British publisher latest on the long list of publishers with open access deals

The Hague – The VSNU and Taylor & Francis Group, one of the eight largest academic publishers in the Netherlands, have reached an agreement on open access. The new licence package for 2016 and 2017 means that researchers connected with a Dutch institution will be able to publish OA in all Taylor & Francis and Routledge hybrid journals at no cost to themselves.

Last month, under the Dutch presidency of the EU, the European Research Ministers expressed the ambition to publish all academic articles open access starting in 2020. ‘This deal, which includes concrete agreements on universal open access, brings us a step closer to the goal of 100%,’ according to Jaap Winter, principal negotiator on behalf of the VSNU. ‘More and more publishers are now choosing for open access. That Taylor & Francis have entered into this agreement with us is proof that the trend is irrevocably the way forward. It is a big step in the right direction.’
 

Negotiations
The VSNU is negotiating subscription fees with the individual academic publishers as part of the so-called ‘Big Deal’ negotiations. The universities are only prepared to renew current subscription agreements if publishers take steps towards facilitating open access. Over the course of the past year, this has led to various deals with both large and small international publishers.
 

Open access improves access to academic knowledge
The Dutch universities and the Dutch government are very much in favour of open access to academic publications. Open access was also a priority during the Dutch presidency of the EU. Open access publications are easier to find, more frequently cited and reach a larger audience. This benefits not just the academic community, but society and the economy at large.

For more information on the negotiations between VSNU and Taylor & Francis and other scientific publishers, visit Q&A's.