diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/itemimport/ItemImportServiceImpl.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/itemimport/ItemImportServiceImpl.java
index 09be2ebd474c..362872edfe14 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/itemimport/ItemImportServiceImpl.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/itemimport/ItemImportServiceImpl.java
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Calendar;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.Enumeration;
 import java.util.GregorianCalendar;
@@ -2592,6 +2593,14 @@ protected void processEmbargoMetadata(Context c, Item item) throws SQLException,
                             ". Embargo will not be applied.");
                     return;
                 }
+
+                // Resource policy start date = embargoend + 1 day
+                // The embargo end date is the last day of the embargo,
+                // so the file becomes accessible the day after.
+                Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();
+                cal.setTime(endDate);
+                cal.add(Calendar.DAY_OF_MONTH, 1);
+                endDate = cal.getTime();
             } catch (Exception e) {
                 logError("ERROR: Failed to parse embargo end date: " + embargoEndDateStr +
                         ". Error: " + e.getMessage());
diff --git a/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/itemimport/EmbargoImportIT.java b/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/itemimport/EmbargoImportIT.java
index 631ca003c44a..2200b84334cf 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/itemimport/EmbargoImportIT.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/test/java/org/dspace/app/itemimport/EmbargoImportIT.java
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@
 public class EmbargoImportIT extends AbstractIntegrationTestWithDatabase {
 
     private static final String EMBARGOEND_DATE_FUTURE = "2026-06-30";
+    // The resource policy start date should be embargoend + 1 day
+    private static final String EXPECTED_POLICY_START_DATE = "2026-07-01";
     private static final String EMBARGOEND_DATE_PAST = "2020-01-01";
     private static final String ITEM_TITLE = "Test Embargo Item";
 
@@ -171,10 +173,10 @@ public void testStandardEmbargoImport() throws Exception {
         assertNotNull("Should have embargo policy for Anonymous group", embargoPolicy);
         assertNotNull("Embargo policy should have start date", embargoPolicy.getStartDate());
 
-        // Verify start date matches embargo end date
+        // Verify start date is embargoend + 1 day (file becomes accessible day after embargo ends)
         SimpleDateFormat sdf = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd");
-        assertEquals("Embargo start date should match embargoend metadata",
-                EMBARGOEND_DATE_FUTURE, sdf.format(embargoPolicy.getStartDate()));
+        assertEquals("Embargo policy start date should be embargoend + 1 day",
+                EXPECTED_POLICY_START_DATE, sdf.format(embargoPolicy.getStartDate()));
     }
 
     /**
@@ -360,8 +362,8 @@ public void testMultipleBitstreamsEmbargo() throws Exception {
             assertNotNull("Each embargo policy should have start date", embargoPolicy.getStartDate());
 
             SimpleDateFormat sdf = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd");
-            assertEquals("Each embargo start date should match embargoend metadata",
-                    EMBARGOEND_DATE_FUTURE, sdf.format(embargoPolicy.getStartDate()));
+            assertEquals("Each embargo start date should be embargoend + 1 day",
+                    EXPECTED_POLICY_START_DATE, sdf.format(embargoPolicy.getStartDate()));
         }
     }
 }