Free publishing on Open Research Europe for researchers in Portugal

Researchers affiliated with research institutions in Portugal can now publish their work on Open Research Europe (ORE) without publication fees, regardless of whether they receive national or European funding. This opportunity stems from the platform’s new phase, launched on November 2, 2026, which expands participation to researchers from 11 European countries.

ORE is an open-access scientific publishing platform, free of charge for both authors and readers, created by the European Commission in 2021. Its goal is to reduce economic barriers to scientific communication and promote a more transparent, equitable, and sustainable publishing system, facilitating the dissemination and reuse of research results. This model is aligned with the principles of Diamond Open Access, under which neither publication nor reading requires users to pay fees.

The Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) is part of the consortium of 17 research funding and implementing organizations supporting this new phase. The platform will now be hosted and operated by CERN—the European Organization for Nuclear Research—while strategic direction will be provided collectively by the organizations participating in the ORE funding group.

ORE covers a wide range of disciplines, from the natural sciences and engineering to the social sciences and humanities. It accepts research and methodology articles, study protocols, data notes, and replication studies, among other formats, including both negative and confirmatory results. This diversity allows for the sharing of knowledge throughout the various stages of a project, giving greater visibility to the research process.

Initially aimed at researchers funded by European Union programs, ORE is evolving into a non-profit, collectively governed European publishing service. For the period from 2026 to 2030, it has a budget of more than 16 million euros, 60% of which is provided by the European Commission and 40% by other funding organizations.

FCT’s participation reinforces its commitment to Open Science, helping to expand publication opportunities for the national scientific community. Access is not limited to researchers funded by FCT; it is subject to the platform’s eligibility criteria.

To demonstrate how the platform works and answer questions, a launch webinar will be held on December 1 at 11:00 a.m. CET; registration is free.

More information about the publication and serving as a reviewer can be found on the Open Research Europe website.