Summary
This article describes the different routes you can take to publish Open Access.
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Table of Contents
Open Access publishing
Open Access (OA) is a publishing model for scholarly communication that makes research information available to readers at no cost, as opposed to the traditional paywalled subscription model. Open Access literature is digital, online, free of charge for readers, and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions, though specific reuse terms depend on the individual licence. Wageningen University & Research has its own Open Access policy. Please note that the OA requirements of your funder take precedence over the WUR OA policy. This article shows the various routes you can take to publish Open Access.
Gold Open Access
Gold Open Access means that the final published version of your published article is immediately and permanently accessible for free (for readers) on the publisher’s website. As an author, you generally have to pay Article Processing Charges (APC), but usually retain copyright. Go for more information on copyright to the Copyright Information Point. For more than 11.000 scientific journals, WUR has made agreements (‘deals’) to publish Open Access at no or reduced costs. Please check the WUR Journal Browser, which conditions apply to you.
Hybrid Open Access
Hybrid journals are subscription-based journals that offer an Open Access option for individual articles. As an author, you can choose between: a) publishing immediately OA upon payment of the APC or b) publishing behind a paywall, which requires readers to pay subscription fees for reading access. WUR has made Open Access agreements with many hybrid journals, reducing or eliminating the APC for WUR authors if you fulfil certain conditions. Please check the WUR Journal Browser to find out more.
Green Open Access
If your peer-reviewed article was initially published behind a paywall, a version of your article can be made accessible for free after a set embargo period via the WUR repository (Research@WUR). Since the copyright remains with the publisher, restrictions on reuse often apply. You can use the green route in the following three ways:
- Through using the Taverne Amendment, you can share the final published version (PDF) of your peer-reviewed article, provided certain conditions are met. Due to legal requirements, different workflows for WU- and WR-authors apply; more information under the Taverne Amendment.
- If the Taverne Amendment is not applicable, you can deposit (self-archive) the peer-reviewed and accepted version, i.e. the Author Accepted Manuscript (AAM), into the WUR repository Research@WUR after the embargo period set by the publisher.
- If your work has been funded by a Plan S organisation, such as NWO or Horizon Europe, you may be able to make a version of your manuscript Open Access by using the Rights Retention Strategy. Conditions apply; please check this FAQ and contact openaccess.library@wur.nl before you submit your manuscript.
Diamond Open Access
Diamond Open Access journals offer a completely free model: they are fully Open Access and do not charge authors any APCs. The costs of publishing and hosting these journals are usually funded by sources such as academic institutions, academic societies or funding organisations.
Preprints
Although technically not an Open Access route, preprints are part of the open publishing landscape. A preprint is an academic manuscript that is made openly available on a preprint server, typically before peer-review. This enables new scientific knowledge to be shared in a timely and open way. Most journals accept papers that have already been posted as preprints; you can verify a specific journal’s policy in e.g. Open Policy Finder – please check the WUR Journal Browser.
In the following table, you can find an overview of the different Open Access routes and their characteristics.
* If an OA deal exists the author does not have to pay for APCs
** Publishing and hosting is typically borne by one or more organisations or associations
***CC=Creative Commons
Taverne Amendment
Article 25fa of the Dutch Copyright Act, also known as the Taverne Amendment, allows researchers to share short scientific works, regardless of any restrictive publisher’s guidelines. Short scientific works include articles, book chapters or book sections in an edited book and conference publications. Article 25fa of the Dutch Copyright Act states that:
The maker of a short scientific work, the research for which has been paid for in whole or in part by Dutch public funds, shall be entitled to make that work available to the public for no consideration following a reasonable period of time after the work was first published, provided that clear reference is made to the source of the first publication of the work.
A reasonable period of time is nationally defined as six months after the first (online) publication. For additional information on the Taverne Amendment, please see the national Open Access website.
Different workflow for WU and WR authors
Due to legal requirements, different workflows for WU and WR authors apply. For WU authors, the opt-out route is set in place. For WR authors, the opt-in route is available. WUR Library will inform WU and WR authors by email when one of their publications is shared Open Access through the Taverne amendment.
