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Aug 8, 2018
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OpenAIRE's response to EC Communication and Recommendation

Aug 8, 2018

The OpenAIRE initiative strongly supports the European Commission's Communication and Recommendation to Member States,  "Towards Better Access to Scientific Information", recently released in draft form.

Supporting the circulation of scientific knowledge to stimulate innovation, as flagged up in these recommendations, is key to Europe’s research and innovation performance. This can only be done however by raising visibility and access to research outputs, and providing a linking mechanism for the researcher so the whole range of research is at their fingertips.

The Recommendation therefore calls for more effective support of these principles within Horizon 2020, the EU’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020). In Horizon 2020, both self-archiving (‘Green’ open access) and open access publishing (‘Gold’ open access) are considered as complementary approaches to achieve the aim of full open access to publications resulting from Horizon 2020 and to provide a framework and encourage open access to research data.

OpenAIRE is strategically placed in scholarly communication to bridge the gap between the rapidly developing publication and data infrastructures. By successfully creating a pan-European publication infrastructure, via its mission to support the EC’s open access policy, OpenAIRE has created a model that can be built on and rapidly expanded across EU Member States, and associated countries. It thus demonstrates that the knowledge base across Europe can be brought together in a free and open way.

OpenAIRE now reaches out to enable access to all kinds of research outputs resulting from EC-funding by delivering not just open access to publications, but linking to related data and project information. It also provides support for repository infrastructures across Member States, and associated countries, optimally to link national and European levels, and to encourage the mutual exchange of good practice between Member States.

The harmonisation of policies and adoption of national strategies is something that will further enable openness and visibility of scientific output. OpenAIRE’s vision is based on the principle that every Member State should be ready to contribute in demonstrating the benefits of open access to scientific information. OpenAIRE is therefore happy to support the Commission’s vision to push for open access to science via its European-wide human network and e-infrastructure.

For more information about OpenAIRE see: www.openaire.eu

Contact: Dr Birgit Schmidt, Najla Rettberg, Goettingen State and University Library