Presentation given at the event "Open Access und Open Data in Horizont 2020 - Sonderveranstaltung für Multiplikatorinnen und Multiplikatoren" which took place in Bonn on 10 September 2015. The event was organised by the German Horizon 2020 National Contact Point for Legal and Financial Matters.

1. Dr Dagmar Meyer
ERC Executive Agency, Unit A1
Open Research Data pilot –
the ERC's opt-in approach
'Open Access and Open Data in
Horizon 2020'
Bonn, 10 September 2015
The European Research Council

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ERC and research data management
and sharing
 Strong supporter of responsible research data management
and sharing since the beginning (cf. OA Statement of 2006;
OA Guidelines of 2007 / 2012 and revisions)
 Strong interest in the topic of RDM&S by ERC OA WG;
awareness of both opportunities and challenges
 Active engagement with the scientific community and experts
through workshops and expert meetings, including:
• ERC Workshop on RDM&S, September 2014 (2 days, 140
participants)
• Expert meeting (closed session), February 2015
• Meeting between ERC OA WG and former Chair of RDA
Europe, October 2015
• Major study on OA and RDM&S foreseen in WP 2016

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Statement related research data in
Open Access Guidelines (2014)
[…] The European Research Council considers that, given
the fast evolving practices in this area and the extreme
diversity of situations, as well as the different approaches in
different disciplines, it would be premature at this time to ask
ERC funded researchers to make a binding commitment to
open research data right at the start of their project.
Nevertheless, the ERC continues to strongly encourage all
ERC funded researchers to seek to establish and practice
good research data management in accordance with the
current best practices in their respective fields and to share
their data with other researchers in a responsible way.

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ERC's approach to the H2020 Open
Research Data Pilot
 Slightly different Article 29.3
• Opt-in only possible if foreseen in the Work Programme
• No explicit mention of a Data Management Plan – 'other
data' that will be covered to be specified in DoA (Annex 1)
• Exceptions to open access acceptable if any of the action
objectives may be jeopardised (not only the main objective) –
to be explained in DoA (Annex 1).
 WP 2014: no opt-in option provided
 WP 2015 & 2016: opt-in for Frontier Research Actions (not PoC)
 WP 2016 stresses possibility to opt-out again at any stage

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Motivation for different approach
 No opt-in in WP 2014 as Scientific Council not convinced that
• applicants sufficiently aware of the implications;
• appropriate support structures in place at host institutions
across Europe.
 Avoidance of the concept of a Data Management Plan as a
deliverable:
• ERC Frontier Research Grants don't have deliverables;
• introducing a DMP as a deliverable considered a departure
from principle of simplicity.
 Extension of acceptable reasons for not providing OA in case
any objective is jeopardized:
• Main objective always scientific, rare this will be jeopardized.

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Practical implementation
 When to opt-in?
• WP 2015: Notification of wish to opt-in at granting stage.
Details concerning research data added to Annex 1 or
submitted as a separate document (not official deliverable).
• WP 2016: Applicants asked to provide an indication whether
they intend to opt-in, then as for WP 2015.
 How to opt-out?
• Projects can opt-out of the pilot at any stage through an
amendment.
• Beneficiaries free themselves of any obligations acquired by
opting-in (concerning deposit of data, tools and instruments
and open access).

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Thank you for your attention!
Questions? Comments?
ERC-OPEN-ACCESS@ec.europa.eu