WU authors | open access by default | opt-out route
The publisher's version of your eligible short scientific works, published after 1 January 2023, will be shared Open Access in the WUR repository Research@WUR by default. You do not need to give permission for publications to be made public. You however have the right to opt-out by filling in this form and exclude one or more of your works from Open Access availability. The regulation for WU authors was adopted by the Executive Board on 27 November 2023 after prior approval by the WUR Council. See the Open Access procedural regulation (English) or the Open Access procedureregeling (Dutch). WUR Library will inform WU authors by email when one of their publications is shared Open Access through the Taverne amendment.
WR authors | permission needed | opt-in route
To open your closed publications in Research@WUR under the Taverne Amendment, you need to authorise WUR Library to do so:
- Please fill in your personal participation form and select your preference per publication. You can select peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and conference proceedings published from 1 January 2020 onwards.
- You can give permission at any time, including upon publication.
- WUR Library will make the full text of the indicated publications publicly available in the WUR repository Research@WUR after a six-month embargo period. From there, the publications will automatically be indexed in major databases and search engines.
- If you want to withdraw your consent, you can fill in a revoke consent form at any time. As such, you will keep full control over which of your publications will be opened under the Taverne Amendment. For additional information, see the national Open Access website.
Conditions for participation for WR authors
Authorship
At least one author is or has been employed at Wageningen Research during the creation of the work. The author is a corresponding or a co-author.
Short scientific work
Peer-reviewed scientific articles, book chapters in edited collections and conference contributions.
Funding
The research on which the publication is based is funded partly or entirely with Dutch public funds.
Repository
The publications are made open access available in the WUR repository Research@WUR. Because the copyright remains with the publisher, you're advised to always use the link to the publication in Research@WUR to share it.
WUR guarantees support
The legal basis of the Taverne Amendment has been thoroughly researched and tested in a Dutch pilot. During this 2019 pilot and the 2020 implementation of the opt-in workflow, no legal objections were raised by any publisher. Should a publisher nevertheless still object, you can contact the Open Access support team, who will also involve the Department of Legal Affairs and other stakeholders. WUR guarantees the researcher full legal and financial support and will take over the correspondence with the publisher. This guarantee applies to both WU and WR corresponding and co-authors.
Plan S funding
The Taverne opt-in and opt-out routes do not meet the requirements of Plan S funders, such as NWO and Horizon Europe.
Frequently asked questions about Taverne
Why do WR authors need to sign an online agreement?
Article 25fa of the Dutch Copyright Act is a personal right, which permits you to publish your short scientific work(s) Open Access in a Dutch university repository, provided that you fulfil the conditions for participation (see the text above this FAQ). WUR Library needs your permission to make your work openly available. If you leave WUR, the publications disclosed during your employment will remain in Research@WUR. You can always retroactively decide to exclude scientific work(s) from your permission by using the WUR revoke consent form or by contacting WUR Library. This can also be done if you no longer work at WUR.
Do I need permission from my co-authors to open my publications through Taverne?
No, Dutch law gives you the right to make your short scientific work(s) Open Access, regardless of the rights of your national or international co-authors. However, WUR Library recommends that you inform your co-authors. Short scientific works of WU authors will be shared open access by default, six months after the first publication online or in print.
Can I share my publications, which are made Open Access through Taverne, on commercial platforms?No, you are not allowed to share your publications on commercial platforms, such as ResearchGate. You can, however, link to the Open Access publications in Research@WUR.
Do all Dutch universities participate in the Taverne Agreement?
Yes, all Dutch universities participate. For more information, visit this webpage.
Why an embargo period of six months?
Six months strikes a balance between the societal interest to share academic work quickly and the publisher's interest to recoup the costs incurred in exclusively publishing the final version. In many fields, a six-month embargo period is already the standard for publishers and funders. The embargo period commences when the article is first published (online).
Is the Taverne Amendment Plan S compliant?
No, Plan S requires you to retain your copyright and publish without any embargo under a CC BY licence. This cannot be achieved by the Taverne Amendment because it uses a six-month embargo period.
May I share my work if the publisher has established an embargo period longer than six months?
Yes, the Taverne Amendment applies if the short scientific work (article or book chapter) meets all the conditions. These conditions are mentioned above. The Taverne Amendment overrules any requirements a publisher may have.
Questions & Support
Do you have questions about this service, or would you like personal support? Feel free to contact us. You can send an email to openaccess.library@wur.nl.
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