VSNU and Elsevier can’t come to an agreement on the open access policy of the publisher, the university association sayd yesterday. Scientific publications of Dutch researchers must be made freely accessible as soon as possible, according to universities and the Department of Education, Culture, and Science (OCW). VSNU only wants to extend the arrangements concerning subscription fees if publishers are willing to help achieve that goal.
 
Universities say Elsevier has come up with a proposal that “in no way complies with this essential change”. Negotiations were ended last Friday. “We will inform researchers about the consequences of this impasse”, says Gerard Meijer, chairman of Radboud University Nijmegen and main negotiator for VSNU.
 
If the issues aren’t solved, students and staff might not be able to access any new articles from Elsevier through their university library anymore from January 1st.
 
VSNU is talking to scientific publishing companies about subscription fees for scientific journals for all Dutch universities: the so-called Big Deal Negotiations. These deals enable students and staff to access many scientific articles for free at their universities.