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DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-03

Support standardisation for the EuroQCI (CSA) -

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Call text (as on F&T portal)

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Expected Outcome:

Expected Outcome and Deliverables

  • Sets of standards for QKD components and systems.

  • Interoperable systems and applications for the operation of an entire network and multiple networks.

  • Specific requirements, benchmarking tests and metrics on performance and monitoring of subsystems that are specifically required for QKD purposes.

  • Formalized assessments for the acceptance of QKD protocols.

  • Contribution to a technologically autonomous European quantum communication ecosystem.

Objective:

Objective

To implement appropriate necessary standardisation activities to efficiently support an operational EuroQCI infrastructure with dedicated QKD and quantum cryptography services. While the available QKD products have now been made available by industry for a market of early adopters and innovators, there is the need to intensify standardization efforts at all levels, from QKD components, systems and applications to network capabilities and components for future quantum networks, to enable integration of quantum devices into wider complex systems, to build a solid industrial base and anticipate foreseeable work on components for future quantum networks and future certification.

Scope:

Scope

Proposals may include the following activities:

  • Overview of current QKD standardization activities

  • Standardization of QKD components such as, among others, single-photon sources, entanglement-based sources, QKD transmitters/receivers and detectors, ultra-low loss optical fibres. Activities on requirements on the performance of the system, definition of benchmarking tests, the definition of metrics, calibration at operational environment and monitoring of the correct behaviour over the entirely lifetime of the system are encouraged.

  • Standardization of multiplexing of quantum signals with third-party classical and noise compensation technology.

  • Standardization of software-hardware interfaces, as well as harmonization of interoperable key management system APIs.

  • Standardization of systems and applications for the operation of an entire network and multiple networks, covering network capabilities such as routing, control and management capabilities, interoperability between different SDN systems, roaming for cross-border connections.

  • Standardization of hybridisation schemes for combined QKD/PQC.

  • Evaluation and certification of QKD protocols, via formalization of a rigorous assessment of different types of implementation constraints in the security proofs. Accelerating work on certification, by strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration between national authorities, accredited evaluation laboratories and other relevant initiatives.

News flashes

2026-10-08

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.

2026-10-08
The submission session is now available for: DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-01, DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-03, DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI-02
call topic details
Call status: Closed
Opening date: 2025-07-15 (1 year ago)
Closing date: 2025-10-16 (11 months ago)
Procedure: single-stage

Budget: 3,000,000
Expected grants: 1
News flashes

This call topic has been appended 2 times by the EC with news.

  • 2026-10-08
    call digital-iris2-2025-qci has closed o...
  • 2026-10-08
    the submission session is now available...
Call

DIGITAL-IRIS2-2025-QCI

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There are 2 other topics in this call:

Source information

Showing the latest information. Found 6 versions of this call topic in the F&T portal.

Information from

  • 2025-10-28_15-26-58
  • 2025-07-15_03-20-03
  • 2025-07-03_03-20-07
  • 2025-07-01_03-20-08
  • 2025-06-27_03-20-04
  • 2025-06-17_03-20-03

Check the differences between the versions.

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Grant agreement signed · 16 Jun 2026 (3 months ago)

All expected milestones for this call have passed.

Today

Work programme published

17 Jun 2025

Call published

17 Jun 2025

Call opens

15 Jul 2025

Call closes

16 Oct 2025

Outcome expected

16 Mar 2026 · est.

Grant agreement signed

16 Jun 2026 · est.

Preparation Open for submission Evaluation Grant preparation Not yet reached

  1. Work programme published

    17 Jun 2025 · 1 year ago

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  2. Call published

    17 Jun 2025 · 1 year ago

    This topic was first published in TopicTree.

  3. Call opens

    15 Jul 2025 · 1 year ago

    Submissions can be made from this date.

  4. Call closes

    16 Oct 2025 · 11 months ago

    Deadline to submit a proposal.

  5. Outcome expected Estimated

    16 Mar 2026 · 6 months ago

    The maximum time to inform applicants of the evaluation outcome is five months after the call closes.

  6. Grant agreement signed Estimated

    16 Jun 2026 · 3 months ago

    The maximum time to sign the grant agreement is three months after applicants are informed of the outcome.

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Project information comes from CORDIS (for Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe) and will be sourced from F&T Portal (for Digital Europe projects)

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