RESEARCH COUNCIL : MINISTERS BACK FREE ACCESS TO SCIENTIFIC DATA.

On 18 February, the member states' research ministers met at the Competitiveness Council to hold a policy debate over the Commission's communication1 aimed at securing better access to EU-funded scientific information, together with a recommendation to member states for publicly-funded research projects.

The delegations supported the Commission's idea to provide free access to scientific publications which receive public funding from Horizon 2020. However, they expressed reservations concerning the application of this same principle on access to research data, such as results of experiments. Having anticipated this concern, the Commission suggested in its communication that the open access obligation be limited to certain projects. The latter would be determined in the experimental phase of the Horizon 2020 framework programme.

The ministers also insisted on the need to take into account other questions, such as intellectual property rights and data protection rules.

DEFINITION OF CLEAR POLICIES

First and foremost, they encouraged the definition of clear policies 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. These policies will have to be elaborated in consultation with all the relevant...