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Call key data
Open strategic autonomy, economic and research security in EU foreign policy
Funding Program
Horizon Europe: Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive society
Call number
HORIZON-CL2-2025-01-DEMOCRACY-04
deadlines
Opening
15.05.2025
Deadline
16.09.2025 17:00
Funding rate
100%
Call budget
€ 7,000,000.00
Estimated EU contribution per project
zwischen € 3.000.000,00 und € 3.500.000,00
Link to the call
Link to the submission
Call content
short description
Proposals should contribute to conceptual clarity, definition of key concepts and the theoretical framework underpinning these concepts as well as gather evidence for policymaking, including through analysis of the threat landscape. Proposals should analyse the drivers for open strategic autonomy and economic security in various sectors of the European economy, notably the research, innovation and production domains, and map the relevant actors, trends, and risks.
Call objectives
The EU's open strategic autonomy refers to the EU's ability to act autonomously (i.e., without depending on other countries) in strategically important policy areas, linked to both the economic and non-economic spheres. These areas may include energy, research, health, media, technology, defence, food, industry, as well as development cooperation, promotion of democracy and defence and promotion of human rights.
The concept of open strategic autonomy is not new, and its interpretation has changed, producing various legislative and non-legislative initiatives in several areas of key importance for the EU and its Member States. Since 2021, the scope of the EU's open strategic autonomy has been expanded to practically all EU policy areas, including that of democracy and governance, but other similar concepts also emerged. In recent years and since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 in particular, progress has been made towards achieving (open) strategic autonomy, although the concept remains clouded by changing terminology.
The European Economic Security Strategy was launched in June 2023, setting out a framework for robust assessment and management of economic security risks at EU, national and corporate levels. In December 2023, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) published a report assessing open strategic autonomy in the innovation and production domains. It observes that, in addition to pure economic dependencies, the changing geopolitical landscape has increased potential vulnerabilities stemming from international collaboration in research and innovation. In May 2024, the Council adopted a Recommendation on Enhancing Research Security, which aims to keep international cooperation in research and innovation both open and safe by managing risks and building resilience in the R&I sector across Europe.
Proposals are encouraged to analyse the correlation between the concepts of open strategic autonomy and economic security, including research security, considering the three pillars of the European Economic Security Strategy: promoting the EU’s competitiveness, protecting it from risks to economic security and collaborating with the widest range of countries that share the EU’s concerns or interests. Hence, proposals should develop recommendations on how to strike the right balance between being “as open as possible” and “as closed as necessary”, taking into consideration also what the implications of greater autonomy / technological sovereignty of the EU and its Member States would mean for economies and populations outside the EU, especially in developing countries.
Proposals are encouraged to assess the proportionality and effectiveness as well as the costs and benefits of policies and measures aiming at open strategic autonomy/technological sovereignty and economic security, including research security, and their implications for the research and innovation sector. This includes analysing interlinkages and tensions with concepts such as open science, academic freedom, research integrity and science diplomacy. Proposals should also analyse the risks and implications of individual Member States not adhering to EU strategic autonomy policies and explore the legal tools available to prevent and address such divergences.
There is a risk that open strategic autonomy ambitions do not consider negative impacts on developing countries, and might weaken multilateralism, cross-border trade, and foreign investment. Moreover, the open strategic autonomy policies could encourage the spread of protectionist policies globally, impacting particularly on developing countries. They could also unintentionally undermine Europe's position as a trade and development partner in developing countries. The latter could build ties with other global players, potentially increasing their dependence on them for resource extraction, trade, infrastructure development, and other key areas. Therefore, proposals should also consider what the implications of greater autonomy or sovereignty of the EU and its Member States would be for populations outside the EU, and how this could influence the engagement of professionals and organizations active in areas such as development cooperation, promotion of democracy and defence and promotion of human rights.
Proposals are encouraged also to investigate and gather evidence on what policies other international key partners develop in the areas of open strategic autonomy and economic security, including research security, and how these may impact the EU and is Member States. Ideas should be developed indicating how a level playing field in the cooperation with these key partners/geopolitical players could be guaranteed, ensuring that safeguarding measures do not hinder cooperation between partners.
