Joint Statement on Why Splitting Open Access from the ERA Act Would Cost Researchers

Joint Statement by KR21, ALLEA, LIBER and SPARC Europe: Why Splitting Open Access from the ERA Act Would Cost Researchers

The joint statement urges the European Commission to include a Secondary Publishing Right (SPR) within the forthcoming European Research Area (ERA) Act. 

“Including a harmonised European SPR in the ERA Act is strategically important. Leaving it for subsequent legislation would add complexity for the academic sector and hamper its ability to make full use of the opportunities the ERA Act provides”

The statement is published as a response to recent suggestions to separate SPR from the European Research Area Policy Agenda and postpone further action until a potential copyright reform. Calling for clarity on the legal framework governing SPR, LIBER and other European organisations emphasise the need to include EU-wide SPR within the ERA Act.

For more background on the statement, read KR21’s recent blog post: https://knowledgerights21.org/news-story/oct-2026-spr-joint-statement/

Read the full statement here: https://knowledgerights21.org/wp-content/uploads/KR21-Oct-2026-SPR-Joint-Statement-ALLEA-LIBER-SPARC-Europe-IFLA.pdf