July 2025 was defined by a wave of national and supranational quantum strategies. The European Commission adopted its Quantum Europe Strategy and immediately proposed folding quantum programs into the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking, creating the institutional backbone for an EU-wide quantum industrial policy. Italy formally adopted its own national quantum strategy, aligned with the EU framework. Iran declared a national quantum science and technology document, adding a new entrant to the growing list of countries with formal quantum plans. BRICS leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro named quantum technologies a 2025 priority in their joint declaration. And Japan launched the first quantum computer built entirely with domestic components, signaling a new phase of supply chain sovereignty in quantum hardware.
European Union: Quantum Europe Strategy and EuroHPC Quantum Pillar
What happened. On July 2, the European Commission adopted the Quantum Europe Strategy (COM(2025) 363), a five-pillar plan covering research and innovation, quantum infrastructure, ecosystem strengthening, space and defense applications, and workforce development. The strategy set a target for the EU to become the first continent to operate platforms with thousands of error-corrected qubits by 2035 and announced a legislative Quantum Act for Q2 2026. Two weeks later, the Commission proposed amending the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking regulation to include a dedicated quantum technologies pillar, consolidating Horizon Europe quantum research activities under a single coordinating body.
Why it matters. The two actions are a single package: the strategy sets the direction, and the EuroHPC amendment provides the institutional vehicle. By routing quantum R&D through the same entity that manages Europe’s supercomputing infrastructure, the Commission is making a structural bet that hybrid quantum-classical computing will be the primary delivery model for the next decade. The announced Quantum Act would, if adopted, be the first standalone quantum technology legislation from a major jurisdiction, moving beyond executive strategies into binding law. The timeline is tight: a Q2 2026 proposal still needs co-legislative agreement, meaning adoption before 2028 is optimistic. The strategy also acknowledged Europe’s weakness in attracting private capital (only 5% of global private quantum funding), but the plan’s remedies, mainly public procurement signals and EuroHPC access, have yet to be tested at scale.
What remains unclear. How much new money the strategy will mobilize beyond existing Horizon Europe and Digital Europe allocations. Whether the EuroHPC JU has the organizational capacity to manage quantum alongside supercomputing and AI gigafactories. What form the Quantum Act will take: a regulation, a directive, or something closer to the Chips Act model with conditional national co-investment.
Who should care. European quantum hardware and software companies seeking public procurement contracts. National quantum programs in EU member states that will need to align with the new framework. Non-EU quantum firms assessing European market access under potential new supply chain security rules.
Italy: National Strategy for Quantum Technologies Adopted
What happened. Italy’s Interministerial Committee for the Digital Transition formally adopted the Italian Strategy for Quantum Technologies in July 2025. The strategy was developed by a cross-ministry working group including the Ministry of University and Research, the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Enterprises, the Department for Digital Transformation, and the National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN). ACN Director General Bruno Frattasi described it as “the first step towards the implementation of a truly resilient and sovereign quantum ecosystem.”
Why it matters. Italy is now the latest EU member state to have its own quantum strategy, and it has explicitly aligned with the EU-level Quantum Europe Strategy published the same month. The involvement of the National Cybersecurity Agency and the Defence Ministry signals that Italy is treating quantum technologies as a national security matter, not only an R&D priority. The question is whether the strategy will be backed by dedicated national funding or rely primarily on EU instruments.
What remains unclear. The budget attached to the strategy. Whether Italy will establish new quantum research centers or consolidate existing efforts. How the strategy interacts with Italy’s existing allocation from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Who should care. Italian quantum startups and research institutions. Defense and cybersecurity contractors operating in the Italian market. EU-level quantum program managers coordinating with national strategies.
BRICS: Rio Declaration Names Quantum as 2025 STI Priority
What happened. The 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro on July 6 and 7 produced a joint declaration that named quantum technologies as a strategic cooperation priority for 2025, alongside artificial intelligence and industrial innovation. The accompanying 13th Meeting of BRICS Science and Education Ministers confirmed quantum as a top priority. Leaders also welcomed the BRICS Action Plan for Innovation 2025-2030 and new joint calls for research and innovation projects.
Why it matters. This is the first time BRICS has elevated quantum technologies to named-priority status in a leaders’ declaration. The signal is political rather than operational: the declaration does not commit specific funding or establish joint quantum infrastructure. But it creates a framework for bilateral and multilateral quantum cooperation among a group that includes China (a leading quantum power), India, and Russia (which coordinates its quantum program through Rosatom). For smaller BRICS members and new partners, the declaration creates a reference point for domestic quantum investment decisions. A BRICS quantum forum has since been formally added to the BRICS STI Calendar of Activities for 2026, hosted by Russia.
What remains unclear. Whether the declaration will produce concrete joint projects or remain at the level of ministerial dialogue. How quantum cooperation within BRICS will intersect with export control regimes that restrict technology transfer among some member states. Whether the 2026 BRICS quantum forum in Russia will attract participation from all member states given ongoing geopolitical constraints.
Who should care. Science and technology diplomats in BRICS member states and partner countries. Quantum companies exploring non-Western markets. Export control and technology transfer analysts.