In recent years, many Member States have developed foreign policy guidelines and strategies that incorporate feminist principles and the promotion of respect for minorities. These political developments, alongside academic debates, indicate a growing trend of integrating ethical and feminist principles into diplomatic strategies. Proposals are encouraged to consider such ethical and gender-responsive approaches to foreign policy and the design of open strategic autonomy. Research activities should involve a wide range of stakeholders and societal actors, including non-scientific and non-academic actors, such as public bodies, policymakers, private corporates, industry federations, media organisations, non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations, educational research bodies. Proposals under this call are encouraged to make use of participative methodologies and experimental methods.
Proposals should build on past EU-funded projects, and seek cooperation with on-going ones, addressing issues relating to strategic autonomy. Proposals should indicate which Horizon 2020 projects are considered sources of research results relevant to the activities to be carried out. Research activities could involve the analysis of Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI). Clustering and cooperation with other selected projects under this topic and other relevant projects are strongly encouraged.
Where applicable, proposals should leverage the data and services available through European Research Infrastructures federated under the European Open Science Cloud, as well as data from relevant Data Spaces. Particular efforts should be made to ensure that the data produced in the context of this topic is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable).
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Expected results
Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- EU institutions, national decision-makers, and practitioners in various relevant fields dispose of consolidated concepts, workable definitions and a robust evidence base for policymaking, regarding open strategic autonomy and economic security - including research security.
- EU institutions and national decision-makers gain a better understanding of how the open strategic autonomy and economic security – including research security – can benefit the EU and its Member States, associated countries, Neighbourhood, and developing countries, and of the impacts of potentially divergent EU and Member States’ related policies.
- EU institutions and national decision-makers are provided with policy recommendations on how to enhance open strategic autonomy and economic security – including research security – without harming economic and societal actors in the EU, associated countries, Neighbourhood and developing countries or the geopolitical influence of the EU.
- EU institutions, national decision-makers and researchers (including from SSH disciplines) have a deeper understanding of the drivers of open strategic autonomy and economic security – including research security – in key policy fields and what its historical evolution has been.
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Eligibility Criteria
Regions / countries for funding
Moldova (Moldova), Albania (Shqipëria), Armenia (Հայաստան), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina / Босна и Херцеговина), Canada, Faeroes (Føroyar / Færøerne), Georgia (საქართველო), Iceland (Ísland), Israel (ישראל / إِسْرَائِيل), Kosovo (Kosova/Kosovë / Косово), Montenegro (Црна Гора), New Zealand (Aotearoa), North Macedonia (Северна Македонија), Norway (Norge), Serbia (Srbija/Сpбија), Tunisia (تونس /Tūnis), Türkiye, Ukraine (Україна)
eligible entities
EU Body, Education and training institution, Natural Person, Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Other, Private institution, incl. private company (private for profit), Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs), Research Institution incl. University, Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)
Mandatory partnership
Yes
Project Partnership
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:
- the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions
- the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States
- countries associated to Horizon Europe - see list of particpating countries
Only legal entities forming a consortium are eligible to participate in actions provided that the consortium includes, as beneficiaries, three legal entities independent from each other and each established in a different country as follows:
- at least one independent legal entity established in a Member State; and
- at least two other independent legal entities, each established in different Member States or Associated Countries.
Any legal entity, regardless of its place of establishment, including legal entities from non-associated third countries or international organisations (including international European research organisations) is eligible to participate (whether it is eligible for funding or not), provided that the conditions laid down in the Horizon Europe Regulation have been met, along with any other conditions laid down in the specific call topic.
A ‘legal entity’ means any natural or legal person created and recognised as such under national law, EU law or international law, which has legal personality and which may, acting in its own name, exercise rights and be subject to obligations, or an entity without legal personality.
other eligibility criteria
Specific cases:
- Affiliated entities (i.e. entities with a legal or capital link to a beneficiary which participate in the action with similar rights and obligations to the beneficiaries, but which do not sign the grant agreement and therefore do not become beneficiaries themselves) are allowed, if they are eligible for participation and funding.
- Associated partners (i.e. entities which participate in the action without signing the grant agreement, and without the right to charge costs or claim contributions) are allowed, subject to any conditions regarding associated partners set out in the specific call conditions.
