Introduction
In an era of intensifying global competition over critical resources, quantum computing is a strategic frontier. Like energy or AI, quantum technologies are now recognized as a geopolitical asset, most recently highlighted at forums such as the G7 in Canada, where leading nations underscored their importance for economic growth, security, and digital transition.
The European Union is right to place quantum at the heart of its technological agenda, as highlighted in the Draghi report and the Commission’s recently published Quantum Technology Strategy. Quantum computing, in particular, holds the potential to radically transform industries by unlocking advances in materials science, drug discovery, energy, and secure communications. But it also presents new risks, including to cybersecurity and global technological dependencies. To secure its place in this rapidly evolving field, the EU must sharpen its focus, strengthen its comparative advantages, and invest strategically in targeted partnerships and ecosystems. The new EU strategy includes the right elements to enable this focus and leadership, and the Commission and Member States will now need to turn to effectively implementing it. Here, I provide more context, as well as recommendations, with a specific focus on quantum computing.
State of the Field
Quantum computing is no longer just a niche research topic, but a matter of international strategic competition. China, the United States, and Europe have each committed billions in public funding. Private sector players, including Google Quantum AI, are making significant progress. In 2019, our team demonstrated that quantum computers can outperform classical ones on a benchmark task. More recently, with our 105-qubit Willow chip, we reached a new milestone: executing a similar benchmark task in minutes that would take today’s best supercomputers longer than the age of the universe, and demonstrating “below threshold” quantum error correction, a decades-long problem for the field critical to real-world applications. These advances show that building a useful quantum computer is no longer a speculative ambition but a real, if enormously complex, engineering challenge. We believe the most transformative quantum applications will come once large-scale, error-corrected quantum computing systems exist, likely around 2030 or later. In the meantime, global players are positioning themselves for leadership not only in hardware, but in applications, software, standards, and talent.
Europe’s Strengths and What Must Come Next
Europe has long been a global leader in quantum research. Its universities and research institutions are among the best in the world. Public funding is robust, second only to China in announced funding scale. The EU also boasts a growing number of startups and quantum suppliers, and it is home to key industries where quantum computing could deliver early value, including in chemicals, pharma, automotive, and financial services.
These strengths must now translate into coordinated, long-term strategic advantage. As a complex and emerging field, quantum computing demands significant investment and a wide range of expertise – no single nation or organization can dominate every aspect of this technology or develop it alone.
Developing and building the first large-scale quantum computer will cost billions of euros. With several promising qubit technologies in the running, the total investment in hardware will likely be much higher. The industry also relies on a global supply chain for specialized components and extends beyond hardware to include crucial software and application development, where most long-term economic benefits are expected (as it has been for classical computing). Europe cannot lead in quantum computing by doing everything everywhere. Instead the EU should double down on areas of strength, and foster strategic partnerships to complement these strengths. Alongside continuing support for broader R&D in quantum, we suggest the following focus areas, which also align with wider geopolitical imperatives:
Focused R&D in areas of strength, such as quantum computing applications and quantum communication and networking (which will be relevant for scaling quantum computing)
Developing a quantum-ready workforce
Strengthening the quantum supply chain
Investing in applications, particularly for fault-tolerant systems
Workforce
The shortage of quantum-specific and digital skills is perhaps the most acute challenge facing the EU quantum ecosystem, and necessitates a coordinated, long-term approach involving enhanced education and multi-stakeholder collaboration to build a sustainable talent pipeline.[1] A comprehensive approach to address this should include:
- Expanding undergraduate and postgraduate programs in quantum technologies, especially in interdisciplinary fields beyond physics and computer science, and in fields that can complement supply chain and applications/software development, outlined below.
- Targeted efforts to include top talent from historically underrepresented communities in education and training.
- Supporting technician-level training for fabrication, cryogenics, and facility operations, which are critical for scaling quantum hardware, including the hardware supply chain.
- Broadening early engagement through programs targeting school-age students.
- Streamlining visas and attracting global talent, especially for areas where Europe faces critical shortages.
These programs must be aligned with industry needs to accelerate progress in the field, and assessed for impact. Institutions like the European Quantum Readiness Center can play a vital coordination role.
Supply Chain. Quantum supply chains are still in their infancy. Europe is strong in key areas like dilution refrigeration, laser systems, and cabling. But it relies heavily on imports for essential components such as helium-3, FPGAs, and cryocoolers. The goal should not be self-sufficiency that is neither feasible nor desirable— but strategic autonomy through resilient interdependencies. Recommendations include:
- Mapping and identifying chokepoints in the European and global quantum supply chain.
- Investing in upstream suppliers, including SMEs, to scale capacity and reduce costs.
- Establishing government-led testbed facilities for early validation and standardization of components.
- Coordinating with like-minded partners (e.g., US, UK, Japan, Australia) on critical technologies and export security.
The EU should also engage early in quantum benchmarking and standards-setting, especially as global competition in hardware architectures accelerates.
Investing in Applications
Much public focus is currently on near-term applications on Noisy Intermediate Scale Quantum (NISQ) devices. These are important for engagement and skill-building, but their commercial impact will be modest. The EU should complement this with sustained investment in developing applications for fault-tolerant quantum computers, where the true long-term value lies.
Collaborations between quantum developers and end users in industries like chemicals, pharmaceuticals, or energy are essential to identifying real-world problems classical computers cannot solve. Public funding for these collaborations can accelerate both research outcomes and private investment. The EU could also consider launching grand challenges or application prizes to spur innovation around societal benefit.
Policy Insights
The strategic nature of quantum computing also demands forward-looking policy approaches. Two areas require immediate attention:
- A rapid transition to robust, standardised PQC algorithms, in line with recommendations in A Coordinated Implementation Roadmap for the Transition to Post-Quantum Cryptography, published by the European Commission in June 2025, which recommends a timeline aligned with that put forward by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology: deprecate vulnerable cryptography by 2030, and disallow it by 2035. This urgency is heightened by recent findings from Google and other researchers, which show lower quantum computing resource requirements for Shor’s algorithm, which is capable of breaking RSA and other cryptography.
- Export controls – sensitive IP must be protected, but overly broad controls could slow Europe’s progress. Member states should focus narrowly on specific national security risks, adopt architecture-neutral rules, and coordinate with global allies to avoid disadvantaging EU firms.
Finally, we encourage policymakers to build an understanding of the basics of quantum computing, so they are equipped to make informed decisions, and to draw on expertise from industry and academia in doing so. For example, Google Quantum AI developed a white paper outlining the basics of quantum computing, and is supporting a course developed by Apolitical that aims to educate civil servants around the world about quantum computing. Building institutional understanding is key to avoiding hype, enabling smart regulation, and ensuring long-term strategic alignment within the Union and with international partners.
A European Quantum Future
Quantum computing is a rapidly evolving field with profound implications for technology and global power dynamics. Europe has world-class research, strong public investment, and industrial sectors poised to benefit. The opportunity now is to channel these strengths, turning world-class research and investment into leadership by focusing on talent, supply chains, key applications, and strategic partnerships.
To succeed, Europe must strategically align its efforts, invest where it is strongest, and build partnerships across Member States and with trusted like minded countries. In doing so, it can lead in shaping the global norms, platforms, and applications of quantum computing. Strategic autonomy is important, but should not mean isolation; it is the ability to choose interdependence on your own terms.
The next five years are critical: the new institutional cycle has just started in the EU, we are seeing increased investments from many other governments, and the quantum computing industry is at the cusp of a transition from R&D to early commercialization. With the right policies and partnerships, Europe can secure its place as a global quantum leader driving innovation, resilience, and prosperity for decades to come.
