The strategic European initiative QCIMED – Mediterranean Quantum Connectivity was presented in Trieste, with the objective of developing an advanced quantum communication infrastructure linking Italy, Austria and the Mediterranean area.
The project is coordinated by the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) and involves a strategic role for the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, the National Metrology Institute of Italy (INRiM), the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT). Co-financed by the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme, the initiative was formally launched on 1 January 2026, will run for 42 months and aims to contribute decisively to the future European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI).
Within this framework, INRiM plays a central role in the development, integration and testing of quantum technologies, in line with its institutional mandate and its coordination of the Italian Quantum Backbone (IQB), the national backbone dedicated to secure quantum communications. INRiM’s contribution will focus in particular on the integration of the terrestrial and space segments of the network and on strengthening the south-eastern corridor of Italian and Mediterranean quantum connectivity.
At the southernmost node of the Italian Quantum Backbone in Matera, INRiM will collaborate with ASI to integrate the ASI Space Center into the national quantum infrastructure through the installation of an Optical Ground Station (OGS), which will act as an interface between terrestrial Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems and satellite-based quantum communications. This space–ground integration will represent a strategic step towards extending secure communications beyond the physical limits of fibre-optic networks, enhancing coverage, resilience and interoperability.
In parallel, INRiM will be involved in the establishment of a quantum-ready link between Matera and Otranto, designed to support and enhance the south-east Optical Ground Stations connection and to increase the overall resilience and redundancy of the national QKD infrastructure. This activity will be complemented by the development and testing of a quantum-secure subsea connection between Italy and Greece, aimed at assessing the feasibility of deploying a high-performance alternative fibre-optic link capable of strengthening the south-eastern communication corridor and reinforcing interoperability between terrestrial networks and space-based links.
Through these activities, INRiM will bring advanced expertise in quantum metrology, long-distance technology validation and performance characterisation, ensuring measurement traceability, reliability and system robustness. Participation in QCIMED further consolidates INRiM’s position within the European landscape of secure quantum communications and strengthens Italy’s contribution to building an integrated quantum infrastructure across the Mediterranean basin, a key element for the protection of critical infrastructures and for European technological sovereignty in the field of quantum cybersecurity.