Be active in the Diamond Open Access publishing ecosystem

Organisations must demonstrate active involvement in the Diamond OA publishing ecosystem in one or more of the following capacities:

• as a Publisher: Responsible for preparing, producing, and distributing Diamond OA scholarly content to the public, including publishing or supporting journals, books, or any publications with no fees for authors or readers.
• as a Service Provider: Entity that provides infrastructure and support for Diamond OA publishing, including but not limited to editorial and production services, IT support, marketing or outreach services, and financial management.
• as a Tools and Technology Provider: Provider of software, standards, and technological solutions that support Diamond OA publishing, such as peer review systems, XML structuring tools, metadata standards, persistent identifiers (PIDs), and content management platforms.
  
  

Relevance: This criterion ensures that only Publishers, Service Providers, Tools and Technology Providers genuinely involved in and contributing to the Diamond Open Access publishing ecosystem are included, creating a community committed to equitable access to scholarly content.

Commit to community ownership

Publishers, Service Providers or Tools and Technology Providers must demonstrate a commitment to community ownership. Publishers, in particular, should indicate that they are governed by and for the community, including researchers and scholars.

Relevance: Emphasising community ownership of the Publisher, Service Provider, or Tools and Technology Provider ensures that the publishing process remains accessible, equitable, and aligned with the values of Diamond OA, promoting collaboration and shared responsibility among stakeholders.

Be a public legal entity

Publishers, Service Providers, Tools and Technology Providers must have a defined public legal entity type (e.g., for-profit, non-profit, academic institution, government entity) to ensure transparency and accountability.

Relevance: Understanding the legal status of an Publisher, Service Provider, or Tools and Technology Provider provides insights into its objectives, funding sources, and governance. This is crucial for determining whether the Publisher, Service Provider, or Tools and Technology Provider aligns with the principles of Diamond OA, which typically favours non-profit models.

Be part of the European landscape

Publishers, Service Providers, Tools and Technology Providers must be either located in – or have a parent organisation located in – a country that is part of the European Research Area (ERA) or an observer to the European Research Area and Innovation Committee (ERAC).

Additional remarks

Please note that for-profit entities that monetise scientific publishing can only qualify as Service Providers if they support Diamond OA publishing.

Please note that journals—whether they are Diamond OA or otherwise—are not eligible for registration. This is a Registry of organisations that qualify as Publishers, Service Providers or Tools and Technology Providers.

Relevance: This maintains the integrity of the Diamond OA Registry by ensuring that only Publishers, Service Providers, or Tools and Technology Providers aligned with its principles are registered.