News
New Taverne regulation – short scientific work by WU authors by default open access
Starting 1 January 2024, short scientific publications by WU authors will be shared open access by default in Research@WUR. The new workflow is easier and requires fewer administrative actions from WU authors. In addition, it's expected that more publications will become open access. Read here what the updated workflow means for you.
What does this mean for WU authors?
WU authors no longer need to give permission for each publication to be made open access. By default, the Library will share the publisher's pdf in Research@WUR six months after the first publication. This applies to new publications as of 1 January 2024 and retroactively to publications published in 2023. WUR Library will inform you when your publication is open access available in Research@WUR. You have the right to opt-out and exclude your work from open access availability.
What does this mean for WR authors?
Due to legal restrictions, the new workflow cannot be applied for short scientific publications by WR authors or co-authors. For WR authors, the current Taverne route (opt-in) remains in place. You can permit WUR Library to share your publication open access provided it meets the conditions, by filling in the Taverne tool.
WUR guarantees support
The legal basis of the Taverne Amendment has been thoroughly researched and tested from 2019 onwards. Since then, no legal objections have been raised by any publisher. Should a publisher nevertheless still object, you can contact the Open Access support team. WUR guarantees WUR researchers full legal and financial support and will take over the correspondence with the publisher. This guarantee applies to both WU and WR authors.
New Taverne regulation
The new regulation for WU authors was adopted by the Executive Board on 27 November 2023 after prior approval by the WUR Council. See the Open Access procedural regulation (English) or the Open Access procedureregeling (Dutch).
Researchers are generally positive about the Taverne route but also consider the current process rather laborious. The new opt-out regulation creates a simpler and less burdensome workflow.
Taverne route
The Taverne route is based on article 25fa of the Dutch Copyright Act, also known as the Taverne Amendment. This amendment allows researchers to openly share their short scientific publications after ‘a reasonable period of time’, regardless of any publisher restrictions and provided that the work has been wholly or partly financed by Dutch public funds. Short scientific publications include peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, book sections in edited volumes and conference publications. A reasonable period of time is nationally defined as six months after the work’s first print or online publication. Sharing publications by the Taverne regulation is for free.
Open Access @ WUR
It's important both for researchers and for WUR that research results are published Open Access (OA) as much as possible. To this end, WUR has adopted its Open Access policy in 2020, under which researchers are obliged to make their works available OA under certain conditions. WUR facilitates researchers in publishing OA, for example, by the Library’s Read & Publish deals with publishers and by offering the Taverne routes.
Contact & advice
We’re currently updating the information on our website and the intranet to comply with the new Taverne policy. If you have any questions about the Taverne regulation, please contact the Open Access specialists of WUR Library.