Second French Plan for Open Science (PNSO 2021-2024)
In line with European policies and to amplify the axes developed in the PNSO, a second plan was published in July 2021. It includes four axes: ‘generalise open access to publications’, ‘structure, share and open research data’, ‘open and promote source codes produced by research’ and ‘transform practices to make open science the default principle’. The plan includes the creation of a federated national research data platform, Recherche Data Gouv, and the recognition of open science practices in evaluations.
Second French Plan for Open Science [English version].
National Plan for Open Science (PNSO 2018-2021)
On July 4th, 2018, the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation presented the National Plan for Open Science, which makes it compulsory for publicly funded research publications and data to be openly accessible. It sets out three objectives: ‘generalise open access to publications’, ‘structure and open up research data’, and ‘be part of a sustainable European and international dynamic’. The plan establishes the Committee for Open Science (CoSO). The aim is to coordinate national initiatives and collaborate with existing European projects.
National Plan for Open Science [English version].
Committee for Open Science (CoSo)
Set up by the French Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Research, the Committee for Open Science (CoSo) coordinates, drives and supports the move towards open science. Its objective is to implement the National Plan for Open Science.
This involves promoting open science, particularly by opening up publications and research data, developing skills, and strengthening France’s international presence in open science.
CoSo regularly organises open science days and publishes numerous studies.
Loi pour une République numérique (07-10-2016)
Article 30 of the Loi pour une République numérique (Law for a Digital Republic) which was passed on 7th October 2016, now enables researchers to share their publications via open access on platforms such as HAL or their laboratory’s website, even if they have previously granted exclusive exploitation rights to a publisher.
For this purpore :
- at least half of the research must be publicly funded (including researchers’ salaries),
- all the corresponding authors must be in agreement,
- the publication must be issued at least once a year,
The author has the right to distribute the validated version for publication (final draft or post-print) and not the publisher’s pdf with a maximum delay of 6 months for STM and 12 months for SHS.
- Article 30 (Légifrance)
- Guide d’application de l’article 30 (in French): in this guide, researchers are encoraged to deposit their papers prior to October 8th, 2016.
For further information, see (in French): FAQ de Couperin.
Article 38 of the law also declares that universities must make available online any research data produced by researchers as part of their activities, provided it does not infringe privacy or business secrecy.
- Article 38 (Légifrance)
Jussieu Call (2017)
This appeal, drawn up by a French collective of researchers and digital science library professionals (now known as the Committee for Open Science, or CoSO), opposes the “author-pays” model and encourages the development of alternative publication models. Numerous universities and organisations have signed it, including the UGA.
The appeal also calls on research institutions and their libraries to allocate part of their acquisition budget to developing new forms of open scientific publishing and promoting bibliodiversity.