemination, and alignment, enabling national and cross-border EuroQCI networks to collaborate and progress towards a fully functional EuroQC
• To implement appropriate necessary standardisation activities to efficiently support an operational EuroQCI infrastructure

Priorities

• Priority 1: To develop and deploy a secure quantum communication infrastructure (EuroQCI) to protect EU classified information and critical infrastructures
• Priority 2: To foster a technologically autonomous European quantum communication ecosystem and industrial base
• Priority 3: To ensure coherence, coordination, and standardisation across national and cross-border EuroQCI deployments
• Priority 4: To strengthen competitiveness and deliver societal benefits
• Priority 5: To reinforce and secure the EU’s digital technology supply chain

Among financed actions

• Prototyping
• Pilots
• Testing
• Certification
• Mapping
• Coordination
• Industrialisation
• Outreach
• Standardisation
• Integration
• Interoperability
• R&D
• Evaluation

Eligibility

• Be a legal person
• Be a public or private entity
• Be established in one of the eligible countries:
  • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories)
• A consortium composed of RTOs and industry partners must be constituted

Additional information

• Initial duration of the action:
  • DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-01: 48 months
  • DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-02: 42 months
  • DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-03: 36 months
• Contact: CNECT-QCI@ec.europa.eu

Useful

• Guidelines: Click here
• Other call documents: Click here
• Executive Agency website: Click here
• More information: Click here

• Total budget of the call: 36 million euros
• Budget per topic:
  • DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-01: 30 million euros
  • DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-02: 3 million euros
  • DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-03: 3 million euros
• Amount of the grant:
  • DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-01: between 5 million and 10 million euros
  • DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-02: 3 million euros
  • DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-03: 3 million euros
• Funding rate: between 50% and 95% of the total eligible costs