EU Commission releases report on ERA Act consultation

Following the call for evidence on the ERA Act open between 6 August and 10 September 2025, the EU Commission released a summary of stakeholders’ responses. A fragmented copyright landscape, the lack of standardised metadata and interoperable data infrastructures, inequities arising from APCs, dominance of English in scientific publishing, reliance on commercial publishers and restrictive contractual practices were identified as obstacles to the free circulation of knowledge (Section 7.2.). Several stakeholders called for the harmonisation of legal frameworks, particularly concerning copyright exceptions and secondary publishing rights as a way forward. STM is engaging with the EU Commission regarding the potential proposal of some of these measures.