by Maximiliano Crocamo
Interview: Professor Cataliotti, coordinator of the initiative, professor at the University of Florence and associate member of the National Research Council (CNR)
The Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) and the Regione autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia presented on Wednesday, 11 February, Mediterranean Quantum Connectivity (QCIMED) at the Region’s headquarters in Trieste. The initiative, funded by the European Union, aims to develop advanced quantum communication infrastructure connecting Italy, Austria, and the wider Mediterranean region.
QCIMED is financed under the European Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme and seeks to integrate quantum key distribution (QKD) technologies with existing long-distance fiber networks in order to enhance secure cross-border data transmission.
The project is coordinated by CNR, with Professor Francesco Saverio Cataliotti of the Università di Firenze overseeing its technical direction. Partners include the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), the Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRiM), and the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT).
Regional authorities are responsible for the terrestrial transfrontier segment of the initiative. A key component of QCIMED is the construction of a 26-kilometer quantum key distribution link between the Pontebba logistics hub in Friuli Venezia Giulia and Villach, Austria. The connection will rely on a combination of existing regional public fiber infrastructure and newly deployed network segments.
QCIMED is designed to contribute to the broader European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI), a strategic European Union initiative aimed at protecting critical communication networks from emerging cyber threats.
The next phase will involve technical integration and testing, carried out under CEF supervision through 2026 and 2027.
