Conflict of Interests

1. Purpose

European Economic Letters (EEL) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and objectivity in scholarly publishing. A conflict of interest (COI) may arise when personal, financial, or professional relationships could influence—or be perceived to influence—the judgment of authors, reviewers, or editors.

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all such conflicts are fully disclosed, appropriately managed, and transparently reported to uphold trust in the academic record.

2. Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest exists when an individual’s ability to act objectively is, or could reasonably be perceived to be, influenced by secondary interests. These may include:

  • Financial interests (e.g., funding, employment, consultancy, stock ownership, honoraria)
  • Personal relationships (e.g., family, friends, academic collaborators)
  • Academic competition or intellectual bias
  • Institutional affiliations or political/ideological commitments

Conflicts may be actual, potential, or perceived, and all should be disclosed.

3. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting to EEL must:

  • Declare any conflicts of interest at the time of submission
  • Provide a clear statement in the manuscript under a dedicated heading:
    • “The authors declare no conflicts of interest”
    • OR a detailed disclosure if conflicts exist
  • Disclose all sources of financial support, sponsorship, or funding
  • Ensure that all co-authors have agreed to the disclosure

Failure to disclose relevant conflicts may result in rejection, retraction, or notification to institutions.

4. Responsibilities of Reviewers

Reviewers must:

  • Declare any conflicts before accepting a review assignment
  • Decline review if they:
    • Have recent collaborations with the author(s)
    • Belong to the same institution
    • Have personal or professional relationships that may bias evaluation
  • Maintain strict confidentiality and impartiality

5. Responsibilities of Editors and Editorial Board

Editors and editorial board members must:

  • Recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where a conflict exists (e.g., same institution, collaboration, personal relationship)
  • Assign an independent editor or reviewer in such cases
  • Ensure that editorial decisions are based solely on academic merit, originality, and relevance

6. Disclosure and Transparency

  • All declared conflicts will be published alongside the article
  • Funding sources and their role in the research (if any) must be clearly stated
  • If no conflicts exist, a formal statement confirming this must be included

7. Handling Undisclosed Conflicts

If a conflict of interest is identified after publication:

  • The journal may issue a correction, expression of concern, or retraction
  • The author’s institution may be informed if misconduct is suspected
  • Editorial actions will follow internationally recognized ethical guidelines

8. Compliance with Ethical Standards

This policy is consistent with best practices recommended by:

  • Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
  • International scholarly publishing standards

EEL expects all participants in the publication process to adhere strictly to these principles to ensure fairness, credibility, and academic integrity.