Explained

Scientific discovery and research impact are highly dependent on the open sharing of scientific data and research outputs. However, a significant portion of scientific data is not shared openly, not stored in a trusted and sustainable repository, poorly annotated, or not formatted in a standardised way that allows for machine-readability.

In the ERA Policy Agenda (2025-2027), open science is addressed through a dedicated structural policy on enabling open science via sharing and reuse of data, including through the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). It aims to make open science practices and skills the new normal via a federated, community-driven infrastructure and to identify measures to ensure a legal framework that enables open sharing and reuse of scientific results.

Additionally, the ERA Policy Agenda includes an ERA Action dedicated to Applying Equity in Open Science. Implementing open science requires strong policy support, a significant investment in and improved access to resources – notably infrastructures – coordination, technological readiness, open science and digital skills, effective incentives, and recognition and award systems for researchers. These factors vary widely among countries and organisations, creating the need for more equitable approaches in the ERA.

In the first ERA Policy Agenda (2022-2024), preparatory actions focused on providing the groundwork for an ecosystem and a legal framework for open sharing, seamless access, and reliable re-use of research data.

Horizon Europe plays a key role in delivering on open science with projects and studies that:

develop and pilot the main building blocks, as well as tools and services of EOSC;
support the transition towards responsible research data management based on the FAIR principles and the development of skills for open science and FAIR data management practices;
monitor policies and practices across Europe around open science and EOSC;
examine the key drivers that hamper the reproducibility of research results, develop pilot tools to increase their reproducibility and robustness, and to support open access in scientific publishing;
provide evidence and capacity building to address the legal barriers for researchers to access and reuse publicly funded research results and make results available in open access. These include studies (see under resources below) as well as projects regarding IP management and open access publishing that improve awareness and capacities among research performing organisations in the ERA (e.g., project IP4OS).

The work programme 2026-2027 is expected to support open science by contributing to expanding EOSC as a federation of national and thematic nodes, upgrading its ecosystem, and enhancing its AI-readiness and machine actionability. There will also be projects to strengthen non-profit open access institutional publishing and the capacity of research performing organisations to work strategically on open access.

On this page, you can find relevant resources and tools, ongoing projects, and insights on outcomes and impacts of Horizon Europe support for open science.

Resources and tools

EOSC EU Node

Reference node for EOSC that offers access to a diverse range of research outputs, services, and tools. By the European Commission.

EOSC Open Science Observatory

One-stop-shop providing intelligence on Open Science implementation. The EOSC OS Observatory is developed by the Horizon Europe EOSC TRACK project building upon the work of the Horizon 2020 EOSC FUTURE project on the EOSC Observatory .

EOSC Catalogue of Best Practices

Illustrative examples on practices targeting publications, data, software, infrastructures. By Horizon 2020 project EOSC Future.

Open Science Indicator Handbook

Cover various indicators measuring aspects around Open Science itself, their academic, societal and economic impacts, and reproducibility. By Horizon Europe project PathOS.

Reproducibility Pilots

Eight pilot activities designed to develop, implement, and evaluate new reproducibility-related tools and practices. By Horizon Europe project TIER2.

EOSC Macro-Roadmap

A collection of key results of EOSC-related Horizon projects. Joint effort of EOSC Association, the EOSC-related Horizon Europe projects, and the European Commission.

Improving access to and reuse of research results, publications and data for scientific purposes

The study evaluates the effects of the EU copyright framework on research and the effects of potential interventions and to identify and present relevant provisions for research in EU data and digital legislation, with a focus on rights and obligations.

EU copyright and related rights and access to and reuse of scientific publications, including open access

The study analyses the role that EU copyright rules play in enabling or hindering access to and re-use of scientific publications, including through Open Access.

EU copyright and related rights and access to and reuse of data

The study analyses the interaction between copyright and related rights law and data access and reuse for scientific research purposes. It proposes legislative and non-legislative measures to improve the current EU regulatory framework.

Open Data Directive, Data Governance and Data Act and their possible impact on research

The study analyses the possible impact of three major legislative instruments in the European Strategy for data (the Open Data Directive, the Data Governance Act and the proposed Data Act) for the field of research, especially for research performing organisations and research funding organisations.

The Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act and their possible impact on research

The study analyses the possible impact of the proposed Digital Services Act and the proposed Digital Markets Act on research and research stakeholders’ operations and provides recommendations on how to make the legislative instruments and their implementation better adapted for researchers.