A key factor in this success is the systematic promotion of open access by Swiss universities and libraries. For example, the Eawag library, which is part of the consortium of Swiss university libraries, has negotiated agreements with many journals allowing researchers to publish there with open access. This is no easy task, especially with the large international and highly profit-oriented publishers, and results in different models depending on the publisher (see diagram). In addition, the Eawag library supports researchers with a comprehensive service to motivate them to publish with open access and minimise the associated costs. This also benefits the researchers themselves, as open access publications are around four times more likely to be picked up and cited by other researchers. This increases the visibility and influence of their own research.
 

On the other hand, institutions that fund research projects are also increasingly demanding that research results be published with open access. Lothar Nunnenmacher also sees this as an important lever for further increasing the proportion of open access publications. "The EU strictly demands this in its research funding programmes and may cut research funding if the publications are not open access."

Regulations at the legislative level could also help to assert the interests of open access against the powerful large publishers. "For almost ten years now, the Netherlands has had a law that enables the libraries of research institutions to make publications publicly accessible after six months at the latest, regardless of the publishers' stipulations." A similar regulation is currently being negotiated at European level; it could possibly go one step further and prevent embargo periods altogether.