EU Commission: Pilot Launched To Open Up Publicly Funded Research Data

Economic growth predicted through open innovation

Researchers from projects participating in the pilot have been asked to make the underlying data needed to validate the results presented in scientific publications and other scientific information available for use by other researchers, innovative industries and citizens. This will lead to better and more efficient science, as well as improved transparency for society in general. It will also contribute to economic growth through open innovation. During 2014–2015, areas involved in the Open Research Data pilot will receive funding of approximating €3 billion in total.

The Commission recognizes that research data are as important as publications. It therefore announced that it would experiment with open access. The pilot on Open Research Data in Horizon 2020 does for scientific information what Open Data Strategy1 does for public sector information – it aims to improve and maximize access to and re-use of research data generated by projects for the benefit of society and the economy.

The pilot involves key areas of Horizon 2020 that include: future and emerging technologies, research infrastructures, leadership, societal challenge, among others.