European Researchers Call for Fair, Open Access Model for Quantum Computing Resources
A paper commissioned under the EU Quantum Flagship project OpenSuperQPlus argues that current frameworks governing access to quantum computing time are too transactional and calls for a more open, solidarity-based model. The study draws on a survey of OpenSuperQPlus researchers, finding that those building the technology tend to frame access in contractualist and zero-sum terms. The authors contend that today's access decisions will shape who develops quantum applications in the future, with implications for European sovereignty, competitiveness, and open science.
Published on arXiv on June 11, 2026, the paper by Benedict Lane was commissioned as part of the EU Quantum Flagship initiative OpenSuperQPlus and situates itself within current European technology policy debates. The authors argue that decisions about who gets access to quantum computing time are not merely technical or administrative, but carry significant political and ethical weight. A survey of OpenSuperQPlus researchers revealed that practitioners predominantly hold contractualist and transactional views of access — framing it as a resource to be allocated through market-like or merit-based mechanisms. The paper identifies several values at stake: Europe's technological autonomy and sovereignty, future economic competitiveness, knowledge security, and the EU's foundational commitments to equity and openness. The authors conclude by challenging the zero-sum framing of quantum access and advocate for exploring an alternative regime grounded in openness and solidarity, though they stop short of prescribing a specific policy mechanism.
What's missing
The paper does not detail the methodology or sample size of the researcher survey, making it difficult to assess how representative the findings are of the broader European quantum computing community. The normative call for 'openness and solidarity' is not operationalized into concrete policy recommendations, leaving the practical implications underspecified.
What different sources said
- arXiv physicsCenter
Exploring fair access to quantum computing
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