Abstract
<jats:p>Persistent identifiers (PIDs) have become central to national and international open research information strategies, but identifiers alone—however well-designed—cannot deliver the connected, open record that research depends on. Effective research infrastructure rests on three interdependent elements: open, persistent identifiers; rich, open, and linked metadata; and the sustainable governance and operation of the organisations involved. Crossref urges policymakers to evaluate PID infrastructure holistically, looking beyond the identifier itself to the metadata, services, interoperability, and long-term sustainability that provide the real-world value sought. National and international PID strategies are multiplying, and the decisions being made now will shape the scholarly record for decades. Those decisions are often framed as a choice of identifier; what is really being chosen is infrastructure: the metadata, services, governance, and community commitment that sustain the record over time. Choosing shared, open infrastructure never means lock-in—openly licensed metadata and community governance safeguard sovereignty by design. This paper sets out what we think that choice involves, with worked examples from the UK, Portugal, Canada, and South Africa.</jats:p>