Iran: National Quantum Science and Technology Document Declared
What happened. On July 19, President Masoud Pezeshkian declared the implementation of Iran’s “national document on quantum science and technology.” The document sets out objectives, assessment indicators, strategies, and monitoring mechanisms. A quantum science and technology headquarters will be established to coordinate relevant organizations and develop an implementation roadmap. The declaration followed a Quantum Strategic Council meeting in March 2025 at which Pezeshkian instructed authorities to prepare the document within two months.
Why it matters. Iran joins a growing list of countries that have formalized national quantum strategies in 2025. The speed of execution (from instruction in March to declaration in July) suggests high-level political backing. Iran has existing quantum research capacity, particularly in quantum optics and quantum information theory at its universities, but faces significant constraints on access to advanced hardware due to international sanctions. The establishment of a coordinating headquarters follows a model common in countries that centralize technology policy at the executive level.
What remains unclear. The funding level associated with the document. Whether Iran can develop or acquire quantum hardware under existing sanctions regimes. How the strategy’s goals relate to Iran’s broader technology self-sufficiency agenda and its BRICS membership.
Who should care. Export control and sanctions compliance officials. Regional technology policy analysts covering the Middle East and Central Asia. International organizations tracking the global distribution of quantum strategies.
Japan: First Fully Domestically Produced Quantum Computer Launched
What happened. On July 28, a superconducting quantum computer fully designed and built with domestic components and software went live at the University of Osaka’s Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Biology (QIQB). The project, involving RIKEN and companies including ULVAC, Fujitsu, QuEL, and QunaSys, replaced all previously imported components (including the dilution refrigerator) with Japanese-made alternatives. The system runs on the domestically developed OQTOPUS open-source software ecosystem.
Why it matters. Japan is the first country to publicly demonstrate a quantum computer in which every component, from chips and controllers to cryogenics and software, was produced domestically. This is a supply chain sovereignty statement: dilution refrigerators have been a chokepoint in quantum computing, with global supply concentrated among a handful of non-Japanese manufacturers. Japan’s ability to produce its own creates optionality in a market where export controls on quantum components are tightening. The achievement also positions Japan’s quantum hardware ecosystem as a potential supplier to allied nations seeking alternatives to US or European cryogenics providers.
What remains unclear. The qubit count and performance benchmarks of the system (not disclosed in the initial announcement). Whether Japan intends to offer domestic cryogenics commercially or limit production to national programs. How the OQTOPUS software stack compares in capability to established platforms like IBM Qiskit or Google Cirq.
Who should care. Quantum hardware supply chain managers. Cryogenics and quantum component manufacturers. Defense and national security planners concerned with quantum technology dependencies. Japan’s international quantum cooperation partners, including the US, Australia, and the EU.
Taiwan: Quantum Technology Included in Ten Major AI Infrastructure Projects
What happened. On July 23, Taiwan announced its “Ten Major AI Infrastructure Projects” initiative, designating quantum technology as one of three core strategic technologies alongside silicon photonics and AI robotics. The initiative projects more than NT$15 trillion (approximately US$510 billion) in economic value by 2040 and includes plans to establish a quantum technology industry chain, create 500,000 jobs, and mobilize over NT$100 billion in venture capital for AI innovation.
Why it matters. Taiwan’s framing is distinctive: rather than issuing a standalone quantum strategy, it has embedded quantum technology within a broader AI and advanced computing industrial plan. This reflects Taiwan’s calculation that its semiconductor manufacturing capabilities provide a natural entry point into quantum hardware production. The integration with AI infrastructure suggests Taiwan sees hybrid quantum-classical applications as the near-term value proposition. The scale of the overall initiative (US$510 billion projected economic value) is large, though the quantum-specific allocation has not been separately disclosed.
What remains unclear. How much of the initiative’s budget is allocated specifically to quantum technology versus AI and silicon photonics. Whether Taiwan will pursue indigenous quantum processor development or focus on quantum-adjacent components where its semiconductor expertise applies. How Taiwan’s quantum program will navigate technology transfer restrictions and geopolitical constraints on its international partnerships.
Who should care. Semiconductor companies with quantum hardware ambitions. Quantum startups seeking partnerships with Taiwan’s chip fabrication ecosystem. Governments and companies monitoring Taiwan’s role in global technology supply chains.
Also in July 2025
The ITU launched “Quantum for Good” as a new track at the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva (July 8-11), aiming to identify quantum use cases for climate action, healthcare, cybersecurity, and digital inclusion as part of the International Year of Quantum.
Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies and AIQ-Lab publicly advanced a proposal for a US$200 million joint US-Israel quantum fund, with each country contributing US$100 million between 2026 and 2030, and potential later expansion to Abraham Accords partners and Central Asian countries including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.
The Philippines held its first Quantum Information, Science, and Technology Conference (QISTCon.PH 2025) in Cebu, where a 2-qubit NMR desktop quantum computer from SpinQ was demonstrated, marking the first quantum computer shown in the country.
Iberdrola and the Basque Government signed a strategic alliance to apply quantum computing to the energy sector under the BasQ strategy, making Iberdrola the first company to join the BasQ ecosystem and granting it access to the IBM Quantum System Two scheduled for installation in San Sebastián.
Detailed analysis of each development in this briefing, including cross-jurisdictional comparisons, sector implications, and policy trajectory assessments, is available to Quantum Policy Radar subscribers.