Research assessment by ANECA drives green open access in Spain

Since the beginning of the century, there has been a notable growth in green open access, driven by initiatives and transformations in the publishing system. In Spain, although legislation already mandated self-archiving, effective implementation did not occur until 2023, when the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (ANECA) adopted the principles of DORA and CoARA, making repository deposit mandatory for participation in evaluation processes (sexenios and accreditations). This led to a sharp increase in deposits, especially during open calls, clearly visible in institutional repositories, such as that of the University of Granada. This change demonstrates that a well-designed evaluation policy can accelerate the adoption of green open access, although it also highlights that obligation has been more influential than ethical conviction.