Across Europe, researchers may have the legal right to make their work openly accessible – even if published behind a paywall – thanks to Secondary Publication Rights (SPRs). Yet many are unaware of this right or unsure how to take advantage of it.
Join us at an online event on Monday 19 May at 10-12 CET to learn how SPRs work and how these rights are implemented in Europe (in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, and Bulgaria). Hear real-world experiences from researchers and librarians and explore how SPRs can support open science and increase the visibility of your work.
The event is open to all but particularly designed for researchers, and the university professionals who support them, including librarians, repository managers, and research administrators.
Organised by INSPIRING ERA in collaboration with the IP4OS project as part of a series of online events to support the implementation of the European Research Area (ERA) Policy Agenda.

Programme
Welcome from the INSPIRING ERA project
Setting the scene – How secondary publication right is being addressed in the ERA Policy Agenda
Bertil Egger-Beck, Policy Officer at the European Commission Directorate-General for Research and Innovation
Keynote presentation:
– what are SPRs and their purpose, how do they benefit researchers?
– Overview of SPR legislation in Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, and Bulgaria and how the rules have been implemented at research performing organisations, including the expansion of open access repositories.
– Potential for EU-wide SPR
Martin Senftleben, Professor of Intellectual Property Law, University of Amsterdam and Caterina Sganga, Professor of Comparative Private Law, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, both authors of Towards a European Research Freedom Act: A Proposal for an EU-wide Secondary Publication Right
Q&A
Moderated Panel discussion featuring experiences and perspectives from:
- Stephen Wyper, IFLA (The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions)
- Professor Frantzeska Papadopoulou Skarp, Stockholm University
- Researcher (TBC)
- Moderator – Vanessa-Ariane Guzek Hernando, Miller International Knowledge, Legal and Policy Director for IP4OS
This online event is organised by the EU INSPIRING ERA project supporting the implementation of the ERA Policy Agenda in collaboration with the IP4OS project.