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

Wed May 1 18:33:59 UTC 2013

I agree that the Science Europe statement is mostly very good.

But ...

When did we get so habituated to publishers' entitlement that we now
CELEBRATE a six-month embargo as though it's a victory rather than an
outrage?

There is no justification for ANY embargo, ever. It's time we started
getting noisy about that fact.

-- Mike.

On 1 May 2013 18:51, Ross Mounce <ross.mounce at okfn.org> wrote:
> 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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