[Open-access] Science Europe policy statement on the transition to Open Access

[Ross Mounce]

In case you haven't seen this on Twitter yet...

Science Europe have released an excellent short, clear & agreeable policy
statement on the transition to OA here:
http://www.scienceeurope.org/downloads
direct link to PDF:
http://www.scienceeurope.org/uploads/Public%20documents%20and%20speeches/SE_OA_Pos_Statement.pdf

I'm delighted they've backed the strong RCUK-like stance of allowing an
embargo/delay of only 6 months for non-AHSS research.
It also supports all good approaches to open access regardless of 'gold' or
'green' distinction, except in the case of the 'hybrid model' which it
rightfully pours scorn on.

(from the PDF below)

The Science Europe Member Organisations have agreed on the following vision
and principles:

With regard to Open Access to research publications, Science Europe Member
Organisations share the view that:

• publication and dissemination of results are an integral part of the
research process. The allocation of
resources within the research system must take this into account;
• Open Access to the published results of publicly-funded research will
have huge value for the research
community and will offer significant social and economic benefits to
potential users in industry, charitable and
public sectors, to individual professionals, and to the general public;
• Open Access, as defined in the Berlin Declaration, is not only about the
right of access, but also about the
opportunity to re-use information with as few restrictions as possible,
subject to proper attribution;
• the common goal of Science Europe Members is to shift to a research
publication system in which free
access to research publications is guaranteed, and which avoids undue
publication barriers. This involves a
move towards Open Access, replacing the present subscription system with
other publication models whilst
redirecting and reorganising the current resources accordingly.
Science Europe is committed to playing a role in accomplishing the
transition to Open Access as quickly as
possible, in an efficient and sustainable way, and thus avoiding
unnecessary costs. This transition process
must be as co-ordinated and transparent as possible.

Therefore the Science Europe Member Organisations:

• will continue to support any valid approaches to achieve Open Access,
including those commonly referred
to as the ‘green’ and ‘gold’ routes;
• recognise repositories and related facilities as key strategic research
infrastructure which should comply with
high quality standards;
• stress that research publications should either be published in an Open
Access journal or be deposited as soon as possible in a repository, and
made available in Open Access in all cases no later than six months
following first publication. In Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the
delay may need to be longer than six
months but must be no more than 12 months;
• require that as part of the publication services provided against the
payment of Open Access publication
fees, effective mechanisms are in place to ensure that the publication of
research outputs is subject to rigorous
quality assurance;
• will co-ordinate efforts to ensure the efficient and cost effective use
of public funds, and combine
programmes for covering Open Access costs with budget control mechanisms
and to build up monitoring
systems for these costs;
• accept that it is essential that Open Access transactions need to be
managed efficiently, with the
co-operation of all parties involved;
• require that funding of Open Access publication fees is part of a
transparent cost structure, incorporating a
clear picture of publishers’ service costs;
• expect publishers to apply institutional-, regional-, or country-based
reductions in journal subscriptions, in
line with increases in author- or institution-pays contributions;
• stress that the hybrid model, as currently defined and implemented by
publishers, is not a working and viable
pathway to Open Access. Any model for transition to Open Access supported
by Science Europe Member
Organisations must prevent ‘double dipping’ and increase cost transparency;
• recognise that some redirection and reorganisation of current budgets
will be necessary. Governments
should give due consideration to the fact that public funds for journal
subscriptions often come from other
ministries or institutions than those directly responsible for funding
research; consequently, some rebalancing
of budgets may be required.

Science Europe wishes to encourage the European Commission, national
governments, research
funding and research performing organisations and other stakeholders across
the world to adopt
this approach to Open Access and to actively nurture collaboration in this
area.


Ross

--
Open Knowledge Foundation
Community Coordinator, Open Science
www.okfn.org
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