European Quantum Communication Infrastructure - The EuroQCI initiative - Works

The call aims to:

• Enable reliable and resilient transmission of sensitive communications and data between public authorities, research organisations and critical infrastructures in Member States, including outermost regions and OCTs;
• Boost Europe’s capabilities in developing quantum-based secure optical communication networks and its capacity to protect critical public infrastructures by securing their communications and data, especially those that cross national borders and serve more than one Member State;
• Promote quantum-based secure networks and the emergence of an ecosystem that would enable a large market uptake. This will ultimately support the growth of a pan-European quantum industry that would develop new, innovative systems and technologies critical for the EU’s digital strategic autonomy.

The key performance indicators will be:

• Number of cross-border quantum interconnections;
• Number of optical ground stations deployed.

The expected result is to increase in the number of national QCI networks connected by cross-border terrestrial or satellite links and capable of demonstrating the viability of the EuroQCI as a whole. KPIs will be submitted in Application Form Part C (see Section 5. Admissibility and documents).

CEF Digital actions to co-fund the terrestrial backbone network components will be complementary to those developed through the Digital Europe Programme and will be focused on supporting cross-border links between two or more national quantum communication networks in Member States, and/or linking the EuroQCI’s terrestrial and space segments.

The first services provided by EuroQCI will be based on QKD, which uses the properties of quantum physics to establish a secure encryption key at each end of a communications line in order to protect against vulnerabilities, namely eavesdropping. The first phase of the EuroQCI infrastructure deployment is focused on the deployment of terrestrial backbone components. It should aim for solutions providing end-to-end security.

The following priorities have been set to address the needs of EU’s national governments and critical infrastructures supporting services of general interest:

• The deployment of the first cross-border quantum terrestrial backbone networks for interconnecting neighbouring national quantum communication infrastructures across borders, including if necessary through the deployment of "trusted nodes" (i.e. secure access points to the network which make it possible to link distant sites securely). Addressing the coexistence of QKD with conventional communications technology is encouraged, together with interoperability at the orchestration level of the network. Solutions should rely on state-of-the-art interoperability methods and standards, and address scalability, upgradability and end-to-end security. Critical components for QKD should use EU technologies when such technologies are available. The use of non-EU technologies should be fully justified.
• Interconnection with the EuroQCI’s space segment, which will be implemented via the optical ground stations and related ground equipment, serving as an interface between the EuroQCI’s space components and its terrestrial segment.
• Where relevant, the provision of fibre links between the EuroQCI and a pan-European network of Security Operation Centres (SOCs).

The management of encryption keys (Key Management System) between all elements of the EuroQCI in an end-to-end manner should also be considered. This would include managing the keys efficiently and securely, ensuring their transmission to recipients, optimal routing and monitoring of system performance, and solutions for the control layer, i.e. software-defined network (SDN).

This topic will support the deployment of quantum communication infrastructure for connections between Member States, including OCTs:

• where the national segments of quantum communication infrastructure are already in place or where their deployment is already ongoing or operationally planned;

and

• where a cross-border link between at least two EU countries (including outermost regions and OCTs), or a space segment interconnection is foreseen.

While it is not permitted to use RRF funding as co-funding for activities funded under this CEF Digital call, Member States may complement EuroQCI actions funded under CEF Digital (and the Digital Europe Programme) with actions funded from the RRF, as long as no risk of double funding is present. Actions funded under the Union Secure Connectivity Programme will further complement these and will, in particular, cover activities to support the further deployment of the EuroQCI’s space and terrestrial infrastructure.

In case of co-funding from national funds, State aid rules apply (see section 10 of the Work Programme for details).

Proposals under this topic shall address works, with the possibility of including studies. Activities identified as studies are eligible for funding under this call only if included in the works action. This includes the preparatory work required prior to signing a contract with a supplier and application for required permits. These activities should be executed in separate work packages and can then benefit from the funding rate specific for studies part (see section 10).

Proposals should define the post-project ownership of the infrastructure and describe the mechanism to be used to provide services, as well as the operational relationship(s) between the different participants in the value chain for providing services.

Funding will only be open to consortia, which may include, for example, private entities (e.g. private operators) or public bodies (see section 6).

In order to provide applicants with the information needed to address the actions mentioned in the call scope, the specifications of optical ground stations compatible with the demonstrator satellite Eagle-1 will be made available at the following webpage: SES Techcom (ses-techcom.com). Similarly, the specifications of optical ground stations compatible with the EuroQCI first generation satellite (developed under the ESA SAGA programme) will be made available at the following webpage: https://connectivity.esa.int/projects/saga-satellite-advanced-global-architecture. Further detailed specifications for Eagle-1, subject to a non-disclosure agreement, will be made available to successful applicants during the grant agreement preparation process.

Please consult the call document for more information on the scope, including digital security requirements.