On 12 May 2026, the Netherlands succeeded the United Kingdom in leading NATO's Transatlantic Quantum Community (TQC).
The formal handover took place during the TQC plenary meeting at the National Physical Laboratory in London, United Kingdom. The Netherlands will assume the Chair for one year, with Canada taking over from The Netherlands in the function of Vice Chair.
The TQC was established in 2024 as part of NATO's Quantum Strategy. It brings together quantum experts from national governments, industry, academia, funding bodies, and research institutions from 22 Allies and six partners. While informal and non-binding, the TQC has proven to be a unique and valuable platform for the expert community from across the Alliance to share expertise and harness quantum technologies for deterrence and defence.
In the upcoming year, the TQC's work will focus on three main areas:
- Addressing the newest developments in quantum technologies and their implications for defence and security;
- Accelerating the adoption and integration of quantum technologies;
- Further strengthening the TQC Industry Network established in 2023 under Denmark's leadership. The network has since grown to involve more than 240 stakeholders across 17 Allied nations and three partner countries. The network aims to strengthen collaboration, value chains, and pathways to application.
