On May 12, 2026, over 100 high-level representatives from French and German industry, policy, startup, and investment sectors gathered in Paris for a reception hosted by the German Ambassador to France, Stefan Steinlein, with the support of the French Embassy in Germany. According to organizers, the event reflected the growing importance of quantum technologies for Europe’s technological and industrial sovereignty.
On the sidelines of the reception, a coalition of eight research organizations and industry groups signed a Joint Declaration of Intent to strengthen bilateral cooperation on quantum technology development and commercialization. The signatories included CEA, Fraunhofer, CNRS, Inria, Le Lab Quantique, Quandela, QUTAC, and the European Champions Alliance. Five of the eight signatories are French institutions, while Fraunhofer and QUTAC represent Germany, and the European Champions Alliance operates at the continental level.
According to the declaration, the cooperation covers four areas: developing industrial use cases for quantum technologies, benchmarking and building scalable pathways for quantum adoption across Europe, facilitating dialogue among industry and policymakers with a focus on accelerating deployment, and promoting commercial success stories demonstrating real-world quantum use.
The declaration builds on the Franco-German agenda agreed at the Franco-German Council of Ministers in August 2025, where France and Germany committed to bringing together and scaling up quantum computing ecosystems across both countries and the EU. A prior Franco-German Quantum Dialogue took place in Paris and Massy in September 2025, jointly organized by several of the same institutions.
The agreement does not create a formal joint venture or funding mechanism. Organizers described it as a framework intended to accelerate collaboration between researchers, corporations, startups, and investors. The signatories also noted that additional organizations, whether European or otherwise, are invited to join the initiative. The European Commission is separately expected to release a legislative proposal for a European Quantum Act by mid-2026.