The EU Council is to extend the objectives of its supercomputing joint undertaking to facilitate the creation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) gigafactories in Europe and include a dedicated quantum technologies pillar.
The amendment to the regulation governing the activities of the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC JU) was a significant step, according to Cyprus’ minister for research and innovation Nicodemos Damianou: “AI is one of the most critical technologies of our time, defining our digital future, and investing in the needed infrastructure capacity for AI is essential for boosting Europe’s resilience, competitiveness, and sovereignty. This move demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that Europe leads in this transformative field.”
The aim of EuroHPC is to develop, deploy, and maintain supercomputing, quantum computing, and data infrastructure in the EU, while also supporting the growth of high performing computing (HPC) systems, technologies, and skills for European science and industry.
The EuroHPC regulation was amended in 2024 to include the development and operation of AI Factories —dynamic ecosystems that promote innovation and collaboration in artificial intelligence. The second amendment, introduced in July 2025, builds on this by supporting the establishment of AI gigafactories, further advancing Europe’s leadership in AI innovation.
The amended regulation allows for the development and operation of AI gigafactories in Europe, a world-class AI compute infrastructure aimed at strengthening Europe’s industry and competitiveness, while fostering cooperation through public-private partnerships that include member states and industry stakeholders. It also sets rules for funding and procurement, while safeguarding the interests of start-ups and scale-ups. The amendment provides flexibility for partners, enabling them to optimise results while advancing Europe’s leadership in AI and quantum technologies.
Following the Council’s approval, the legislative act has been adopted. The regulation will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 19th of January and will enter into force on the following day.
EU plans to boost AI with supercomputers (background information)
