THE Open Research Europe (ORE), the leading European platform for open access scientific publishing supported by the European Commission, has entered a new phase, now supported by a funding consortium composed of national agencies and European research organizations, including the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). In addition to Portugal, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland have joined this initiative. CERN (European Council for the Recherche Nucléaire) It was the entity selected to host and operate the platform in this new phase.
With the launch of the new ORE platform, eligibility for publication, previously limited to authors funded by the European Union, is now extended to researchers affiliated with institutions in countries participating in the consortium. Therefore, any author based in Portugal can publish on this platform at no cost to themselves or their affiliated institution.
Aligned with Diamond Open Access Action Plan (2022), the initiative reinforces a community-led alternative to the traditional model of academic publishing. The goal is to promote equity, diversity, and transparency in scientific communication, while maintaining high standards of quality and integrity.
Madalena Alves, President of the FCT, emphasizes that “this new phase of Open Research Europe This represents a significant advancement for science and research in Portugal, by expanding open access publication opportunities to the entire national scientific community. It is aligned with initiatives with the same objective already developed by the FCT, such as... Policy on Open Access to Scientific Publications and the b-on serviceThis reinforces the commitment to a more transparent, inclusive, and accessible scientific system. The fact that eligibility is not limited to authors funded by the FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) is also a differentiating element that promotes greater breadth in access to scientific publication.
The European Commission participates as a permanent observer in governance and provides dedicated financial support. CERN will provide the technical and operational infrastructure of the platform, built on the basis of software open source Open Journal Systems (OJS), while governance and editorial oversight will remain the responsibility of the ORE consortium.
About the Open Research Europe (ORE)
The ORE consortium follows the innovative model. Publish–Review–CurateThis initiative promotes rigor and transparency in scientific publication. Articles are first checked for integrity and compliance, then published and subject to open peer review. Review reports are made public, and approved articles are organized into thematic collections. This approach combines quality assurance with openness, also allowing for post-publication review. Publication under this initiative is expected to begin by the end of 2026.
Launched by the European Commission in 2021 to offer beneficiaries of EU research programs a free open access publishing platform, ORE was designed to make publicly funded research more transparent, accessible, and sustainable through an innovative publishing model. Beyond the technical infrastructure, the initiative is expected to deepen collaboration between CERN, the European Commission, national representatives, and research organizations. In partnership with... OPERAS research infrastructureIn addition, outreach and engagement activities will be expanded across Europe to attract eligible authors to the platform.
