Activities/OpenScience_InterimEvaluation_Horizon2020

FSFE' s position on the interim evaluation of Horizon2020

Deadline: January 15, 2017

Open_Science_Logo.pngCurrently, the European Commission Directorate-General for Research & Innovation is running a public consultation about the interim evaluation of Horizon 2020 that is open until 15.01.2017.

The results of this consultation will feed into the report on the interim evaluation of Horizon 2020, "will help the EC to improve the implementation of Horizon 2020 and will set the scene for the future discussions on the next EU research and innovation funding post-2020". This is why the Free Software Foundation Europe considers this public consultation as a good opportunity to put forward its suggestions regarding Free Software, taking its stance on the European Commission' s policy in a long-term scheme.


What is Horizon 2020?

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Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU Research and Innovation programme ever with nearly €80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 to 2020) – with additional further private investments. Its primary goal is to invest large amounts of EU funds in scientific research for scientific advances and technological inventions that ensure growth and innovation in all the scientific fields.

Software constitutes an integral part of modern research across all disciplines. In Horizon 2020, the majority of the software and hardware used for scientific research is acquired and developed using public money. Therefore the FSFE believes that software developed in the framework of Horizon2020 should be published under Free Software licences.Ensuring the accessibility of other public and private institutions to reuse, study, further develop and improve the software will foster scientific research and benefit society as a whole.

Take action!

If you are a concerned individual, or a representative of an organisation and you would like to contribute to send out the message to the European Commission that Free Software and Open Standards must be a fundamental part of Horizon 2020 and all scientific research, then please find some help on this page to do so. Please choose:

Background: FSFE's position paper in a nutshell

The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a charity that empowers users to control technology by advocating for Free Software. In a digital world, Free Software is the fundament of Open Knowledge, Open Innovation and Open Science.

The FSFE prepared a paper that summarises its key recommendations concerning the midterm evaluation of the Horizon 2020 program as well as the European Commission' s efforts to draft the Framework Programme 2018-2020. Following these recommendations helps to unlock the full potential of Open Science and Open Access investments, which are in the core of Horizon 2020.

Therefore, in order to safeguard a sustainable future of scientific and technological innovation in Europe and worldwide, the FSFE formulates the following recommendations: wordcloud.jpg

  1. Open Standards should be mandatory for all knowledge exchange, and in particular for the dissemination of scientific publications and the archival of all articles, data, and software used in scientific research. The use of Open Standards in data and software repositories and Data Management Plans (DMPs) concerning the Horizon 2020 publications, is the only way to ensure data preservation and Open Science. Research Funding Organisations should take the lead and foster changes of business models when dealing with research data.
  2. Software developed with public funding, and in particular in the framework of the Horizon2020 program should be mandatorily published under a Free Software licence.
  3. Software developed with public funding, and in particular in the framework of the Horizon2020 program should be mandatorily archived in a public software repository ensuring long term availability and persistent identification.
  4. Data and software repositories and Data Management Plans (DMPs) must employ Free Software in order to ensure unfettered access to their contents and long term preservation.
  5. Establish "Open Science" Prizes for the promotion of Open Science and raise awareness among stakeholders.

Find the complete position paper here: URL

Public consultation on Horizon2020: Our walk-through

Fill and submit the questionnaire

The questionnaire is to be filled and submitted online until the 15.01.2017. The consultation is open to everyone, who wishes to participate. It mostly consists of multiple choice sections and takes approx. 10-15 minutes. The multiple choice selection have barely to do with Free Software. You can read the multiple choice questions and select the fields you wish. It is also possible to answer "I don't know".science-world.jpg

Some questions have the option to answer with a free text. We provide indicative answers for this section below. You can simply copy&paste them into your reply.

Most important: At the end of the questionnaire, you are given the possibility to submit a longer paper. Our position paper[link] is written to be uploaded here.

Indicative answers

Among multiple choice questions, the questionnaire also contains fields for free-text replies, supporting max. 200 or 500 characters. These are the parts, where we can include some more specific ideas about Free Software. We prepared some indicative answers, which we encourage you to use, when filling the questionnaire. Simply copy and paste these answers into your questionnaire.

