Policy & Advocacy

STM works in partnership across the research ecosystem to advocate for policies which advance trusted research. In dialogue with governments, funders, institutions, researchers, and beyond, we aim to enable and drive openness, innovation and sustainability through the following activities:

Representation & voice

Serving as the collective voice for our members, representing their interests to government bodies, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders. 

Policy development & analysis

Developing policy positions and recommendations that align with the interests of our members. We analyze current and proposed legislation to understand its impact on the industry and provide expert insights.

Advocacy and lobbying

Actively engaging with lawmakers, regulators, and other decision-makers to advocate for policies that support the industry’s growth and sustainability. This can involve direct lobbying, participating in public consultations, and submitting formal comments on proposed regulations.

Stakeholder engagement

Building and maintaining relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including government officials, industry partners, and the public. 

Policy updates

Ensuring that members are informed about relevant policy developments, regulatory changes, and other critical issues that could affect their strategies and operations. 

Education and training

Providing educational resources and training to members on compliance with regulations, best practices in advocacy, and understanding the policy landscape.

Research and data analysis

Conducting and commissioning research to support advocacy efforts, providing data and evidence to back policy positions and demonstrate the industry’s value and impact. 

Coalition building

Forming coalitions with other organizations and industries to strengthen advocacy efforts and present a united front on common issues.

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EXPLORE STM POLICY & ADVOCACY POSITIONS, STATEMENTS, GUIDELINES & MORE

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Drill deeper

Meet the STM Chapters

STM Chapters connect regional members with STM leadership, support local needs, and ensure strategies reflect cultural and regional contexts.

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Our work protecting author rights and IP

View this collection of resources and positions around intellectual property.

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Our work on AI

STM explores AI’s impact on scholarly communication, providing insights and resources to help members navigate opportunities and challenges in this evolving era.

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Latest policy updates from around the globe

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EU COM launches consultation on European Research Area (ERA) Act

Stakeholders are invited to respond to a questionnaire about key aspects that the ERA Act (planned Q3 2026) should cover. The most relevant section for STM is 3.2. on “Ensuring the free circulation of researchers and scientific knowledge”, which includes questions about barriers to access and re-use of scientific publications and (both legislative and non-legislative) ways to…

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STM responds to AI labelling consultation

Article 50 of the AI Act establishes obligations for transparent labelling of AI-operated systems and AI-generated content. Publishers’ use of AI in the publishing process is very likely to fall under exemptions from such obligations, but translations remain a grey area and good practices are encouraged.

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EU adopts strategy for AI in science

The EU will establish a Resource for AI in Europe (RAISE), a virtual institute/network that coordinates key elements of the strategy: talent, compute/infrastructure, data, and funding. This will be complemented by the Data Union Strategy, expected by October/November, which aims to “ensure the availability of high-quality, large-scale datasets essential for training AI models.” | Access the…

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EU launches consultation on science diplomacy

STM will make a submission, drawing also from discussions at our Annual Conference in Frankfurt this week. The deadline for submissions is 3 November. | Read more about this initiative here

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