IEC and ISO Launch New Joint Technical Committee on Quantum Technologies

Insider Brief

• The IEC and ISO’s new joint committee, IEC/ISO JTC 3, focuses on developing international standards for quantum technologies, a crucial step for global collaboration and technological coherence.
• IEC/ISO JTC 3’s mission is to create a unified framework for quantum technologies, ensuring reliable, secure, and universally accessible advancements in computing, metrology, and communication.
• Quantum technologies, the next leap in harnessing quantum mechanics, promise transformative solutions across IT, healthcare, energy, and more, driving technological progress and economic growth.

PRESS RELEASE — The IEC and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) today announced the establishment of a joint technical committee on quantum technologies, IEC/ISO JTC 3: Quantum technologies.

Because quantum technologies have immense potential to address today’s global challenges it is crucial to build a solid foundation for collaboration. International standards play a pivotal role in laying an essential common ground to accelerate the development and adoption of quantum advancements in various industries and applications.

“While standards are already being developed for some aspects of quantum technologies, there is a pressing need to have a coordinated international approach to streamline technical contributions and maximize their impact, ensuring greater coherence in the market,” explains Philippe Metzger, IEC Secretary-General and CEO.

“Catalyzing the quantum revolution requires a shared language. Standards provide the framework to turn diverse quantum efforts into a unified force, driving progress, ensuring reliability, and paving the way for a quantum future that is secure, interoperable and globally accessible,” says Sergio Mujica, ISO Secretary-General.

The scope of this new IEC/ISO joint technical committee is to develop standards in the field of quantum technologies and more particularly quantum computing, quantum simulation, quantum sources, quantum metrology, quantum detectors and quantum communications. South Korea will assume the chair position. The British Standards Institution (BSI), which hosts the IEC National Committee for the United Kingdom and is also the ISO member, will hold the Secretariat.

“Quantum technologies can unlock solutions to address the greatest societal challenges. As the secretariat, BSI is looking forward to bringing our wealth of expertise in committee management to this and we are committed to leading and driving the development of International Standards to guide the evolution and integration of quantum technologies, fostering innovation for the benefit of industries and society globally,” says Scott Steedman, Director General, Standards, BSI, Secretariat of IEC/ISO JTC 3, Quantum technologies.

Quantum technology is the second generation of technologies that harness the power of quantum mechanics to create advanced tools and devices that promise to revolutionize how we solve complex problems and secure information across a range of sectors, including information technology, communications, healthcare, energy, trade, sustainability, education and research, ushering in a new era of technological progress while driving rapid financial growth.