Closed

Coordinate deployment for the EuroQCI (CSA)

DIGITAL Coordination and Support Actions

Basic Information

Identifier
DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-02
Programme
European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI)
Programme Period
2021 - 2027
Status
Closed (31094503)
Opening Date
July 15, 2025
Deadline
October 16, 2025
Deadline Model
single-stage
Budget
€30,000,000
Min Grant Amount
Max Grant Amount
Expected Number of Grants
5
Keywords
DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-02DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCIData Security and PrivacyEcosystem buildingEmerging industriesInteroperabilityPhotonicsProject management and coordinationQuantum Technologies (e.g. computing and communication)Satellite systems and applicationsSystem architecture

Description

Expected Outcome:

Expected Outcome and Deliverables

  • An assessment of the deployments of EuroQCI networks and systems for the operational phase of EuroQCI.

  • Consolidated analysis of national and cross-border deployments, identifying the complementary activities (including technology developments) required to establish a complete EuroQCI system.

  • Recommendations for the next phases of the operational and security-compliant pan-European EuroQCI networks.

  • Contribution to a technologically autonomous European quantum communication ecosystem.

Objective:

Objective

To ensure a coherent EuroQCI initiative and support the Commission, ESA and the Member States by providing key support functions in coordination, industrialisation, dissemination and alignment, enabling national and cross-border EuroQCI networks to discuss progress, to identify and utilise synergies in their work, share best practices and information about EU components and their certifications, supporting QKD standardisation efforts, and coordinating overall progress towards a fully functional EuroQCI.

Scope:

Scope

  • Facilitate connections and dialogue between the national and cross-border EuroQCI projects: support discussions on user requirements and use cases, standardisation and return of experience from the deployment of advanced national quantum systems and networks including on EU QKD components and systems.

  • Provide support to the Commission, Member States, and other stakeholders in the deployment of EuroQCI.

  • Produce a consolidated overview of the deployment of EuroQCI in Member States and a catalogue of approaches and technologies implemented in national EuroQCI projects.

  • Coordinate inputs to support discussions and decisions on the further development of national and cross-border deployment plans and strategic efforts, with a view to achieving an overall EuroQCI system (space and terrestrial segments).

  • Coordinate activities for developing an EU QKD ecosystem and the industrialisation of QKD devices in the EU.

  • Organise outreach events and activities, prepare communication materials, promote the EuroQCI initiative, and ensure interactions with other relevant initiatives.

Eligibility & Conditions

Conditions

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout

described in section 5 of the call document.

Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.



2. Eligible Countries

described in section 6 of the call document.

3. Other Eligible Conditions

described in section 6 of the call document.

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion

described in section 7 of the call document.

5a. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes

described section 8 of the call document and the Online Manual.

5b. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds

described in section 9 of the call document.

5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement

described in section 4 of the call document.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants

described in section 10 of the call document.

Call document and annexes:

Call document

Application form templates

Call document is available here

Standard application form — call-specific application form is available in the Submission System. Please not that the template from Digital Europe Programme has been applied to the EU Secure Connectivity Programme.

Detailed budget table - available in the Submission System

Additional documents:

Support & Resources

For help related to this call, please contact us HERE

Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ – Submission of proposals.

IT Helpdesk – Contact the IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc.

Online Manual – Step-by-step online guide through the Portal processes from proposal preparation and evaluation to reporting on your ongoing project. Valid for all 2021-2027 programmes.

Latest Updates

Last Changed: October 17, 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
  • DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-02: 1
  • DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-03: 3

Evaluation results are expected to be communicated in December 2025.



Last Changed: July 15, 2025
The submission session is now available for: DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-01, DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-03, DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-02
Coordinate deployment for the EuroQCI (CSA) | Grantalist