Some academics have welcomed the proposed open-access plans. But publishing-industry representatives warn they are unrealistic and lack detail.
The European Union’s council of ministers has called for the bloc to implement a ‘no pay’ academic-publishing model that bears no cost to readers or authors. The recommendations, part of a set of principles on scholarly publishing adopted by the council on 23 May, are not legally binding and have been welcomed by some members of the academic community. But representatives of publishers say that the suggestion is unrealistic and that the council has not outlined crucial details, including how such a model would be funded.
We congratulate the EU council of ministers for this important decision and move. The simple fact is that subscription fees that require readers to pay to access research publications lock poorer countries and institutions out from accessing the latest scientific knowledge. APC fees lock out researchers from poorer countries and institutions from making a contribution to the body of scientific knowledge. Neither are acceptable, and it is high time that we make scientific knowledge open AND free. The method by which publishers are fairly remunerated for their operational expenses does need to be articulated, but this is not a reason to move in the direction of Diamond Open Access.
Following this process, the council has recommended that the European Commission and member states implement an open-access and not-for-profit model for research publishing.
Strong support
Organizations including the German Research Federation (DFG) have welcomed the principles. In a statement, the DFG said that it supported the “landmark recommendations”. “Under no circumstances should a situation arise in which the availability of funds determines participation in academic discourse,” it said.
Such statements show “strong political support” for open-access publishing, says Vinciane Gaillard, deputy director for research and innovation at the European University Association (EUA) in Brussels, which represents more than 850 institutions.
However, representatives of the publishing industry say that the implications of the council’s recommendations haven’t been fully considered.
