mexico-flagMexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has signed legislation to allow free access to scientific and academic works made possible by public funding.   According to the President’s statement, the legislation will “create the National Repository of Open Access to Scientific Information Resources, Technology and Innovation, Quality and Social and Cultural Interest, which will be available for the whole society.” [this is a Google translation]  

The legislation, available here is known as las Modificaciones y Adiciones la Ley de Ciencia y Tecnología, a la Ley General de Educación y a la Ley Orgánica del Consejo de Ciencia y Tecnología en México, en materia de Acceso Abierto a la Información Científica.

In its press release applauding the legislation, La Referencia further quoted the President: “This new law further democratize the use of the information to allow Mexican free access to the scientific and academic production was financed partially or wholly with public funds. That is, a lot of knowledge, research and data online, it will so that any user can access an open, legal, technical or financial barrier-free.”

For more on the legislation, see Saul Equihua for InfoTecarios, “Acceso abierto en México: Reformas y adiciones a la ley.”