From: Kim Beadle <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2012 11:56:06 +0200

The International Association of Scientific, Technical & Medical
Publishers (STM) welcomes the UK Government's support for the
recommendations in the Finch Access Group Report, as detailed by
Minister David Willetts' letter published yesterday
(http://news.bis.gov.uk/Press-Releases/Government-to-open-up-publicly-funded-research-67d1d.aspx).

Although resolution of the VAT issue for electronic products must be
referred to the EU level, the UK Science Minister has clearly
indicated the Government's backing for the balanced package of
measures commended by STM in its comments on the Report
(http://www.stmassoc.org/2012_06_18_STM_Press_Release_on_Finch_Report.pdf).

We particularly welcome the UK Government's adoption of Finch's
conclusions about Green Open Access embargo periods and the
recognition that Green Open Access has no business model to support
the publications on which it crucially depends. As Willetts writes:
"Where APC [Article Processing Charge] funds are not available to the
publisher or learned society, for the publication of publicly-funded
research, then publishers could reasonably insist on a longer more
equitable embargo period. This could be up to 12 months for science,
technology and engineering publications and longer for publications in
those disciplines which require more time to secure payback."

STM shares the same concerns voiced by the UK Publishers Association
(http://www.publishers.org.uk/index.php
option=com_content&view=article&id=2285:the-pa-welcomes-a-clear-uk-government-policy-on-access-to-research-publications&catid=503:pa-press-releases-and-comments&Itemid=1618)
regarding the lack of funding of licence extensions and how the UK
Research Councils will implement the Finch package of proposals.

Further work will be required to turn these policy recommendations
into practical outcomes; STM publishers look forward to working with
all parties in the UK to achieve these.

ENDS

STM is an international association of over 120 scientific, technical,
medical and scholarly publishers, collectively responsible for more
than 60% of the global annual output of research articles, 55% of the
active research journals and the publication of tens of thousands of
print and electronic books, reference works and databases. We are the
only international trade association equally representing all types of
STM publishers - large and small companies, not for profit
organizations, learned societies, traditional, primary, secondary
publishers and new entrants to global publishing.

www.stm-assoc.org

Contact Kim Beadle for more information - [log in to unmask]