11.1 Please provide here any other comments (if any) on the relevance of Horizon 2020 priorities and forms of funding. 500 character(s) maximum

Open Standards should be mandatory for all knowledge exchange and its archival. Research Funding Organisations should foster changes of their business models for research data. Software developed with public funding should be mandatorily published under a Free Software licence and mandatorily archived in a public software repository, which must employ Free Software. Last, ensuring sufficient funding for the establishment of "Open Science" Prizes is deemed necessary.

13. Please provide here any further comments (if any) on the implementation of Horizon 2020. 500 character(s) maximum

Maximum transparency during the evaluation process and case-by-case assessment of interests balance must ensure full Open Access to all scientific publications, no matter if the latter are financed by public or public-private funds. The Horizon 2020 research results, including software, must be freely accessible to everyone, and all the research data reusable.

18.1 Please provide here any further comments (if any) on the EU added value of Horizon 2020. 500 character(s) maximum

Horizon 2020 primary goal is to invest large amounts of EU funds in scientific research for the common good. Consequently, the produced knowledge should be treated as a public good that will boost innovation and lead progress. Thus, the results of cooperative efforts must be made available to all scientists. In the digital age, this approach is translated as demand for Open Access and Open Science based on Open Standards and Free Software.

19. What would be the impact for you or your organisation if the EU support to research and innovation (Horizon 2020 and its possible successor) were to be discontinued? 500 character(s) maximum

Software, in a direct or indirect way, constitutes an integral part of nearly all Horizon 2020 research projects. If the EU support to research and innovation was to be discontinued, this could have a detrimental effect on Open Science and Open Access, the two main principles of Horizon 2020 and in consequence to the use and development of Free Software itself, setting paramount obstacles to discoveries, innovation, growth and international scientiic cooperation.

24. In your opinion, what is the most important issue/problem/opportunity to be addressed by the EU framework programmes for research and innovation? Indicate one area/topic. 200 character(s) maximum

Software should be taken as a fundamental part of any research methodology. In order to have a valid scientific research, where accessibility, reproduction and transparency are ensured, the research has to be conducted using Free Software, to ensure fully transparent access to its methodology.

25.1 Please provide here any further comments (if any) on issues you find important regarding a possible successor programme to Horizon 2020. 500 character(s) maximum

Open Standards should be mandatory for the dissemination of scientific publications and the archival of all articles, data, and software used in scientific research. Software developed with public funding, should be published under a Free Software licence and archived in a public software repository ensuring long term availability and persistent identification. Data and software repositories must employ Free Software in order to ensure access to their contents and long term preservation.

Please share with us a short, telegraphic testimonial. What does Horizon 2020 mean to you? What is its main feature? 200 character(s)maximum

Horizon 2020 is a pool of innovation and cooperation and could be the highest expression of Open Access and Open Science. The only way for Horizon 2020 to stand up to its set-up goals is to fully embrace Open Standards and Free Software, for a sustainable future of digital preservation.

Endorse our Position Paper

Open_Access.png We encourage individuals, organisations, public institutions and educational institutions to boost European scientific process by standing up for software freedom. You can endorse our Position Paper not just by taking part in the consultation but also by sharing it on your website in social media or press.

If you have any questions, please send an email to contact@fsfe.org

If you wish to support this Position Paper publicly as an organisation with your logo, please contact us.


Share

It goes without saying that the more people fill and submit the questionnaire and attach our Position Paper in it, the bigger impact we will manage to have on the EC' s policy concerning Free Software and Open Standards in scientific research. So, please feel free to share this wiki page with friends, family and others who endorse the same views, or to share our Position Paper across the internet and let people know about our recommendations.

If you just have 5 minutes

Are you already convinced, but you only have 5 minutes of spare time? Then why not spend these minutes to support Free Software and FSFE towards Horizon2020?

Thank you for supporting Free Software!