Open strategic autonomy, economic and research security in EU foreign policy

This opportunity aims to support research and innovation projects that strengthen open strategic autonomy and economic security within the EU and its Member States. Projects should help provide clear concepts, evidence, and policy recommendations to improve the EU’s ability to act independently while protecting its interests. Focus areas include analyzing risks and trends in key sectors, finding the right balance between openness and necessary restrictions, and understanding the impacts on developing countries. The opportunity encourages cooperation with a broad range of international partners, as long as EU interests are safeguarded. Projects should also consider ethical and gender-responsive approaches.

• Conduct interdisciplinary research on EU open strategic autonomy (OSA), economic security, and research security in foreign policy contexts.

• Map actors, drivers, risks, interdependencies across sectors (e.g. research, innovation, trade, development, human rights).

• Provide conceptual clarity and evidence-based definitions for strategic autonomy and research security to support policymaking.

• Assess costs, benefits, trade-offs, and unintended consequences of OSA policies—particularly impacts on developing countries, gender, and minority rights.

• Develop policy options, toolkits, and foresight scenarios to help decision-makers strike balance between openness and security.

• Engage with diverse stakeholders via participatory and experimental methods, ensuring FAIR data outputs for transparency and reuse.

Examples:

• A university-led project analyzing how supply chain risks affect the EU’s economic security.
• An international partnership developing policy recommendations for secure research collaboration between the EU and developing countries.
• A think tank project on balancing openness with protective measures in critical technology sectors.

• Personnel costs for research and innovation activities
• Costs of equipment and materials used for the project
• Travel and subsistence for project-related meetings and fieldwork
• Subcontracting of specific tasks or services
• Costs for dissemination and communication of results
• Costs for data management and open access publications
• Costs for organizing workshops, seminars, or stakeholder events
• Administrative and management costs related to the project
• Costs for ethical and gender-responsive activities

All expenses must be included in the detailed budget table and follow the lump sum contribution model. Only costs directly linked to the project and within the approved budget are eligible.

• Budget for this Call: 7.000.000€
• Number of Grants attributed: 2
• Maximum value per project: 3.500.000€
• Minimum value per project: 3.000.000€

• Applicants must be established in the EU, an EU Member State, or an associated country.
• Some non-EU/non-Associated Countries may participate if specific provisions apply.
• Applicants must follow the requirements in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
• Proposals must be submitted by the deadline and in the correct format.
• Applicants must provide a detailed budget table using the prescribed template.
• Projects must align with the objectives of open strategic autonomy and economic security.
• Applicants may need to form partnerships or consortia, especially for international cooperation.