Open Access Decree of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation
Since September 2018, researchers working in universities or scientific institutions of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation in Belgium are mandated by decree to make their articles available in Open Access. Full text: Décret visant à l’établissement d’une politique de libre accès aux publications scientifiques (Open Access).
Conditions for the decree to apply
- Researchers in Wallonia-Brussels Federation research institutions
The decree applies to any researcher who has a contractual or statutory link with higher education or scientific institutions of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
- Journal articles published from 14 September 2018 onwards
The decree applies to articles published from 14 September 2018 onwards in a periodical issued at least once a year. Other publication types, such as books, book chapters and conference proceedings, are not concerned by the decree.
- Public funding, even partial
The decree applies to articles that are the result of research that has been financed even partly the French Community of Belgium. There is no minimum funding required for the decree to apply.
Your obligations
- Deposit in an institutional repository
The articles must be uploaded in the researcher’s institutional repository when accepted for publication. The publisher’s version will be deposited if the publisher agrees. Otherwise, the final peer reviewed manuscript will be deposited. This is the version after peer review, but not in the layout of the publisher.
- Immediate open access or maximum 6/12 months embargo
The articles must be available in open access in the institutional repository immediately upon publication if the publisher agrees or after an embargo of maximum 6 months (STEM) or 12 months (HSS) after the date of publication.
Impact on research assessment
The list of publications produced by the institutional archive is the only one that is officially recognised by the French Community of Belgium and that will be considered by scientific committees or commissions when assessing applications for appointments, promotions, or credits.
Find out more about:
Open Access Belgium 