Written by Przemek Halub, Program Manager, Gaia-X
According to an announcement from the European Commissioniⁱ, the European Quantum Act proposal is expected in 2026ⁱⁱ. It is one of the key initiatives that will establish a strong European position in this field. Now is therefore the perfect time to consider where Gaia-X could fit into the broader area of quantum technologies. Before we move on to the regulatory landscape, let’s take a closer look at the practical aspects of quantum technologies and Gaia-X, and consider whether there are any regions where the two could converge.
Quantum technologies rely on subatomic behaviours, where particles exist in multiple states simultaneously (superposition) or remain linked across distances (entanglement). The development of quantum technologies allows us to define new areas where innovative solutions can be applied: quantum sensors, quantum teleportation, quantum communications, and quantum networks for “unhackable” data transfer.
At first glance, quantum computing and Gaia-X may seem unrelated, but on closer look, it is possible to identify some potential domains that could facilitate connections between the two.
The role of Gaia-X comes to the fore, as a Trust Framework to guarantee the authenticity and source of data.
Data plays a crucial role in quantum computing, particularly in the context of integration with classical computing systems. Quantum computers require an interface in the form of standard computers through which they can be supplied with data. This area certainly requires further research and clarification as to how such interactions should be organised and structured on many different levels. This seems to be the overarching element where the Gaia-X Trust Framework can be utilised and implemented. Likewise, we can point to the field of AI, where one of the primary areas of focus this year is the creation of AI participant ID within Gaia-X Trust Framework.
It is also well known, that quantum computing algorithms exist which are able to break several currently widely used data encryption schemes. Even if the exact point in time when this will be available in practice is still somewhat out in the future (best bets are around 7-10 years), all previously stored encrypted data will become decryptable by then. Here, the Gaia-X Trust Framework may be used to identify and attest data sets which are quantum secure, that is, which were encrypted using an algorithm which cannot be broken even by quantum computers.
Given its focus on trust, interoperability and innovative, data-driven solutions, could Gaia-X leverage quantum computing to optimise data processing, analytics and machine learning? While it certainly wouldn’t be possible to do so directly, Gaia-X’s Trust Framework could be applied in the background more widely in this area; one of Gaia-X’s goals is to enable secure and interoperable data processing, which should foster the development of AI and ML applications. Large learning models are built on data ecosystems, and quantum technologies could shape the future of LLM development by overcoming limitations in training efficiency, energy use, and reasoning capabilities. This could lead to significant performance improvements in various sectors, such as image recognition and natural language processing. In future, Gaia-X’s federated data spaces could also use quantum protocols to enhance privacy and efficiency. So, it seems there could be a sweet spot for incorporating quantum communication protocols into the Gaia-X Trust Framework, especially for fundamental entities such as the Gaia-X Registry or the Gaia-X Meta-Registry.
In the context of infrastructure integration or data storage, quantum computing resources such as processors or simulators could be offered as services within the Gaia-X ecosystem, in a manner similar to current cloud-based classical computing resources. Quantum Computing could be one of the Domain extensions of the Gaia-X framework.
These are preliminary considerations, and specific solutions require considerable work and the involvement of experts from various fields and industries.
Compliance and regulations.
In addition to the technical aspects, we should also start considering compliance, policies and rules in the quantum area within the context of the Gaia-X Framework and Gaia-X specifications, especially the Compliance Document. Quantum computing seems to become one of the key technologies in the coming years: the timeframe for this to occur, as stated by the experts, is projected to be beyond 2035.
While Europe does not yet have a binding ‘Quantum Act’, a clear, published quantum strategy is in place, along with an announced plan to make it legally binding through a future EU Quantum Actⁱⁱⁱ.
Several legislative initiatives and existing documents have a significant impact on quantum computing, particularly regarding security and infrastructure, and shape the regulatory landscape of quantum technology. The EU quantum strategy is a high-level document setting out EU priorities for quantum research, industrialisation, infrastructure, skills and security up to 2030. As previously mentioned, it will form the basis of upcoming legislation, including the Quantum Act, which is on the EU Commission’s agenda for 2026 and will see the strategy translated into a binding framework.
In addition to the acts that are not ‘only about quantum computing’ but establish binding rules that are highly relevant to quantum computing systems, their deployment and transition, some requirements have also been defined in the area of quantum technology and infrastructureⁱᵛ: A detailed review requires additional work and should be carried out as a separate task. In this text, we only indicate those regulations that relate to quantum technologies to a certain extent at this stage:
- EuroHPC Joint Undertaking Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2021/1173) – Legal basis for the EuroHPC JU; EuroHPC procures and operates European supercomputers and now integrates quantum computers as accelerators, often available through cloud‑like access to European users.
LINK: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/1173/oj
- IRIS² secure connectivity programme (Regulation (EU) 2023/588) – Creates the EU secure satellite connectivity system; policy documents describe it as complementary to EuroQCI (European Quantum Communication Infrastructure) and the forthcoming Quantum Act for quantum‑safe and QKD‑based communications.
LINK: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/588/oj
- Horizon Europe framework (Regulation (EU) 2021/695) – Binding framework for EU R&I funding; within it, the Quantum Technologies Flagship and related calls provide the core EU‑level legal basis for funding quantum computing, communication and sensing R&D.
LINK: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/695/oj
- EU Chips Act (Regulation (EU) 2023/1781) – Semiconductor industrial‑policy framework that the Commission explicitly links with quantum technologies as part of a broader tech‑sovereignty package (quantum hardware relies on advanced chip and fabrication ecosystems addressed by this Act). Quantum chips are mentioned in the document.
LINK: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1781/oj
The new months will certainly bring many new discoveries and achievements in the field of cutting-edge technologies. The world will undoubtedly accelerate towards new solutions in the areas of AI and quantum computing . In order to contribute to quantum computing, Gaia-X would need to demonstrate how its Trust Framework supports this area. Of course, there is no doubt that we are still in the early stages of development in quantum field, which means that there are still many question marks. Significant principal technical challenges have to be mastered before they can be fully utilised in production environments. As “quantum pioneers”, we are also constantly discovering new applications and possibilities for real-life implementation. However, given the potential here, it seems a good idea to start the discussion and brainstorming on that topic. We won’t provide the answers yet, but now is a good time to start asking questions about the role of entire IT ecosystems in the new, upcoming quantum era.
