Young researcher groups reaffirm support for Plan S

Leaked letter to Commission shows major pushback against ERC Scientific Council’s doubt over open-access initiative

Europe’s main groups for young researchers have reaffirmed their support of the open access initiative Plan S, in a rebuke to the senior body of what is perhaps the EU’s most prestigious funding agency.

In a letter jointly addressed to European research commissioner Mariya Gabriel and its highest R&D officer Jean-Eric Paquet, the groups urge them to push on with Plan S despite losing the support of the Scientific Council of the European Research Council, an independent body of researchers that helps to set the EU funder’s strategic direction.