The European Union’s Quest for a Relational Open Strategic Autonomy (QUEST)

Basic research , European union , International relations , Politics

2026 - 2030

Provider	European Commission
Programme	Horizon Europe
Project code	101288808
Participants	Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (coordinator), Universitetet I Oslo, University College Dublin, National University of Ireland, Dublin, Faculty of Social Sciences Charles University, Queen Mary University of London, Sabanci Universitesi, Universidad Complutense De Madrid, Uniwersytet Jagiellonski, University Industry Foundation Yonsei University, University of Bristol

QUEST – “The European Union’s Quest for a Relational Open Strategic Autonomy” tackles one of the most pressing strategic questions facing the EU today: what Open Strategic Autonomy (OSA) is, what it entails, and what is required to achieve it. At its core, QUEST asks: How can the EU achieve open strategic autonomy?

By addressing this overarching question, QUEST responds directly to the demand from EU institutions, practitioners, and national decision-makers for conceptual clarity and practical guidance. OSA represents a potential paradigm shift in how the EU defines its role in the world, balances openness and autonomy, and upholds its foundational norms and values. Yet pursuing OSA in practice inevitably forces the Union to navigate dilemmas and contradictions—both in its dealings with international partners and in the defence of its own principles. To date, neither academic research nor policy advice has provided systematic answers on how to manage these tensions.

QUEST fills this critical gap by developing an innovative conceptual framework, which directs attention to the different ways in which OSA may be understood and practiced. Moving beyond existing approaches, QUEST sees OSA as intrinsically linked to political capabilities and competences. It underlines that for open strategic autonomy to be realised, the EU has to reconsider its relations to others. QUEST identifies key drivers of OSA and generates robust empirical evidence across six strategically important policy domains, including economic and research security. It clarifies how a novel approach to OSA would enhance the EU’s capacity to protect its economic and security interests while also recognising the rights and autonomy of others, thus contributing to a more secure and just world.

Taking facts on the ground into account, QUEST delivers clear, evidence-based guidance to EU institutions and policymakers on how OSA can be realised—transforming an ambiguous concept into an actionable strategy.