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Carlos Moedas, the European Commissioner for research, innovation and science, has told an audience at ESOF 2016 that science, and politics, should not leave people behind.

The commissioner added that science in the 21st century would be defined by the relationship between scientists and data should revolve around the requirements of the public.

”The gap between science and the public leads to at best apathy, and at worst distrust,” he said. “The current lack of public and political engagement in fact-based decision making makes us all wonder, have we entered a post-factual era of democracy? One in which the public identifies with populist rhetoric and decisions are made based on fears and assumptions?

“The relationship with the public will define science because, unlike in the past, each of us commands more information in our pockets than any scientist can ever read in their lifetime. So this information overload requires public trust for scientists to determine fact from fiction.”

Since the beginning of Horizon 2020, research projects have been required to make all results freely available through the European Commission’s open access policy.In the next phase of Horizon 2020 funding, launched on 25 July, this policy has been extended to require that all data generated through a project should also be made openly available and transparent, with exceptions only in specific cases.

Moedas told his audience in Manchester, UK, which included Portal, that he is planning to introduce a research exception to EU copyright law that will allow people to source texts and data without copyright infringements.

Some experts agree that by stipulating open access and open data in the conditions of funding, organisations such as the EU are helping to shape the future of science publishing.