In-Depth Analysis – Future-proofing the Quantum Europe Strategy for 2040 – PE 774.696 – Committee on Legal Affairs – Committee on Budgets – Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection – Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs – Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Quantum technologies are developing rapidly. They have extensive uses in secure communications, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, defence and security, and space, and may bring about a change of paradigm in technological capabilities. Their economic and strategic value makes them a high priority for EU strategic autonomy. The new Quantum Europe Strategy intends to establish the EU as a global leader in quantum technologies by 2030. This paper explores the potential paths the EU can take to establish itself as a global leader in this field. To ensure that the strategy holds in a highly unpredictable world, we have conducted a foresight exercise to ‘wind-tunnel’ (stress-test) statements taken from the quantum strategy against the European Commission Joint Research Centre’s four reference foresight scenarios.