The EU will unveil the Quantum Act in November to boost competitiveness in quantum computing. It shifts focus from regulation to driving commercial scaling of the technology. The draft mandates EU governments to buy quantum tech from EU firms or strategic partners. It aims to fix Europe’s gap in turning research into market-ready products. The plan mirrors the EU’s Chips Act and Cloud and AI Development Act. Europe leads in quantum patents but attracts only a small share of global funding. The act proposes a Quantum Europe Framework Initiative to coordinate efforts. Executives say the race is still open if funding and collaboration improve. Quantum computing could break current encryption and revolutionize industries like drug discovery. The EU acknowledges overregulating AI and wants to avoid repeating that mistake.
What changed
Europe regulated AI before focusing on competitiveness in emerging tech.
What it unlocks
EU countries can coordinate funding and procurement to scale quantum computing commercially.
- 5% of global private quantum funding
- Quantum Europe Strategy published 2025
What you need to act on it
- EU-level coordination
- Government procurement mandates for EU-based quantum firms
Sources