Transformative agreements (TAs) include Read-and-Publish, Publish-and-Read, and similar variants. Plan S endorses TAs as a transitional route until a publisher's titles flip to fully OA, on conditions including price transparency, an articulated transition plan with milestones, a clear end date (originally 31 December 2024 for cOAlition S funding eligibility), and reporting via the ESAC registry. Following 2024 review, cOAlition S announced the end of dedicated Plan S funding for TAs after 2024, with implications for ongoing negotiations. TAs have proliferated globally, but evidence of actual journal flipping remains mixed.
References
- ESAC Initiative. cOAlition S 'Towards Responsible Publishing' 2023 statement. Hinchliffe LJ 'Transformative agreements: A primer' 2019.