According to the European Commission, European researchers, engineers and entrepreneurs must have easy and fast access to scientific information, to compete on an equal footing with their counterparts across the world. Therefore, they are invited as well as all other interested parties to send their contributions on how to improve access to scientific information.

The European Commission on the initiative of European Commission Vice President for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes and Commissioner for Research and Innovation, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, has launched a public consultation on access to, and preservation of, digital scientific information. Interested parties are invited to express their views on the how scientific articles could become more accessible to researchers and society at large; how research data can be made widely available and how it could be re-used; and how permanent access to digital content can be ensured and what barriers are preventing the preservation of scientific output.

The main aim of this consultation is knowing how to improve the access to scientific information. Modern digital infrastructures can play a key role in facilitating access. However, a number of challenges remain, such as high and rising subscription prices to scientific publications, an ever-growing volume of scientific data, and the need to select, curate and preserve research outputs. Open access, defined as free access to scholarly content over the Internet, can help address this. Accessing and re-using knowledge is a key objective of the Innovation Union. Actually, in September 2010 the European Commission opened another public consultation on the review of the PSI Directive, part of the Digital Agenda for Europe that aims to contribute to the EU goals of increasing competitiveness, innovation and job creation.

Neelie Kroes, European Commission Vice President for the Digital Agenda, confirmed that the European Commission vision is Open Access to scientific information so that all of us benefit as much as possible from investments in science. To accelerate scientific progress, but also for education, for innovation and for other creative re-use. She also added that for the same reason Europeans must preserve scientific records for future generations.

The European Commission intends to adopt a Communication on access to and preservation of scientific information by the end of 2011. It will be accompanied by a Recommendation on actions to be implemented by EU Member States to improve access to scientific information. The consultation will be opened until 9 September 2011.