Conflict of Interest Policy

Declaration and Transparency
JEES is committed to transparency and requires authors to declare any competing interests that could influence—or be perceived to influence—the submitted work. Declarations are collected at submission and, where applicable, published with the article. Editors and peer reviewers must likewise disclose potential conflicts and recuse themselves when appropriate.

Definition of a Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest exists when relationships, allegiances, or financial ties could unduly influence scholarly judgment, findings, or conclusions. This is especially critical when such interests are private and may yield personal or financial gain.

Examples of Potential Conflicts of Interest
(1) Consulting fees, honoraria, or payments from a related organization; (2) research funding or in-kind support from commercial entities; (3) employment, stock ownership, or other financial stakes in an organization that may be affected by the research; (4) travel funds, reimbursements, or sponsorships related to the topic; (5) any personal, professional, or financial relationship that could bias the study or influence peer perception. Any additional competing interests that a reasonable reader might judge relevant must be disclosed prior to acceptance.

Editorial and Peer Review Disclosure
Manuscripts are evaluated fairly on scholarly merit. When a declared conflict could materially affect research integrity, the journal may request additional information, seek independent review, or make an appropriate editorial decision. The editorial team does not require granular financial accounting but expects a substantive declaration of relevant competing interests. Editors, guest editors, and reviewers must disclose and, when necessary, recuse.

Author Responsibilities
In the Author Agreement, authors certify that: (1) all financial support is appropriately acknowledged; (2) any commercial or financial involvement related to the manuscript is disclosed; (3) potential conflicts have been discussed with the Editor-in-Chief, who will determine the need for public disclosure in the article; (4) no sponsor agreements restrict publication of positive or negative results or require prior sponsor approval; (5) the authors have reviewed the Submission Guidelines and comply with JEES’s conflict of interest policies.

Conflict of Interest Statement in Manuscripts
A Declaration of Conflicting Interests section must appear at the end of the manuscript, following acknowledgements and before Funding/Notes/References. If no conflicts exist, authors must state explicitly: “The author(s) declare(s) no potential conflicts of interest.”