Abstract The open access transition aims to replace traditional subscription models with Open Access (OA) models. Transformative agreements between academic institutions, consortia, and publishers play a central role in this process. This paper examines the provisions related to open metadata and data analytical research services in 13 publicly accessible transformative agreements involving German institutions and their consortia. The analysis reveals that the content of these agreements is heterogeneous, despite standardization initiatives such as the ESAC Initiative. While some agreements provide for open licensing of metadata (e.g., CC0), others dominate with restrictive clauses that limit the commercial use of metadata. Similarly, the regulations on metadata delivery to Crossref and repositories, as well as the integration of funding information, vary significantly. In the area of data analytical research services, the regulations on text and data mining (TDM) and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) are often restrictive, potentially hindering innovation and the development of new research methods. The lack of transparency of contract documents and the insufficient implementation of existing recommendations on open metadata and data analytical services are identified as key criticisms.
Sophia Dörner (2026) studied this question.