On June 15, 2021, the European Commission adopted the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2021-2022, including calls under Cluster 4 (Digital, Industry and Space) covering quantum computing and quantum communication research. Draft eligibility rules for quantum-related calls restricted participation to legal entities established in EU member states and the three European Economic Area (EEA) countries: Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. The text stated that participation was “limited to legal entities established in member states, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein” in order to “safeguard the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, or security,” according to reporting by Science|Business.
Researchers from the United Kingdom, Israel, and initially Switzerland faced exclusion from these quantum calls, a move that drew criticism from the scientific community. Switzerland was subsequently written back into quantum eligibility in an updated draft, but the UK and Israel remained excluded from quantum and space topics. EEA countries including Liechtenstein retained access to quantum computing calls throughout the process.
Liechtenstein itself does not maintain a national quantum research program or quantum-specific funding. However, its EEA membership provided a legal pathway for any Liechtenstein-based entities to participate in EU quantum research projects under the adopted work programme. A separate European Commission document dated February 2026 noted that Liechtenstein does not intend to associate to Horizon Europe, meaning its actual participation in these calls remained limited to the EEA framework rather than full program association.