The European Commission adopted the Implementation Roadmap for the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) on March 14, 2018. The goal of this initiative is to create a pan-European federation of research data infrastructures and to guarantee fair access to data.

This staff working document (SWD) presents not only the results of an extensive consultation on governance and financing mechanisms for the EOSC but also the measures taken under Horizon 2020 to start its implementation.

In this document 6 action lines are identified to successfully implement the EOSC:

1. Architecture of the federated infrastructures to counteract the fragmentation of current research data infrastructures;
2. Data based on FAIR principles;
3. Services that cover the needs of the users;
4. Access & Interfaces to simplify the use of data across different disciplines;
5. Rules of participation for the EOSC actors;
6. Governance of the EOSC to ensure EU leadership.

The necessity to “develop a better culture of research data management (…), to develop FAIR data tools, specifications, catalogues and standards (…) and to stimulate the demand for FAIR data” is clearly stated.

Following the recommendation by the European Commission, that EU Member States undertake incentives to make data open, France, Germany and the Netherlands joined forces to create the GO FAIR initiative to contribute to the EOSC and the development of the Internet of FAIR data & services. According to the SWD the GO FAIR initiative complements the EOSC, specifically regarding governance, and is line with the governance and financing principles of the EOSC Declaration.