The DEAL project, led by the German Rectors' Conference and commissioned by the Alliance of German Science Organizations, has concluded nationwide licensing agreements with the academic publishers Wiley, Springer Nature, and Elsevier. The goal: to establish Open Access as the standard, secure access to research results, and ensure cost transparency. The agreements with Wiley (2019), Springer Nature (2020), and Elsevier (2023) are considered milestones, but they also present significant disadvantages for German universities – both economically and structurally.
The Contracts at a Glance
The DEAL agreements are based on the "Publish and Read" model. Researchers from participating institutions can publish their articles directly as Open Access, while the institutions gain access to the publishers' complete journal portfolios. Instead of subscription fees, billing is done per article – approximately 2,750 Euros for Wiley and Springer Nature, and slightly more for Elsevier. The agreements with Wiley and Springer Nature have been extended until 2028, and the Elsevier deal began in 2024 after broad approval from research institutions. Thousands of articles by German scientists are published in these journals annually – now largely freely accessible.
Economic Imbalance
The publication-based billing primarily burdens research-intensive universities. Institutions with many publications, such as those in Munich, Berlin, or Heidelberg, are seeing their expenses increase, while smaller universities with fewer publications benefit. For some top universities, costs could be 20-30% higher than previous subscription expenses, even though library budgets are limited. Furthermore, pricing remains opaque as publishers leverage their dominant position to dictate fees. This means public funds continue to flow into the profits of large publishers.
Structural Dependency
The focus on Wiley, Springer Nature, and Elsevier, which cover two-thirds of German publications, increases dependency on a few players. Library funds become tied to these giants, disadvantaging smaller publishers and alternative models, and endangering diversity in the academic market. At the same time, the focus on Open Access diverts resources from other priorities – such as digital infrastructure or teaching. Smaller universities, in particular, gain little visibility through these agreements.
Practical Hurdles
The transition to DEAL requires new billing systems that not every university can implement smoothly. The administrative effort increases, and researchers struggle with complex processes when submitting Open Access articles, especially in hybrid journals. These obstacles complicate practical implementation and consume additional resources.
Conclusion: Gains and Losses
The DEAL agreements pave the way for Open Access and increase the reach of German research. However, they also create problems: financial imbalances, dependence on large publishers, and bureaucratic burdens. Progress is real, but the question remains whether the journal crisis is truly being solved or if the power of publishers is merely being consolidated. German universities must find strategies to leverage the benefits without overburdening themselves.
