Maturing of a European industrial ecosystem for security-certified terrestrial QKD technologies and systems

Topic updates

17 October 2025

Call DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI has closed on 16.10.2025.

17 proposals have been submitted.

The breakdown per topic is:

DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-01: 13

Evaluation results are expected to be communicated in December 2025.

Maturing of a European industrial ecosystem for security-certified terrestrial QKD technologies and systems

TOPIC ID: DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-01

Type of grant: Call for proposals

General information

Programme:

Call: European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI) (DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI)

Type of action: DIGITAL-SME Digital SME Support Actions

Type of MGA: DIGITAL Action Grant Budget-Based [DIGITAL-AG]

Status: Forthcoming

Deadline model: single-stage

Planned Opening Date: 15 July 2025

Deadline dates: 16 October 2025 17:00 (Brussels time)

Topic description

Expected Outcome:

Expected outcome and deliverables

• European quantum key distribution components and systems mature, compact, efficient, integrable, security certified, with relevant manufacturing readiness and ready for deployment in telecom networks.

• Contribution to a technologically autonomous European quantum communication ecosystem.

Objective:

Objective

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, ready for integration into telecom networks, and compliant with security requirements (e.g. protection profile). Contribute to the development of a European industrial quantum communication ecosystem, including a thriving SME sector.

Scope:

Scope

• Maturing of technological components and their integration into end-to-end systems and market-ready, high performance and ultra-efficient solutions, favouring Small Form Factor (SFF) and cost-effective designs with a relevant manufacturing readiness level. This may include:

  • the development and integration of hardware and software elements such as photonic integrated circuits for QKD transmitters, receivers, QRNGs and light-sources, non-standard fibres, processing algorithms on reprogrammable platforms, cost-effective and easily deployable single-photon detectors, and advanced technologies like memories, repeaters.

  • the development of complete QKD systems, covering the integration of software defined networking controllers and orchestrators to allow for dynamic routing functionalities, integrate different multi-vendor and multi-operator networks, possibly with key management systems in the application layer integrating PQC, implement real-time-adaptive key management, and implement network optimization and anomaly detection tools also based on artificial intelligence.

  • the integration of multiplexing and switching techniques for coexistence of QKD with conventional communications traffic and technology.

  • the development of a comprehensive multi-layered approach for securing trusted nodes (such as increased protection against side-channel and optical attacks, physical security, cybersecurity measures to protect control systems) and the incorporation, as possible, of protocols to eliminate classes of vulnerabilities.

• Preparing the compliance of European quantum key distribution components and systems with EuroQCI security requirements and their security certification. This requires close collaboration with Certification Bodies. Projects are expected to collaborate with the EuroQCI testing and evaluation infrastructure, both by providing QKD devices as test vehicles as well as by engaging in their testing and validation.

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