Editorial Policies

About the Journal

The Latin American Journal of European Studies, published by the Latin American Center for European Studies (LACES), was created with the support of the project “Building RIghts and Developing KnowledGE between European Union and Latin-America – BRIDGE.” This initiative is part of the Jean Monnet Network and continues to receive support through the Jean Monnet Network Policy Debate entitled BRIDGE WATCH: values and democracy in the EU and Latin America (Project ID 101126807). Both projects are funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission.
The journal’s purpose is to fill a gap in specialized studies on European issues in the Latin American region, contributing to studies on European Union Law and Policies from an analytical, critical, and axiological perspective of the European integration process and the relevant contexts of its international relations with third countries, especially with Latin America. We work with the mission of creating knowledge and building bridges for dialogue and the exchange of good practices between regions, always aiming to promote economic and social development, peace, and international security.

Focus and Scope

The journal is intended not only for the academic community but also reaches legal and political institutions, as well as other civil society actors, considering the achievements already made by the European integration process in various areas, which may serve as examples of good practices for other regions. The journal is published semiannually (June and December), in digital format, and accepts original and unpublished articles.
Its purpose is to publish scientific articles, case law commentaries, critical reviews, and interviews in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, all evaluated through a double-blind peer review system.
All submitted works must relate to one of the following Editorial Lines:

European Union Law and Policies
International Relations of the European Union with third countries and with Latin America

In addition to manuscripts linked to the Editorial Lines, each issue includes a thematic dossier on a specific topic indicated by the Editors, aimed at debating current and relevant issues for European integration and for the international community as a whole. The journal is governed by Editorial Policies. Submission instructions are available in Online Submissions and Author Guidelines.

Section Policies

Articles
The Journal accepts manuscripts preferably written by up to three (03) co-authors, at least one of whom must be pursuing a PhD or master’s degree. with at least one being a master’s or doctoral candidate. Articles must be between 35,000 and 60,000 characters with spaces, including references and footnotes, and follow the requirements set out in the Author Guidelines.

Dossier
Each issue will feature a thematic Dossier, organized by the editorial board, on a current and relevant theme within the Editorial Line. Dossier manuscripts must follow the same requirements as Articles in the Author Guidelines.

Critical Review
The journal accepts reviews of books published no more than 2 (two) years prior. Submissions will be evaluated by the Editorial Board according to: (i) relevance of the work; (ii) quality and critical approach; and (iii) adherence to the journal’s scope. Reviews must be original, between 5,000 and 15,000 characters with spaces , with their own development and references, and follow the formatting indicated in the Author Guidelines. Merely descriptive reviews will not be accepted.

Interview
The journal publishes interviews with specialists on topics linked to the Editorial Lines, evaluated by the Editorial Board based on: (i) relevance of the interviewee; (ii) quality and methodology in conducting the interview; and (iii) adherence to the journal’s scope. Interviews should preferably be between 5,000 and 15,000 characters with spaces, be unpublished, and follow the formatting in the Author Guidelines.

Peer Review Process

Peer Review Policy
All articles published in the Latin American Journal of European Studies are subject to a double-blind peer review system, in which the identities of authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout the process.
Interviews are normally not subject to peer review. However, when they contain technical information, they may be evaluated by peers at the Editors’ discretion.
For questions or general comments about the peer review process, the journal, or its editorial policies not addressed here, reviewers are encouraged to contact: submissions@eurolatinstudies.com.

Editorial Process and Peer Review System

Initial Screening: verification of compliance and completeness of the material.
Editor Assignment: forwarding to a responsible editor.
Editorial Screening: preliminary decision on referral to formal evaluation; communication to the author.
Reviewer Selection: invitation to subject specialists.
Peer Review: technical-scientific assessments.
Final Deliberation: editorial decision based on reviews.
Decision Communication: sent to the corresponding author.
Appeals: in case of rejection, possibility of appeal via email indicated in the decision.
Resubmission: when approved with modifications, submission of a new version addressing the reviewers’ comments.

Detailed Steps

Step 1: technical verification of mandatory items.
Steps 2 & 3: preliminary evaluation of the manuscript’s potential for original and significant contribution; ad hoc consultations may occur.
Steps 4 & 5: recruitment of qualified reviewers (author suggestions may be considered but are not mandatory); anonymity preserved.
Steps 6 & 7: decision for resubmission with changes or rejection (argument gaps/low interest).
Step 9: Resubmission: submission of revised version, point-by-point response to comments, and a cover letter to the editor at submissions@eurolatinstudies.com.

Appeal Policy

Requests for reconsideration (appeals) have lower priority than regular submissions. Reversals are rare and occur only in cases of serious factual error or clear bias, where correction changes the outcome. New experts may be consulted.

