Workshops Law & Policy Quantum Policy Briefing for Legislators

Law & Policy Half Day Briefing

Quantum Policy Briefing for Legislators, Regulators, and Policy Advisers

A non-technical briefing equipping legislators, regulatory officials, and policy advisers with the understanding needed to make informed quantum technology policy decisions.

Half day (3 hours)

In person or online

Max 30 delegates

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Briefing Description

Quantum technology is moving from laboratories into industrial and defence applications. Governments worldwide are committing billions in public investment, tightening export controls, and drafting regulatory frameworks. Legislators and regulators must make decisions about funding allocation, export control scope, cryptographic migration mandates, and research policy. These decisions have significant consequences: under-regulation risks national security exposure; over-regulation risks driving talent and investment to competitors. Getting the balance right requires understanding what quantum technology can and cannot do, what the realistic timelines are, and what policy instruments have evidence behind them.

This briefing is designed for non-technical policymakers. It avoids jargon, uses policy-relevant framing throughout, and focuses on the decisions legislators and regulators actually face. The session covers the geopolitical dynamics of quantum competition with specific investment figures, the national security implications of cryptographic vulnerability, the range of policy instruments available with evidence on their effectiveness, and the trade-offs inherent in different regulatory approaches. All content is calibrated to the current state of the technology, not speculative future capabilities.

What participants cover

Quantum technology landscape: computing, communications, and sensing explained for non-technical policymakers with realistic capability timelines
Geopolitical competition: national investment comparison (US, China, EU, UK), technology denial strategies, and allied cooperation frameworks
National security implications: cryptographic vulnerability, harvest-now-decrypt-later threat to government communications, and critical infrastructure exposure
Policy instruments: cryptographic migration mandates (binding versus guidance), research funding models (mission-driven versus curiosity-driven), and talent policy trade-offs
Regulatory approaches compared: US NSM-10, UK NCSC guidance, EU NIS2 and Cybersecurity Act, with evidence on compliance outcomes
Common policy mistakes: over-investing in quantum computing at the expense of quantum security, confusing quantum communications with unbreakable encryption, and the vendor hype cycle

Preliminary Agenda

Half-day briefing structure. Content is configurable to your jurisdiction, committee remit, and current policy priorities.

#	Session	Topics
1	Quantum Technology: What It Is and Why It Matters for Policy A non-technical foundation for legislative and regulatory decision-making
2	Geopolitical Dynamics of Quantum Competition How nations are positioning for quantum advantage and what that means for policy	National quantum investment comparison: US ($3.7B CHIPS+Science/NQI), China (est. $15B+), EU ($7.2B Quantum Flagship + national), UK ($2.5B NQTP Phase 2) Technology denial strategies: export controls, investment screening (CFIUS/NSI Act), and talent mobility restrictions Allied cooperation frameworks: AUKUS quantum pillar, NATO DIANA quantum challenges, Five Eyes intelligence sharing on quantum capability
Break, after 50 min
3	Policy Instruments for Quantum Governance Legislative tools, regulatory frameworks, and their trade-offs	Cryptographic migration mandates: US NSM-10 approach (binding with deadlines) versus UK NCSC approach (guidance without penalty) versus EU approach (NIS2 + Cybersecurity Act) Research funding allocation: mission-driven (specific deliverables) versus curiosity-driven (basic research); evidence on which produces more commercially viable quantum technology Talent policy: immigration fast-tracks for quantum researchers, export control implications of university research, the tension between openness and security
4	Discussion and Next Steps

Designed and Delivered By

Briefings are designed and delivered by QSECDEF in collaboration with policy specialists. All facilitators have direct experience briefing government officials on quantum technology.

QSECDEF brings world-leading expertise in post-quantum cryptography, quantum computing strategy, and defence-grade security assessment. Our advisory membership spans 600+ organisations and 1,200+ professionals working at the intersection of quantum technologies and critical infrastructure security.

Policy briefings are co-delivered with government affairs specialists who have direct experience in legislative drafting, regulatory design, and science and technology committee support. This ensures content is framed for policy decision-making rather than technical audiences.

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Sessions are configured around your jurisdiction, committee remit, and current policy priorities. Get in touch to discuss requirements and schedule a date.

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