Rudy M. Baum, Counterproductive Restrictions, Chemical & Engineering News, January 26, 2004, p.5 (access restricted to subscribers). An editorial in C&EN decries U.S. Treasury Department rulings that make it illegal for American scientific publishers to publish results from researchers in countries subject to U.S. trade embargoes, such as Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and Cuba. Baum notes that the American Chemical Society received 195 submissions from such countries, most from Iran. While ACS is involved in efforts with other societies to urge that the rulings be overturned, Baum points out that "under no circumstances can ACS be a partner to violating U.S. law." Finally, the editor bids ACS members to address the subject with their legislators and concludes by saying while embargoes may be useful diplomatic and political weapons, "they should not be extended to blocking the free flow of scientific information." (Note: see earlier postings by Peter Suber from 10/03/03, 10/17/03, 11/03/03 and 12/01/03 in this weblog and in the SPARC Open Access Newsletter for background and further discussion of this issue.
Posted by
Garrett at 1/27/2004 01:51:00 PM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
