COAR Launched a Strategic Initiative to Align Repository Networks  at a meeting in March 2014, where several major repository networks agreed to work together to further align their activities. The final report from this meeting is now available on the COAR website.

As research becomes increasingly global, it is critical to create infrastructure that can connect across geographic boundaries. At the meeting, convened by the Confederation of Open Access Repositories (COAR), delegates from Australia, Canada, China, Europe, Latin America and the United States agreed on a common vision and the shared principles of openness, sustainability, interoperability and diversity. In addition, participants identified a number of priority areas in which they will begin working together in terms of technical interoperability, policies and services.

Work on the priority areas will begin immediately. COAR has established a Strategic Committee for Aligning Repository Networks, which will act as a forum for ongoing exchange between repository networks and to identify priorities. COAR is also developing practical strategies for the adoption of recommendations by repository networks and aims to work closely with all relevant stakeholders.

The full report of the meeting is available here