Horizon 2020 framework programme for research and innovation 2014-2020

The Council held a policy debate on open access to scientific information resulting from public-funded research projects, one of the objectives of the development of the European Research Area, which is at the heart of the strategy for growth and jobs.

Member States:

• supported the idea of developing broader and more rapid access to scientific publications in order to help researchers and businesses to build on the findings of publicly funded research;
• noted the Commission proposal to develop experimental policy actions on open access to research data and to run a pilot for that purpose in the future Horizon 2020 research framework programme;
• welcomed the Commission’s view that open access to scientific publications should be a general principle of the future Horizon 2020 research framework programme and presented some of the initiatives carried out under their respective national programmes.

Member States emphasised the need to:

• define clear policies, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, on open access to scientific publications and research data, on preservation and re-use of scientific information and on related e-infrastructures for disseminating scientific information, at both national and EU levels,
• promote common implementation standards and criteria, including interoperable infrastructures, in order to achieve the maximum benefit from open access in a sustainable way within a digital European Research Area.