Dutch universities and Elsevier reach deal over open access | Times Higher Education (THE)

"Dutch universities and Elsevier, the world’s largest publisher of science journals, have reached a deal over institutional subscriptions that will lead to more academics being able to publish their work on an open access basis. The new three-year agreement, announced on 10 December, breaks a year-long deadlock over a new subscription deal for all Dutch universities with the Amsterdam-based publisher. The Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU) had previously made the unprecedented demand that Elsevier and other publishers allow their academics to make their papers open access for no extra charge. Sander Dekker, the Dutch minister for education, culture and science, later decreed that 60 per cent of Dutch research articles – of which many appear in Elsevier journals – should be open access by 2019 and 100 per cent by 2024. Dutch university presidents said any renewal of subscription deals must be dependent on publishers taking steps to realise this goal. Following the announcement of the new deal, which is due to start in 2016, Dutch universities will now aim to make 30 per cent of their researchers’ publications open access by 2018, said Gerard Meijer, president of Radboud University and chief negotiator for VSNU ..."