- Entities which do not have legal personality under their national law may exceptionally participate, provided that their representatives have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf, and offer guarantees to protect the EU’s financial interests equivalent to those offered by legal persons.
- Legal entities created under EU law (EU bodies) including decentralised agencies may be part of the consortium, unless provided for otherwise in their basic act.
- International European research organisations are eligible to receive funding. International organisations with headquarters in a Member State or Associated Country are eligible to receive funding for ‘Training and mobility’ actions or when provided for in the specific call/topic conditions. Other international organisations are not eligible to receive funding, unless provided for in the specific call/topic conditions, or if their participation is considered essential for implementing the action by the granting authority.
- Joint Research Centre (JRC)— Where provided for in the specific call conditions, applicants may include in their proposals the possible contribution of the JRC but the JRC will not participate in the preparation and submission of the proposal. Applicants will indicate the contribution that the JRC could bring to the project based on the scope of the topic text. After the evaluation process, the JRC and the consortium selected for funding may come to an agreement on the specific terms of the participation of the JRC. If an agreement is found, the JRC may accede to the grant agreement as beneficiary requesting zero funding or participate as an associated partner, and would accede to the consortium as a member.
- Associations and interest groupings — Entities composed of members (e.g. European research infrastructure consortia (ERICs)) may participate as ‘sole beneficiaries’ or ‘beneficiaries without legal personality’. However, if the action is in practice implemented by the individual members, those members should also participate (either as beneficiaries or as affiliated entities, otherwise their costs will NOT be eligible.
- EU restrictive measures — Entities subject to EU restrictive measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) as well as Article 75 TFEU, are not eligible to participate in any capacity, including as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties (if any).
- Legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine — Given the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the involvement of Belarus, there is currently no appropriate context allowing the implementation of the actions foreseen in this programme with legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine. Therefore, even where such entities are not subject to EU restrictive measures, such legal entities are not eligible to participate in any capacity. This includes participation as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties (if any). Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis for justified reasons.
With specific regard to measures addressed to Russia, following the adoption of the Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1745 of 24 June 2024 (amending Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 of 31 July 2014) concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine, legal entities established outside Russia but whose proprietary rights are directly or indirectly owned for more than 50% by a legal person, entity or body established in Russia are also not eligible to participate in any capacity. - Measures for the protection of the Union budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary — Following the Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2506, as of 16 December 2022, no legal commitments can be entered into with Hungarian public interest trusts established under the Hungarian Act IX of 2021 or any entity they maintain. Affected entities may continue to apply to calls for proposals and can participate without receiving EU funding, as associated partners, if allowed by the call conditions. However, as long as the Council measures are not lifted, such entities are not eligible to participate in any funded role (beneficiaries, affiliated entities, subcontractors, recipients of financial support to third parties, etc.).In case of multi-beneficiary grant calls, applicants will be invited to remove or replace that entity in any funded role and/or to change its status into associated partner. Tasks and budget may be redistributed accordingly.
Additional information
Topics
Relevance for EU Macro-Region
EUSAIR - EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region, EUSALP - EU Strategy for the Alpine Space, EUSBSR - EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, EUSDR - EU Strategy for the Danube Region
UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs)
Additional Information
Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funders & Tenders Portal electronic submission system (accessible via the topic page in the Search Funding & Tenders section). Paper submissions are NOT possible.
Applications must be submitted using the forms provided inside the electronic submission system (not the templates available on the topic page, which are only for information). The structure and presentation must correspond to the instructions given in the forms.
Applications must be complete and contain all parts and mandatory annexes and supporting documents.
The application form will have two parts:
- Part A (to be filled in directly online) contains administrative information about the applicant organisations (future coordinator and beneficiaries and affiliated entities), the summarised budget for the proposal and call-specific questions;
- Part B (to be downloaded from the Portal submission system, completed and then assembled and re-uploaded as a PDF in the system) contains the technical description of the project.
Annexes and supporting documents will be directly available in the submission system and must be uploaded as PDF files (or other formats allowed by the system).
The limit for a full application (Part B) is 50 pages.
Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025). It is mandatory to submit a detailed budget table using the template available in the Submission system.
Call documents
Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025 Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive SocietyHorizon Europe Work Programme 2025 Cluster 2 - Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society(1200kB)
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