BMJ 2014;348:g223 doi: 10.1136/bmj.g223 (Published 13 January 2014)
Page 1 of 1
News
NEWS EU pilot project promotes sharing of research data Rory Watson Brussels
The European Union is using its flagship research and innovation programme, Horizon 2020, to encourage researchers to share more of the data used in EU funded projects. The initiative aims to increase transparency and maximise access to, and reuse of, data from work designed to benefit society and the economy.
Open Research Data, a pilot project in the EU’s €80bn (£67bn; $110bn) programme that runs until 2020, provides the basis for an experiment in open access to research data. Topic areas included in the pilot will receive €3bn of EU funding over the next two years, equivalent to a fifth of the total Horizon 2020 budget for 2014 and 2015.
In exchange, researchers are asked to allow other researchers, innovative industries, and the public to access the underlying data and scientific information needed to validate their published results.
In addition, open access to scientific publications is mandatory for all articles published on the basis of research funded by Horizon 2020. These must be available in an open access repository no later than six months after their first publication. This is extended to 12 months for articles in social sciences and the humanities. The Open Research Data pilot scheme covers selected areas of Horizon 2020 research such as climate action and the environment. Other areas, such as medical and public health research, may participate voluntarily. They will be monitored and will receive the same support as all other projects participating in the scheme.
For personal use only: See rights and reprints http://www.bmj.com/permissions
Neelie Kroes, the European commissioner for the digital agenda, said that the pilot was “an opportunity to see how different disciplines share data in practice and to understand remaining obstacles.” Her colleague Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, the commissioner for research, emphasised that the scheme “is part of our commitment to openness in Horizon 2020.” The pilot covers the underlying data needed to reproduce the results presented in scientific publications, as well as other data contained in data management plans. These plans describe the management life cycle for all data that are collected, processed, or generated by the research project. The plans are required for all schemes participating in the pilot project, and the European Commission would like other EU funded research projects to develop them voluntarily. Projects may opt out of the pilot scheme if they wish to protect intellectual property or personal data, have security concerns, or believe that the main objective of their research could be compromised by making data openly accessible.
These latest moves to increase transparency follow agreement in late 2013 on new European legislation on clinical trials.1 Coming into force in 2016, this agreement aims to shed more light on the conduct and results of scientific research, by making prior registration compulsory for all trials in the EU through a publicly accessible portal. 1
Watson R. EU nations approve law to overhaul clinical trials. BMJ 2013;347:f7682.
Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g223 © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2014
Subscribe: http://www.bmj.com/subscribe
Page 1 of 1
News
NEWS EU pilot project promotes sharing of research data Rory Watson Brussels
The European Union is using its flagship research and innovation programme, Horizon 2020, to encourage researchers to share more of the data used in EU funded projects. The initiative aims to increase transparency and maximise access to, and reuse of, data from work designed to benefit society and the economy.
Open Research Data, a pilot project in the EU’s €80bn (£67bn; $110bn) programme that runs until 2020, provides the basis for an experiment in open access to research data. Topic areas included in the pilot will receive €3bn of EU funding over the next two years, equivalent to a fifth of the total Horizon 2020 budget for 2014 and 2015.
In exchange, researchers are asked to allow other researchers, innovative industries, and the public to access the underlying data and scientific information needed to validate their published results.
In addition, open access to scientific publications is mandatory for all articles published on the basis of research funded by Horizon 2020. These must be available in an open access repository no later than six months after their first publication. This is extended to 12 months for articles in social sciences and the humanities. The Open Research Data pilot scheme covers selected areas of Horizon 2020 research such as climate action and the environment. Other areas, such as medical and public health research, may participate voluntarily. They will be monitored and will receive the same support as all other projects participating in the scheme.
For personal use only: See rights and reprints http://www.bmj.com/permissions
Neelie Kroes, the European commissioner for the digital agenda, said that the pilot was “an opportunity to see how different disciplines share data in practice and to understand remaining obstacles.” Her colleague Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, the commissioner for research, emphasised that the scheme “is part of our commitment to openness in Horizon 2020.” The pilot covers the underlying data needed to reproduce the results presented in scientific publications, as well as other data contained in data management plans. These plans describe the management life cycle for all data that are collected, processed, or generated by the research project. The plans are required for all schemes participating in the pilot project, and the European Commission would like other EU funded research projects to develop them voluntarily. Projects may opt out of the pilot scheme if they wish to protect intellectual property or personal data, have security concerns, or believe that the main objective of their research could be compromised by making data openly accessible.
These latest moves to increase transparency follow agreement in late 2013 on new European legislation on clinical trials.1 Coming into force in 2016, this agreement aims to shed more light on the conduct and results of scientific research, by making prior registration compulsory for all trials in the EU through a publicly accessible portal. 1
Watson R. EU nations approve law to overhaul clinical trials. BMJ 2013;347:f7682.
Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g223 © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2014
Subscribe: http://www.bmj.com/subscribe
