No-deal Springer Nature

Negotiations between the publisher Springer Nature and the Swiss Library Consortium have not resulted in a new Read & Publish agreement for the period 2026–2028, leading to a “no deal” situation as of January 1, 2026. As both parties remain interested in reaching an agreement, negotiations are continuing at the start of 2026.

In order to maintain pressure on Springer Nature and conclude an agreement with this publisher that complies with the mandate, the Swissuniversities Open Science Delegation has adopted recommendations for higher education institutions. 

From January 1, 2026:

• Do not pay APCs to publish open access in Springer Nature journals: these expenses outside the agreement (“costs in the wild”) weaken Switzerland's negotiating position
• Refrain from publishing in Springer Nature journals until further notice and consider alternatives covered by a national agreement.
• If applicable, use your position as a publisher of Springer Nature journals to advocate for the best possible agreement from the perspective of the Swiss academic community.
• If applicable, critically examine your activities as a reviewer; reviews for Springer Nature journals should not be given priority.

If you have any questions or need advice, please contact us!