Over the last 20 years, open access repositories have been implemented around the world and are now widespread across most regions. Repositories provide open access (OA) to research publications and other materials and enable the local management and preservation of research outputs. They are a key infrastructure component supporting the growing number of open access policies and laws, the majority of which recommend or require deposit of articles into an OA repository.
OA repositories are connected through regional and thematic networks. Two of the largest regional networks are OpenAIRE in Europe and LA Referencia in Latin America. Given the truly international and collaborative nature of research, these networks must also be connected and aligned around issues such as policy, technologies and services. 

LA Referencia and OpenAIRE are collaborating to expand the adoption of guidelines developed through OpenAIRE in Latin America in order to demonstrate of the value of repository interoperability. OpenAIRE has developed practices and technologies that enable users (including funders) to track publications in the repository network according to research project, funding agency and so on. The use of common guidelines and technologies in Latin America and Europe will support the development of services across the two regions via COAR facilitation), such as tracking research outputs, and demonstrate to other regions and countries the value of adopting common standards.

There are a number of challenges and issues related to the adoption of OpenAIRE guidelines in Latin America. In particular:
• Metadata interoperability will require commitments at various levels (national and institutional) and there are a variety of challenges to the adoption of the guidelines by repositories in different national contexts.
• Clear and common policy directions can help to facilitate the adoption of guidelines in Latin America, and LA Referencia will work with it’s national members to support the implementation of common policies
• Technology is an enabler that can facilitate easier adoption of guidelines and therefore working with the repository platform developers will be help with faster implementation.
• A communication strategy will help raise awareness of the guidelines and the importance of global interoperability with key stakeholders including repository managers
• An “agnostic” approach, which will allow countries to use the best or different solutions in their own national context is appropriate for the FunderID, AuthorID, and ProjectID in the short term given the diversity of existing practices in these areas.
• The use of a validator (or validators) is a key element that will help diagnose levels of adoption and support more rapid implementation
• The region has asymmetries and extra support will be needed in some of the less developed countries or regions
• Consolidation of a technical community is imperative. Collaborative design in technology is just emerging.

For more, please download the report that describes the results of an assessment of the current state of metadata in the LA Referencia network and presents a roadmap outlining actions at regional, national and local levels to support the adoption of OpenAIRE guidelines in 2016-2017.