Research Consulting
The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) commissioned Rob Johnson (Founder and Managing Director, Research Consulting) to provide advice on the organisational and financing model(s) that would operationalise Open Research Europe (ORE) as a collective publishing enterprise as of 2026.
ORE is the open access peer-reviewed publishing platform currently offered by the European Commission as an optional service to Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe beneficiaries at no cost to them. The European Commission is exploring the potential to gradually expand ORE from a publication platform for EC beneficiaries only, into a non-for-profit European publishing platform for all, with the involvement of funders from EU Member States and possibly beyond.
Drawing on case studies of non-profit services involved in the provision of infrastructure for scholarly communication, the original 2022 study set out a series of recommendations for how this work can be taken forward by the EC and its prospective funding partners. A follow up study in 2023 identified a range of internal and external factors influencing likely growth in published outputs and operating costs of ORE between 2026-2030 and proposed an operational model for the service.
This study supports the future development of ORE as the first truly pan-European non-profit publishing initiative. With collective support from the EC and national research funders, ORE can become an open, international publishing infrastructure with a genuine ability to scale. In the long term, it holds out the prospect of a truly equitable solution to the problem of access to scholarly publications for both authors and readers.
The study focuses on the business model that ORE should adopt in the future. It assesses the current funding and organisational model and proposes a model for the future of ORE. The study provides a unique insight into ORE and the possibilities for the future and will be very interesting for funders wishing to participate, and other policymakers, amongst others.
In coordination with the European Council, we are working on making Open Research Europe a real game changer for publishing open access. How can we extend it and make it more equitable? Discover the answer in this new report.
Acting Director-General Research and Innovation, European Commission
This report explores what is needed for ORE to grow beyond an EC-supported platform into one that is supported by funders and institutions across Europe.
A case study developed via a combination of desk research and interviews with representatives from Europe PMC.
A case study developed via a combination of desk research and interviews with representatives from OpenEdition.
A case study developed via a combination of desk research and interviews with representatives from SciELO Brazil.
Slides from the 17th Munin Conference showing delegates' feedback on proposals to extend Open Research Europe beyond the EC to other funders.
This spreadsheet model accompanies the report 'Scenario Modelling for Open Research Europe'
This report offers guidance on the operating and financing model(s) to establish Open Research Europe (ORE) as a collective non-profit publishing service.
