G8 Science Ministers Statement

"We, the G8 Science Ministers met in London on Wednesday 12 June with Presidents of our respective national science academies....[W]e approved a statement which proposes to the G8 for consideration new areas for collaboration and agreement on global challenges, global research infrastructure, open scientific research data, and increasing access to the peer-reviewed, published results of scientific research....

3. Open Scientific Research Data

Open enquiry is at the heart of scientific endeavour, and rapid technological change has profound implications for the way that science is both conducted and its results communicated. It can provide society with the necessary information to solve global challenges. We are committed to openness in scientific research data to speed up the progress of scientific discovery, create innovation, ensure that the results of scientific research are as widely available as practical, enable transparency in science and engage the public in the scientific process. We have decided to support the set of principles for open scientific research data outlined below as a basis for further discussions.

i. To the greatest extent and with the fewest constraints possible publicly funded scientific research data should be open, while at the same time respecting concerns in relation to privacy, safety, security and commercial interests, whilst acknowledging the legitimate concerns of private partners.

ii. Open scientific research data should be easily discoverable, accessible, assessable, intelligible, useable, and wherever possible interoperable to specific quality standards.

iii. To maximise the value that can be realised from data, the mechanisms for delivering open scientific research data should be efficient and cost effective, and consistent with the potential benefits.

iv. To ensure successful adoption by scientific communities, open scientific research data principles will need to be underpinned by an appropriate policy environment, including recognition of researchers fulfilling these principles, and appropriate digital infrastructure.

We decide to build on the existing work to coordinate and enable international data collaboration.

4. Expanding Access to Scientific Research Results

We recognise that effective global scientific research and public understanding of science and commercial innovation by enterprises is supported by free and rapid public access to published, publicly funded research. The generation, sharing and exploitation of scientific knowledge are integral to the creation of wealth and the enhancement of our quality of life. We recognise that G8 nations have an important opportunity and responsibility to promote policies that increase access to the results of publicly funded research results to spur scientific discovery, enable better international collaboration and coordination of research, enhance the engagement of society and help support economic prosperity.

i. We endorse the principle that increasing access to the peer-reviewed, published results of publicly funded published research will accelerate research, drive innovation, and benefit the economy.

ii. We recognise the importance of peer review and the valuable role played by publishers, including Learned Societies. Increasing free access to peer-reviewed, published research results will require sustainable solutions.

iii. We recognise the potential benefits of immediate global access to and unrestricted use of published peer-reviewed, publicly funded research results in line with the necessity of IP protection.

iv. We recognise that there are different routes to open access (green, gold and other innovative models) which need to be explored and potentially developed in a complementary way.

v. We recognise that the long-term preservation of the increasingly digitized body of scientific publications and data requires careful consideration at the national and international levels to ensure that the scientific results of our time will be available also to future generations.

vi. We recognise that further work is required to optimise increasing public access to peer-reviewed, publicly funded published research and its underlying data and that international coordination and cooperation will provide for an efficient transition to “open access”.

vii. We share the intention, therefore, to continue our cooperative efforts and will consider how best to address the global promotion of increasing public access to the results of publicly funded published research including to peer-reviewed published research and research data.

We recognise the role of our national science academies and research organisations across these important agendas, working regionally, nationally