The information below explains the importance of making scientific processes and practices open and transparent. It also describes mandatory and recommended Open Science practices under Horizon Europe.
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The importance of Open Science
Open Science is a movement that aims to make scientific processes and practices, including research methodology and outputs, more open and transparent. Historically, this is not the way research was conducted. Tradition, culture, and incentives have created an environment where scientific inputs, outputs, and processes are typically closed, accessible only to the researchers and/or collaborators, or available for a fee.
Open Science combines principles and practices to make scientific knowledge openly available, accessible, and reusable for everyone. This approach fosters:
- higher quality and efficiency of research
- ease of reproduction of research results
- increased knowledge transfer
- greater public understanding of and confidence in science
- more innovation across firms, civil society, and government
Open Science in Horizon Europe
Under Horizon Europe, Open Science requirements must be outlined in the proposal stage and implemented throughout the life cycle of the project. The Open Science provisions in Horizon Europe contain both mandatory and recommended practices covering important aspects of Open Science. These practices align with the EU's Open Science policy and European data strategy, which aim to support the EU as global leaders in Research Data Management (RDM). This provides seamless access and reliable reuse of research data to European researchers, innovators, companies, and citizens through trusted and open services, including the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC).
The mandatory practices are required for all projects. While the recommended practices are not, they can be incentivised through their evaluation at the proposal stage.
Mandatory Horizon Europe Open Science practices
- Open access to scientific publications, researchers must provide users with free, reusable online access to scientific information
- Responsible data management is in line with FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable)
- Information about the research outputs/tools/instruments is available to validate the conclusions of scientific publications or validate/re-use research data
- Digital or physical access to the results is available to validate the conclusions of scientific publications, unless exceptions apply
- In cases of public emergency, if requested by the granting authority, provide immediate open access to all research outputs under open licenses. If exceptions apply, provide access under fair and reasonable conditions to legal entities that need the research outputs to address the public emergency
Recommended Horizon Europe Open Science practices
Some Open Science practices are mandatory under specific work programmes or call conditions, which may require additional obligations such as:
- early and open sharing of research
- research output management
- measures to ensure research outputs can be reproduced
- open access to research outputs beyond publications and research data, such as on the Horizon Results Platform
- participation in open peer review
- involving all relevant experts including citizens, civil society, and end users in the co-creation of research and innovation agendas and content
This list of practices is non-exhaustive and should be adopted when possible and appropriate for projects. In addition, certain work programme topics or call conditions may require additional Open Science practices.
Mandatory requirement: Planned use and dissemination of results, including communication activities
Unless a work programme/call conditions explicitly state otherwise, proposals must include a draft plan for the use and dissemination of results, including communication activities. A more detailed plan will then be required as a mandatory project deliverable (normally within six months after grant signature). In addition, beneficiaries must make their results available as soon as possible unless it goes against their legitimate interests. These Open Science practices are also included when results are transferred to other parties. The Horizons Results Platform provides beneficiaries with an open access mechanism for sharing/adding value to their results and connecting with relevant stakeholders, including to establish partnerships.
Mandatory requirement: Data management plan
To demonstrate that data is managed responsibly and in line with FAIR principles, beneficiaries must establish and regularly update a Data Management Plan (DMP). The DMP will provide timelines for transferring data into a trusted repository and for ensuring open access to the data.
A full DMP is not usually needed when submitting a proposal. However, work programmes that use the EOSC must outline the use of these repositories in their proposals.
In some cases, such as when required by a specific work programme, applicants may have to submit a full DMP with their proposals.
In line with the Creative Common Public Domain Dedication and FAIR principles, metadata linked to transferred data must be open and at minimum provide:
- datasets (title, description, date of transfer, author(s), publication venue, and embargo)
- Horizon Europe funding
- name and number of the grant project
- licencing terms
Licensing follows the DMP principle "as open as possible, as closed as necessary," unless providing open access:
- goes against the beneficiary's best interests (including commercial exploitation)
- goes against other constraints (such as EU competitive interests or the beneficiary's obligations as outlined in the Grant Agreement)
If open access to data is not provided (whether in part or in full), the DMP must include a rationale.
Open Science in Canada
Open Science is linked to the Government of Canada's commitment to openness and transparency. Canada supports collaboration across countries to ensure that publicly funded, cutting-edge research and knowledge is open. This allows scientists, policy makers, the private sector, not-for-profit organizations, and the public to benefit from and build on this knowledge. The Tri-agency council requires that research be as open as possible and as secure as necessary.
The federal granting agencies established the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications (2015) to improve access to research results, and to increase their dissemination and exchange. Grant recipients must ensure that any peer-reviewed journal publication arising from Agency-supported research is freely accessible within 12 months of publication through online repositories or journals.
In 2020, Canada's Chief Science Advisor launched the Roadmap to Open Science, which provides overarching principles and recommendations to guide Open Science activities in Canada. The recommendations are intended for science and research funded by federal government departments and agencies.
The Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy (2021) promotes sound research data management (RDM) and data stewardship practices, and is not an open data policy. It includes requirements for institutions and researchers that are similar to those of Horizon Europe, including a DMP requirement for researchers that is gradually being introduced into funding opportunities across the agencies.
In 2023, Canada's federal research granting agencies announced a review of the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications (OA Policy) to ensure that any peer-reviewed journal publications arising from agency-supported research be freely available at the time of publication, without subscription or fee.
As a first step to consulting with the research community (such as researchers, research libraries, federal and provincial partners, academic institutions, and publishers), the agencies invited community members to complete the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications: Policy Review survey to help update the OA Policy. The Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications: Policy Review Survey Results show broad support for open access, while highlighting concerns about the costs and expectations linked to publishing in prestigious journals for career advancement. Consultations with stakeholders and partners continued in 2024 and the findings will be published when available. The revised policy is anticipated to be released in 2026, with an adequate transition period before new requirements come into effect.
Other Open Science practices/requirements
There may be other Open Science practices/requirements for Horizon Europe calls related to health or food. Any project that involves a clinical trial and may result in a marketable drug or medical device must comply with the Horizon Europe policy as well as other Open Science policies.
For example, a company that wants to market a drug or medical device in Europe requires European Medicines Agency (EMA) regulatory approval. The EMA applies their own open data policy to these applications, as per the Clinical data publication page.
This is in line with the United States' (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) processes. Canada's policies lean heavily on both U.S. and European Open Science practices.
Similar requirements exist for planning, carrying out, and closing out clinical trials, and making their data public prior to marketing. This is usually done through the European Clinical trials database and American Clinical trials database. This data includes patient-level clinical study reports. Open Science is a major driver for these policies.
Additional information
- EU Funding & Tenders Portal: Horizon Results Platform
- Open Science: The EU's open science policy
- National Library of Medicine: US Clinical Trials
- European Union Clinical Trials
- Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications
- Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy (2015)
- European Open Science Cloud (EOSC)
- European data strategy