In February 2021, NATO Defence Ministers endorsed “Foster and Protect: NATO’s Coherent Implementation Strategy on Emerging and Disruptive Technologies.” The strategy covered the seven EDT areas identified in the 2019 roadmap, including quantum technologies, and provided guidance for NATO’s development of EDT policy in each area.
According to NATO, the strategy had a twofold focus: promoting the development and adoption of dual-use technologies that would strengthen the Alliance’s edge, and creating a forum for Allies to exchange best practices to protect against threats posed by EDT. The endorsement followed the first annual report of NATO’s Advisory Group on Emerging and Disruptive Technologies, a 12-member body of external experts from the private sector and academia established by the Secretary General in July 2020.
With quantum among the priority technology areas, the strategy set the stage for subsequent quantum-specific policy development at NATO, including the dedicated quantum strategy adopted two years later.