Slovenia adopts the Decree on the Implementation of Scientific Research Work and an Action Plan for Open Science

At the end of May 2023 the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the Decree on the Implementation of Scientific Research Work in accordance with the Principles of Open Science (see the English translation here) as well as the Action Plan for Open Science (see the English translation here).

Both documents are based on the new Scientific Research and Innovation Activities Act that came into force at the beginning of 2022 and The Resolution on the Slovenian Scientific Research and Innovation Strategy 2030, which came into force at the end of March 2022. 

The Decree aims to be fully international aligned with:

• The provisions of the Horizon Europe Framework Programme for Research and Innovation in the field of Open Science, which are already known to Slovenian researchers and

• The principles of cOAlition S/Plan S which supports effective scientific publishing in open access and which the Public Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Research and Innovation ARIS (the legal successor of the recently reformed ARRS agency) joined in 2018.

The Decree introduces a transition period to allow time for the necessary adaptations and to make the transition to the full implementation of its provisions smoother.

To support the implementation of the Act, the Decree, and the Strategy, particularly during the transitional period, a new Action Plan for Open Science and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRF) were also introduced. The Action Plan aims at addressing the following issues:

• Internationally aligned national Open Science ecosystem 
• Evaluation of scientific research activities in accordance with the Open Science principles 
• Compliance of scientific research results with the FAIR principles and openness 
• National Open Science community 
• Citizen science 
• Open access national scientific publishing 

Within the framework of RRF, which is part of the Action Plan, a project has just started to support public research organizations in adapting their operations by following the principles of open science. In addition, two new repositories for research data are planned to be set up using RRF funds. 

For more information on the Decree and Action Plan see here and here.