Concordat on Open Research Data

This Concordat sets out ten principles with which all those engaged with research should be able to work:

1. Open access to research data is an enabler of high quality research, a facilitator of innovation and safeguards good research practice
2. There are sound reasons why the openness of research data may need to be restricted but any restrictions must be justified and justifiable
3. Open access to research data carries a significant cost, which should be respected by all parties
4. The right of the creators of research data to reasonable first use is recognised
5. Use of others’ data should always conform to legal, ethical and regulatory frameworks including appropriate acknowledgement
6. Good data management is fundamental to all stages of the research process and should be established at the outset
7. Data curation is vital to make data useful for others and for long-term preservation of data
8. Data supporting publications should be accessible by the publication date and should be in a citeable form
9. Support for the development of appropriate data skills is recognised as a responsibility for all stakeholders
10. Regular reviews of progress towards open research data should be undertaken

By committing to the principles outlined in this concordat, the research community can demonstrate that they:

• Are acting in an appropriate manner concerning research data
• Conform to all ethical, legal and professional obligations relevant to their work
• Nurture a research environment that makes data open wherever practical and affordable
• Use transparent, robust and fair processes to make decisions concerning data openness
• Have appropriate mechanisms in place to provide assurances as to the integrity of their research data
• Recognise the importance of data citation and credit acknowledgement