Julie Caruso, Aurore Nicol & Eric Archambault. Open Access in the European Research Area. Science-Metrix. 2013. Pages: 46.

Commissioned by the European Commission's DG Research and Innovation, the authors of the study try to identify strategies concerning the increasingly growing field of open access of peer-reviewed scientific publications in countries of the European Research Area (EU member states, EFTA states, Turkey, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Israel) as well as the USA, Canada, Brazil and Japan from 2000 onwards. Although the study gives an overview of legislation related to open access policies, it does not limit itself to open access strategies at a governmental level. Examining the effects of the development of open access, the authors put an important emphasis on the effects on and strategies employed by research institutions - the main large-scale subscribers to research publications - and publishers - the traditional suppliers of scientific journals and publications. Recommendations and important considerations such as issues related to different forms of open access publications and article processing charges are likewise presented. In summary, the study by Science-Metrix gives a good overview of the development of open access in Europe and beyond and the changes which this entails for the publishing market on both supplier’s and consumer’s side.

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