European Commission H2020 Guidelines for open access to publications, data and other research outputs

On 8 April 2020, the European Commission (EC) released a set of guidelines for open access to publications, data and other research outputs for Horizon 2020 projects working on the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and related topics. The European Commission urges researchers of Horizon 2020 grants with research outputs that - in any way - may be used to advance the research on COVID-19, to provide immediate open access to their related publications, data and any other output possible, in line with the guidance offered in this document. These can be projects specifically researching on the corona virus, but also other research fields/disciplines with relevance to tackle the corona crisis. Similarly, the European Commission urges research infrastructures projects, developing and/or providing access services to relevant research tools and resources, to provide priority and customised access to their services for research on COVID-19. More particularly, the European Commission strongly encourages beneficiaries to follow the guidelines below, thereby exceeding the current Open Access requirements of Horizon 2020 and going beyond the legal obligations enshrined in the Horizon 2020 Grant Agreement (GA), in order to address the current public health emergency.