UK Quantum Regulators' Forum
Building oversight into new technologies
I’m pleased to see that the UK Quantum Regulators’ Forum has just published its terms of reference. The establishment of the forum on 28 April 2025 marked a timely and strategic move by the British government to position itself at the forefront of governance in quantum technologies. Announced by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the forum brings together regulators from various sectors, including finance, communications, defence, and transport, to anticipate how quantum technologies may impact existing regulatory frameworks. The forum intends not simply to future-proof policy, but to ensure that the UK builds trust and resilience in quantum applications before they go mainstream. It’s good to see that the UK aims to avoid the fragmented or reactive regulation that is currently hampering AI deployment and has hindered biotech developments in the past.
This initiative comes at an important moment. We’re seeing quantum technologies moving from labs to real-world trials. But these breakthroughs are also raising difficult questions about dual-use risks, standards, cross-border compliance, and export controls. For example, a quantum navigation system for aircraft may bypass GPS vulnerabilities but would also raise aviation safety and interoperability concerns. The new forum creates space for regulatory foresight and sharing of knowledge, allowing bodies such as Ofcom, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to learn from each other and identify potential regulatory gaps or overlaps.
Other countries and regions are watching closely. The European Union, through its Quantum Flagship and EuroQCI initiatives, has taken a more fragmented but steadily evolving approach. Regulatory alignment in Europe is still largely delegated to individual member states. However, the European Commission has begun coordinating efforts on cybersecurity, standards (via CEN-CENELEC), and quantum communication infrastructure. In Germany, the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) and the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) are increasingly involved in assessing the regulatory implications of quantum technologies, particularly in cryptography and telecoms. Meanwhile, France has tasked its innovation regulator, ARCEP, to assess how quantum could affect future spectrum use and infrastructure planning.
What makes the UK forum, in my opinion, notable is not just its ambition, but its potential to serve as a model for other countries. The UK is establishing a governance sandbox tailored to quantum technologies. It reflects an understanding that regulation is not merely a constraint but can also serve as a basis for innovation. As quantum moves from prototypes to platforms, trust will become a key differentiator. By embedding regulatory thinking into the development cycle early on, the UK aims to enable substantial technological progress whilst minimising risk and establishing trust.