Scientific knowledge may no longer be hidden behind a paywall, the European ministers of Research & Innovation decided last Friday. Publicly financed research needs to be accessible for everyone, whether they are researchers or not.
State secretary Sander Dekker also pleaded for free movement of knowledge and data. Last Friday the ministry of Education and Innovation of the European member states made agreements on this in Brussel.
By making scientific knowledge and data freely accessible, it can also be reused by other researchers.
By making scientific knowledge and data freely accessible, it can also be reused by other researchers. Then scientists and publishers may only deviate from this when for example intellectual property, privacy or safety is at risk.
Additionally the member states want to achieve that less emphasis is placed on publication and citation scores. The social importance of the research should have to weigh heavier.
The European ministers want to further stimulate the European knowledge economy. Start-ups provide employment and innovation. Entrepreneurs can therefore get a special start-up-visa later on. With this they are not required to request a separate visa for each separate member state, which makes it more appealing to work across borders.
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