Following the recommendation issued by the Bundestag's Study Commission on the Internet and Digital Society that Open Access be provided to the results of publicly funded research, the federal cabinet has passed draft legislation to that effect:
"Moreover, an inalienable right of second use will be introduced for authors of scholarly contributions to periodicals. This applies to contributions that have come about within the framework of publicly funded research projects or at an institutionally funded non-university research institute. The author of the contributions will thus acquire the right to make the contribution publicly accessible on the Internet for non-commercial purposes upon the expiration of a period of twelve months from the date of first publication."