Editor's note

The global shift towards making research findings available free of charge for readers, so-called “open access” was confirmed in a study funded by the European Commission. New research suggests that open access is reaching the tipping point, with around 50% of scientific papers published in 2011 now available for free.

Drive for innovations

Open access is fundamental to improving knowledge circulation and to facilitate innovation in Europe. Therefore, open access will be mandatory for all scientific publications produced with funding from Horizon 2020, as well as for EU's Research & Innovation research funded during 2014-20.

By making research results more accessible, open access can contribute to better and more efficient science, and to innovation in the public and private sectors. Open access makes science better and strengthens European knowledge-based economy.

Free availability of the majority of articles has been reached in the fields of general science and technology, biomedical research, biology and mathematics and statistics. The fields where open access availability is most limited are the social sciences and humanities and applied sciences, engineering and technology.

Commission’s suggestion

The Commission will make open access to scientific publications a general principle of Horizon 2020. As of 2014, all articles produced with funding from Horizon 2020 will have to be accessible:

· articles will either immediately be made accessible online by the publisher (“gold” and “hybrid” open access) - up-front publication costs can be eligible for reimbursement by the European Commission; or

For further information see:

·   http://www.science-metrix.com/pdf/SM_EC_OA_Availability_2004-2011.pdf

·   http://www.science-metrix.com/pdf/SM_EC_OA_Policies.pdf

·   http://www.science-metrix.com/pdf/SM_EC_OA_Data.pdf

·  Horizon 2020 website: http://ec.europa.eu/research/horizon2020/index_en.cfm