At the same time, the European Commission (EC) was launching a Public Consultation on Open Research Data in view of the new EU framework programme for research and innovation , Horizon 2020 (http://ec.europa.eu/research/horizon2020/index_en.cfm), that will be running from 2014 to implement the “Innovation Union” and secure Europe’s global competitiveness. Horizon 2020 will tackle societal challenges by helping to bridge the gap between research and the market. In such a context, the issue of openness of research data is particularly relevant and its application in the field of bioresources is a good example of the complexity associated to data sharing, even when its benefits are fully recognized.