The European Commission’s former open access envoy, Robert-Jan Smits, and Science Europe have proposed a new open-access plan – Plan S – for scientific publishing that by 2020 would force all taxpayer-funded research results to be readable free immediately on publication. So far, 13 funding agencies in Europe have signed up to Plan S. These are:
- Academy of Finland
- Austrian Science Fund
- French National Research Agency
- Luxembourg National Research Fund
- Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics
- Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research
- National Science Centre (Poland)
- Research Council of Norway
- Science Foundation Ireland
- Slovenian Research Agency
- Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning
- Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare
- UK Research and Innovation
There is officially one non-European national funder on board – Zambia’s National Science and Technology Council. Jordan is said to be considering membership while India’s government is also taking steps to join.
Four charitable agencies have signed up to Plan S:
- Wellcome Trust
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- Swedish Foundation for Humanities and Social Sciences
- The Company of Saint Paul (Italy)
Follow our Plan S blog for updates
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