Ein Forschungsdatengesetz jetzt!
When it comes to access to research data for empirical economic and social research, Germany has been lagging behind internationally for years. As a result, there is a lack of scientific evidence as a basis for political decisions and Germany is considerably weakened as a research location. A survey of members of the Verein für Socialpolitik (VfS) in 2023 shows just how problematic the situation is: 73% of participants state that their scientific research success suffers from the restrictions on data access and 79% of participants believe that data access in Germany is worse than in comparable countries. The announced Research Data Act (FDG) is therefore an opportunity to catch up with other European countries. Although the legislative project is ambitious, not completing it would be associated with high social costs.
Riphahn, R. and K. Schneider (2024), Ein Forschungsdatengesetz jetzt!. Wirtschaftsdienst, 104, 10, 658-659
DOI: 10.2478/wd-2024-0168