Netherlands
EU roadmap Standard-takerThe Netherlands runs the central-government programme Quantumveilige Cryptografie (QvC), with the intelligence service AIVD, together with CWI and TNO, publishing the PQC Migration Handbook now in its revised and extended second edition, and NCSC-NL providing guidance for organisations starting their migration. The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations has informed Parliament of the renewed handbook and the PQChoiceAssistant tool, and the central government has shown an operational quantum network deploying post-quantum cryptography alongside quantum key distribution. Dutch guidance follows the three post-quantum standards published by NIST, and the NCSC-NL TLS security guidelines recommend hybrid quantum-safe key exchange that combines classical elliptic-curve methods with ML-KEM, advising organisations by their quantum-risk profile on when to migrate.
Governance credibility
| Criterion | Score | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Relevance | 1.5 / 2 | High |
| Coherence | 2.0 / 2 | High |
| Effectiveness | 1.0 / 2 | High |
| Efficiency | 1.0 / 2 | High |
| Governance | 2.0 / 2 | High |
| Impact | 2.0 / 2 | High |
Regulatory basis
- NCSC-NL Security guidelines for Transport Layer Security (TLS) version 2025-05
- PQC Migration Handbook, revised and extended second edition (AIVD, CWI, TNO, 2024)
Legal status: Soft law only
Essential and important entities must use state-of-the-art cryptography under NIS2; national guidance (NCSC TLS guidelines, the PQC Migration Handbook) sets the recommended approach and the government-wide QvC-Rijk programme coordinates public-sector migration.
Standards and algorithms
- Standard families
- NIST post-quantum cryptography standards (three standards, named generically in NCSC-NL guidance)
- Algorithms
- ML-KEM
Hybrid stance
Recommended
Migration timeline
- 2030High-risk use cases migrated (EU coordinated roadmap)
- 2035Full migration of all systems complete (EU coordinated roadmap)
Target completion: 2035
International standards processes
- NIS Cooperation Group co-authored the EU coordinated PQC roadmap
Governmental and standards bodies
- AIVD General Intelligence and Security Service, co-author with CWI and TNO of the PQC Migration Handbook and statements on the transition to post-quantum cryptography
- NCSC-NL National Cyber Security Centre, explainers, migration guidance and the TLS security guidelines naming hybrid quantum-safe key exchange with ML-KEM
- BZK Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, letters and decision memoranda to Parliament on the renewed quantum-safe cryptography handbook and the PQChoiceAssistant tool
- Rijksoverheid Dutch central government, the Quantumveilige Cryptografie Rijk programme, the operational quantum network and the PQC symposium addressed by State Secretary Van Marum
- Tweede Kamer House of Representatives, answers to parliamentary questions on quantum-proof encryption and documents on the EU quantum strategy
Key institutional documents
- Quantum computers are coming, and the Netherlands is ready
- Security guidelines for Transport Layer Security (TLS) version 2025-05
- New tools available to mitigate the threat of quantum computers
- Communication on the EU Quantum Strategy (parliamentary document)
- Decision memorandum on the report concerning new EU Commission proposals (PQC and QKD)
- Answers to parliamentary questions from MP Sneller on quantum-proof encryption
- Prepare for the threat of quantum computers
- Securing Tomorrow, Today: Transition to Post-Quantum Cryptography
- Protect yourself now against the threat of quantum computers (2026)
- Quantum computers are coming and the Netherlands is prepared
- Decision memorandum accompanying the letter to Parliament on the renewed quantum-safe cryptography handbook
- Letter to Parliament accompanying the renewed handbook for quantum-safe cryptography
- The PQC Migration Handbook (revised and extended second edition)
- Speech by State Secretary Van Marum at the Post-Quantum Cryptography symposium
- TNO: Cryptographic Asset Discovery and Inventory
- Make your organization quantum secure: kicking off your quantum migration program
- NIST releases three quantum-safe cryptography standards: what does this mean for your organisation?
- What is quantum-safe cryptography?
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