Analysis · European standardisation and quantum policy
The event, organised by Euractiv and sponsored by the European Patent Office, took place on June 24th, 2026.As the European Union defines its industrial ambitions for emerging technologies, an old question is acquiring new urgency: which standardisation model best equips Europe to lead, rather than follow, in fields such as quantum communications? Speaking at a recent Euractiv conference, ETSI’s Chief Policy Officer made the case that the choice of standardisation architecture is not merely based on technical considerations but a determinant of competitiveness.
The framing is strategically timed. 2027 marks the 40th anniversary of the Commission’s Green Paper, which helped establish ETSI. This milestone offers an opportunity to reflect on the role ETSI standards have played in deepening the integration of the EU Single Market, promoting competition and innovation, and supporting the global adoption of European technologies. Their success demonstrates that standards are not a constraint on competition, but an enabler of it. The timing is also relevant: Both quantum technologies, with the projected Quantum Act, and the evaluation of the European standardisation system’s capacity to support new and emerging technologies are two strategic priorities as set under the Competitiveness Compass and the One Europe, One Market Roadmap. ETSI argues that its four decades of standards work demonstrate that standards are an enabler of competition, not a constraint on it.
