European Commission study finds open access and legal clarity key to boosting EU R&I

A study by the European Commission analysing the scientific publishing sector and the impact of open access policies has stressed that greater openness and enhanced legal certainty would bring significant benefits to the European research and innovation system.

The Commission published on 30/04/2026 a study providing an economic analysis of options for improving the EU’s legislative and regulatory frameworks affecting access to and the re-use of publicly funded R&I results, as well as publications and data for scientific purposes.

The report concluded that: "Greater access, reuse and legal certainty can generate meaningful benefits for the European research and innovation system, but these benefits are accompanied by adjustment pressures and uneven effects across stakeholders." As more ambitious policy approaches can bring greater benefits for researchers, research institutions and the broader innovation ecosystem, they also create higher risks and adjustment pressures for the scientific publishing sector and other rights holders.

Therefore, rather than identifying a single best…