Brussels Declaration on Open Access

By signing the Berlin Declaration on Open Access' in 2007, Belgian research institutions and research funders agreed to support the dissemination of publicly funded scientific research through Open Access.

Open Access to scientific research offers stakeholders an alternative for traditional ways of disseminating scientific research results, which do not always meet the demands of stakeholders.

Free, online access is the most effective way to ensure widespread and democratic consultation and usage of publicly funded research results. During the last years, research results available in Open Access gained considerable visibility internationally, which proves beneficial to individual authors, institutions and funders.

Open Access can be achieved in two nonexclusive ways, each having their own merits: by deposition in a digital open access repository or through Open Access publishing.

Open Access policies do not affect the author's freedom to choose where to  publish, nor do they interfere with patenting or other forms of commercial exploitation.

Brussels Declaration signatories commit to maximizing free availability of publicly funded research results, by: ..."