Transparent costs needed for true open access, say funders

Publishers should not be charging institutions open-access publication fees and subscription charges at the same time, scientists’ lobby group Science Europe says.

This practice of “double dipping” by publishers “is not a working and viable pathway to open access,” says Science Europe, in a position statement published on 29 April.

The 51 national research organisations that make up Science Europe say they support the shift towards open access. But as publication costs are being borne increasingly by those submitting articles instead of those subscribing to them, it is important to keep costing clear, they caution. They want publishers to cut subscription fees for institutions already paying open-access fees.