Ethical Statements

Environmental Engineering – Inženjerstvo okoliša

The publication of papers in a peer-reviewed journal is an essential element of the scientific process. Environmental Engineering – Inženjerstvo okoliša follows recognized standards of publication ethics based on the COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.
This document defines the ethical responsibilities of all parties involved in publishing: authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher.

Duties of Editors

Publication Decisions

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for deciding which manuscripts will be published, guided by the Journal’s editorial policy, reviewers’ recommendations, and applicable legal and ethical standards. Decisions are made solely on the basis of the manuscript’s academic merit and relevance to the Journal’s scope.

Fair Evaluation

Submissions are evaluated without discrimination based on authors’ gender, race, religion, nationality, or political orientation.

Confidentiality

Editors and members of the Editorial Board must not disclose any information about a submitted manuscript to anyone other than those directly involved in the editorial process (authors, reviewers, and publisher representatives).

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Editors must not use unpublished material from submitted manuscripts in their own research and should recuse themselves from handling any manuscript in which they have a conflict of interest.

Duties of Reviewers

Peer reviewers play a key role in maintaining the quality of published work. They support the editorial decision process and help authors improve their manuscripts through constructive feedback. Detailed instructions for reviewers are provided in the separate document “Duties and Responsibilities of Reviewers” available on the Journal’s website.

Duties of Authors

Research Integrity and Reporting Standards

Authors are expected to present an accurate, complete, and honest account of their research, supported by sufficient detail and references to allow replication. Fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism in any form constitute unethical behaviour and are unacceptable.

Data Access and Retention

Authors should retain raw data and be prepared to provide it for editorial review. When possible, data should be made accessible in accordance with principles of research transparency.

Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must ensure that their work is original. Proper citation of others’ work is mandatory whenever ideas, data, or text are used. The Journal applies plagiarism-detection tools to verify manuscript integrity.

Multiple or Redundant Publication

Manuscripts describing essentially the same research should not be published in more than one journal. Submitting the same paper to multiple journals at the same time is considered unethical.

Authorship and Acknowledgements

Authorship should include only those who made significant contributions to the research. All co-authors must approve the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission. Contributors who provided assistance but do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged appropriately.

Hazards, Humans and Animals

If the study involves hazardous materials, humans, or animals, the authors must clearly state the relevant ethical approvals and safety procedures in the manuscript.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose all financial or personal relationships that could influence the results or interpretation of their work. All sources of financial support must be acknowledged.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works

If an author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they must promptly notify the editor or publisher and cooperate in correcting or retracting the article.

Publisher’s Responsibilities

The publisher supports editorial independence, ensures the integrity of the peer-review process, and promotes ethical publication practices. In cases of suspected misconduct, the publisher works with editors to investigate and, where necessary, take corrective actions in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Related Documents

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE): https://publicationethics.org/guidance/Guidelines