Inauguration of the Link between
JRC and EuroQCI through the Italian Quantum Backbone
June 10th 2025
The economic and strategic value of quantum technologies has been recently recognized at European and Worldwide level through a series of actions and initiatives, supported by considerable public and private investments. The United Nations has declared 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology.
Through its Directorate E – Societal Resilience and Security, in its Ispra Site, the JRC conducts research and provides policy support in the fields of quantum communications, Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) timing metrology, and complementary positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) technologies.
In the context of providing policy support to Galileo and EGNOS, to the European Quantum Communications Infrastructure (EuroQCI) and the European Union Secure Connectivity (IRIS2) Programmes, the JRC is establishing a cluster of laboratories and testing facilities to advance knowledge in the fields of precise timing and synchronization, quantum key distribution, and to explore the intersections between them.On June 10th 2025, JRC Ispra is inaugurating its connection to EuroQCI via its Italian Quantum Backbone, through a new fibre link distributing precise UTC time and quantum signals from National Metrology Institute (INRIM).
This connection holds both a great institutional as well as scientific value: it represents the first official link between a European Commission site with EuroQCI and allows at the same time to explore and test innovative scientific concepts in precise time and quantum protocols. Moreover, the UTC signal will be distributed within the JRC campus, making it available to all the lab facilities requiring precise timing. Finally the connection to the Italian Quantum Backbone will enable new experimental activities on quantum communication between JRC and other EU stakeholders in the field. The connection has been possible thanks to the collaboration of JRC Dir R and the investment of EUR 600k financed by JRC’s institutional budget over the next 5 years, demonstrating the strategic value for JRC’ research.