SPARC has put a report online which updates information on European policies on open data and science by concentrating on the period between January and November 2018. The original analysis was published in May 2017.

It discusses the continuing increase in policies and an increase in their adoption in countries where such policies did not previously exist. Thus, 13 of the 28 member states of the European Union (EU) have implemented national policies linked to research data with 5 policies added during the period under review; 11 do not have a national policy but are developing national approaches; 4 have no activity in this field. In the European Research Area, three non-EU countries (Norway, Serbia and Switzerland) are implementing active policies.

Out of the 13 Member States, the distribution is roughly equal between countries where research data is included in their open access or open science policy and those where they are segregated. Similar can be observed between countries where the approach is “hard” (obligation) and “gentle” (incentives).

Another finding is that the majority of policies reviewed come from or involve national research funding agencies.

This study was produced in collaboration with the DCC (Digital Curation Centre).