Purpose/Thesis: This paper attempts to present the trends in management and opening of research data in Poland and the European Union, based on the analysis of the recently published Polish and European acts and documents as well as of other international initiatives which might influence scholarly publishing and scholarly communication.Approach/Methods: An in-depth review of the latest documents was applied. Results and conclusions: I focused on highlighting the key elements of the reviewed documents and initiatives, highlighting the directions for managing and opening of research data they set and the implications they might have for Polish and European science. I also sketched the possible inconsisten­cies between the European and Polish policies related to research data and scholarly communication.Research limitations: The documents investigated for the purpose of this paper were either Polish or provided by the European Union (EU). I have not analyzed the national documents issued by the individual member states of the EU other than Poland. Hence, it is probable that some solutions on research data management and opening already taken on the level of individual member states have not been included in this paper.Practical implications: This paper may encourage a reflection on the relationship between the regulations issued at the European (EU) or at the national (in this case, Polish), and the practices and requirements of scholarly communication which often contradict those regulations.Originality/Value: This is the first analysis of the latest Polish and European documents and initiatives as related to data management and open data (open science).