[lN5uhiNxWPBi]

There is, right? In many cases around the world.

Here in the UK, there is a big research evaluation exercise called the REF. The REF is important because it largely determines how the government allocates funds. In order to be eligible to be evaluated, researchers have to essentially submit their pre-prints into open access.

What this has meant for the last 10+ years is that most universities participating in the REF have an e-prints server, like the arxiv. Obviously, being publically funded, universities are then using government money to pay for these costs.

Now your question might be whether it's sensible for the entire country (or research councils) to operate their own e-prints server. I don't know the answer to this.

All I know is that the more bureaucracy you involve, the more bullshit results.