European UnionDeadline PassedNon-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution, Other
Open strategic autonomy, economic and research security in EU foreign policy
Horizon Europe 2025 – Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society: Innovative Research on Democracy and Governance
Funding Amount
€3.0M - €3.5M
Deadline
16/09/2025
Eligible Organization Types
Non-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution, Other
Trusted by
What is the Open strategic autonomy, economic and research security in EU foreign policy Call?
Grant Description
This call supports research and innovation actions to clarify concepts and build a robust evidence base for policymaking on open strategic autonomy and economic security including research security. Projects will analyse drivers, map actors, trends and risks across economic and non-economic policy areas, assess policy effectiveness and costs, consider impacts on EU, associated, neighbourhood and developing countries, and deliver balanced policy recommendations.
Required Results for Successful Funding
Expected Outcomes
Projects should deliver:
• Consolidated concepts, workable definitions, and a robust evidence base to inform EU institutions, national decision-makers, and practitioners on open strategic autonomy and economic security (including research security).
• Enhanced understanding among policymakers of how open strategic autonomy and economic security can benefit the EU, Member States, associated countries, Neighbourhood, and developing countries, as well as the impacts of policy divergences.
• Policy recommendations on enhancing open strategic autonomy and economic security without undermining economic and societal actors or the EU’s geopolitical influence.
• Deeper insights for EU institutions, national decision-makers, and researchers (including SSH disciplines) into the drivers and historical evolution of open strategic autonomy and economic security in key policy fields.
• Consolidated concepts, workable definitions, and a robust evidence base to inform EU institutions, national decision-makers, and practitioners on open strategic autonomy and economic security (including research security).
• Enhanced understanding among policymakers of how open strategic autonomy and economic security can benefit the EU, Member States, associated countries, Neighbourhood, and developing countries, as well as the impacts of policy divergences.
• Policy recommendations on enhancing open strategic autonomy and economic security without undermining economic and societal actors or the EU’s geopolitical influence.
• Deeper insights for EU institutions, national decision-makers, and researchers (including SSH disciplines) into the drivers and historical evolution of open strategic autonomy and economic security in key policy fields.
Funded areas
Scope Requirements
Proposals must:
• Provide conceptual clarity by defining key concepts and establishing theoretical frameworks for open strategic autonomy and economic security.
• Collect and analyse evidence for policymaking, including threat landscape analysis.
• Analyse drivers and historical evolution of autonomy and security in various economic sectors (research, innovation, production).
• Map relevant actors, trends, and risks associated with open strategic autonomy and economic security.
• Analyse correlations between autonomy and security, considering the European Economic Security Strategy pillars: promoting competitiveness; protecting against risks; collaborating with concerned countries.
• Develop policy recommendations to balance openness (“as open as possible”) and necessary closure (“as closed as necessary”), factoring in implications for EU and non-EU populations, especially in developing countries.
• Assess proportionality, effectiveness, and cost-benefit of autonomy/security measures, and explore interlinkages with open science, academic freedom, research integrity, and science diplomacy.
• Investigate legal risks and tools to address Member State non-adherence to strategic autonomy policies.
• Evaluate impacts on multilateralism, trade, foreign investment, and EU’s development partnerships.
• Examine policies of other key international partners and propose mechanisms to ensure fair cooperation.
• Incorporate ethical and gender-responsive (feminist) approaches into policy design.
• Involve multi-stakeholder engagement and use participative/experimental research methods.
• Build on and cluster with relevant Horizon 2020 projects and IPCEIs, and cooperate with selected projects under this topic.
• Utilise data/services from European Research Infrastructures (EOSC, Data Spaces) and adhere to FAIR data principles.
• Provide conceptual clarity by defining key concepts and establishing theoretical frameworks for open strategic autonomy and economic security.
• Collect and analyse evidence for policymaking, including threat landscape analysis.
• Analyse drivers and historical evolution of autonomy and security in various economic sectors (research, innovation, production).
• Map relevant actors, trends, and risks associated with open strategic autonomy and economic security.
• Analyse correlations between autonomy and security, considering the European Economic Security Strategy pillars: promoting competitiveness; protecting against risks; collaborating with concerned countries.
• Develop policy recommendations to balance openness (“as open as possible”) and necessary closure (“as closed as necessary”), factoring in implications for EU and non-EU populations, especially in developing countries.
• Assess proportionality, effectiveness, and cost-benefit of autonomy/security measures, and explore interlinkages with open science, academic freedom, research integrity, and science diplomacy.
• Investigate legal risks and tools to address Member State non-adherence to strategic autonomy policies.
• Evaluate impacts on multilateralism, trade, foreign investment, and EU’s development partnerships.
• Examine policies of other key international partners and propose mechanisms to ensure fair cooperation.
• Incorporate ethical and gender-responsive (feminist) approaches into policy design.
• Involve multi-stakeholder engagement and use participative/experimental research methods.
• Build on and cluster with relevant Horizon 2020 projects and IPCEIs, and cooperate with selected projects under this topic.
• Utilise data/services from European Research Infrastructures (EOSC, Data Spaces) and adhere to FAIR data principles.
Additional Conditions for Applicants
Special Conditions
- Type of Action: Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action (RIA) under Lump Sum Grant model.
• Single-stage submission: opens 15 May 2025; deadline 16 September 2025, 17:00 Brussels time.
• Page limit for Part B (RIA lump sum): 50 pages. Mandatory detailed budget table using provided template.
• Eligibility per Annex B of Horizon Europe General Annexes; financial and operational capacity per Annex C; exclusion rules apply.
• Evaluation and award procedures, criteria, thresholds, and timeline as per Annexes D, F of the General Annexes.
• Grant set up as lump sum contributions per Decision of 7 July 2021; specific lump sum guidance applies.
• Proposals must select and consider the relevant Horizon Europe 2025 destination (Democracy, Heritage, Social and Economical Transformations).
• Mandatory involvement of a broad range of stakeholders and use of participative/experimental methodologies.
• Data management plan: ensure data are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Re-usable (FAIR); leverage EOSC-federated infrastructures and Data Spaces.
• Strong encouragement to cluster and cooperate with other selected projects under this topic.
• Proposals should indicate Horizon 2020 projects and IPCEIs relevant to the planned research activities.
• Single-stage submission: opens 15 May 2025; deadline 16 September 2025, 17:00 Brussels time.
• Page limit for Part B (RIA lump sum): 50 pages. Mandatory detailed budget table using provided template.
• Eligibility per Annex B of Horizon Europe General Annexes; financial and operational capacity per Annex C; exclusion rules apply.
• Evaluation and award procedures, criteria, thresholds, and timeline as per Annexes D, F of the General Annexes.
• Grant set up as lump sum contributions per Decision of 7 July 2021; specific lump sum guidance applies.
• Proposals must select and consider the relevant Horizon Europe 2025 destination (Democracy, Heritage, Social and Economical Transformations).
• Mandatory involvement of a broad range of stakeholders and use of participative/experimental methodologies.
• Data management plan: ensure data are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Re-usable (FAIR); leverage EOSC-federated infrastructures and Data Spaces.
• Strong encouragement to cluster and cooperate with other selected projects under this topic.
• Proposals should indicate Horizon 2020 projects and IPCEIs relevant to the planned research activities.
Important dates
Open from: 15/05/2025
Deadline:16/09/2025
Application period has ended
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