An EU legislative and regulatory framework fit for research and the secondary publication right
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.60054/PEU.2024.11.127-142Keywords:
EU internal market for knowledge, open access, academic publishing, copyright, secondary publication right (SPR)Abstract
According to the European Commission’s “European Research Area Policy Agenda -- Overview of actions forthe period 2022-2024”, one of the actions foreseen within the Priority Area of “Deepening a truly functioning internal market for knowledge”, is the development of a legislative and regulatory framework fit for research, that would enable, among other things: access and reuse of publicly funded R&I results, including open access; access and reuse of publications and data for research purposes and; the seamless flow of research knowledge and data across the EU based on Article 179 TFEU and academic freedom. This paper examines the notions of Open Science (OS) and Open Access (OA), as well as the legal mechanism of the so-called Secondary Publication Right (SPR). It furthermore presents an overview of the measures undertaken by the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation in advancing access to knowledge and reflects on the fitness of the SPR mechanism to address the issues with existing barriers and challenges to the objectives set by the Commission.
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