Open Access Policy

In line with the parameters of Jean Monnet Activities and best editorial practices, the journal offers immediate open access to its content, understanding that free availability of scientific knowledge promotes global democratization of knowledge.
Works are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International – CC BY-NC.
The journal adheres to the DOAJ’s definition of Open Access, which allows immediate free access and authorizes any user to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of articles, index them, treat them as data in software, or use them for any lawful purpose.

Publication Frequency and Costs

The journal accepts articles on a rolling basis, with issues closed semiannually (June and December). No APC (article processing charges) or submission fees are charged.

Confidentiality and Conflicts of Interest

All manuscripts sent to the journal and to reviewers are confidential. Reviewers who decline the invitation must also maintain confidentiality. Unpublished work may not be used for personal research without prior express consent of the authors. Reviewers must decline review when they know the author’s identity and have a relationship that compromises their impartiality.

Submissions

The entire process is exclusively online through the portal www.eurolatinstudies.com. Interested parties must complete the submission form on the website, following the guidelines to ensure compliance with the journal’s standards.

Conditions for Submission
As part of the process, authors must verify compliance with the Author Guidelines. Non-compliant submissions will be returned.

AI Use Policy

Guidelines for the Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools

Authorship and Attribution

AI cannot be an author: LLMs (e.g., ChatGPT, DeepSeek) do not meet authorship criteria.
Mandatory disclosure: the use of LLMs in research/manuscripts must be described in the Methodology (or appropriate section).
Exception – text review: use solely to improve readability/style/errors does not require disclosure. Content autonomously generated by AI does not qualify. Responsibility always rests with the authors.

Image Creation and Manipulation

Restriction on generative AI images/videos, except justified cases; origin must always be identified.
Manipulation tools: any use must be declared in the caption.

Peer Review

Confidentiality: it is prohibited to upload confidential manuscripts to public AI platforms.
Transparency: if the reviewer uses AI as support, this must be declared in the report.

Editorial Use by the Journal

Internal applications: summaries and key points may be generated by internal AI.
Human oversight required to verify factual accuracy and compliance.

Final Note: policies are subject to continuous review. Guiding principles: responsibility, scientific integrity, and transparency.

Publication Ethics

The Latin American Journal of European Studies is committed to ethical excellence at all stages, aligned with COPE recommendations.

Plagiarism and Misconduct Policy
The journal adopts a strict stance against all forms of plagiarism, aligned with global research ethics standards. All manuscripts are checked by similarity detection systems before peer review to ensure authenticity, proper citation, and editorial integrity.

Main Guidelines:

Initial analysis: automated similarity screening.
Acceptance parameters: similarity index < 15%, with no single source exceeding 2% (excluding bibliographies, direct quotations, and methods).
Corrective measures: manuscripts exceeding these thresholds will be returned for adjustment or rejected.
Post-publication monitoring: irregularities may lead to retraction, according to COPE protocols.

Copyright
By submitting your work, you automatically assign copyright to the journal for an indefinite period. The journal may display, publish, reproduce, store, and/or otherwise use the work irrevocably and free of charge, in favor of the Latin American Journal of European Studies. You declare that the work is original and unpublished and is not under consideration elsewhere.
You authorize publication in virtual and/or printed media, acknowledge that there is no remuneration, and waive patrimonial rights. As an author, you are legally responsible for the content. Your work may be accessed by anyone and reproduced and/or published as long as proper reference is given, for scientific dissemination purposes, in accordance with Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY-NC).

Privacy Policy

Personal information shared with the journal will be used exclusively for this publication’s services and will not be made available for other purposes or to third parties.

Editorial Values Statement

The Latin American Journal of European Studies is founded on the intrinsic and instrumental value of scientific research. We recognize rigorous research as the cornerstone of intellectual progress and social advancement. By producing critical, evidence-based knowledge, we seek to clarify political-legal complexities, inform public policies, and contribute to more equitable and sustainable development, strengthening ties between Europe and Latin America.

Ethics and Misconduct Statements

The journal prioritizes ethics in publication, with continuous efforts to curb misconduct. By submitting original articles, authors declare that the material is their own and does not constitute total or partial plagiarism. Guidelines apply to authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher.

Responsibilities in Scientific Publication

Authors’ Commitments

Accuracy and integrity in describing research and its meaning.
Data transparency: share underlying data when requested; ideally, make them publicly available.
Authenticity and attribution: unpublished submissions; proper citation of third-party works/ideas.
Single submission: no simultaneous duplicate submission.
Credit: recognize prior relevant contributions.
Authorship criteria: only those with significant contribution; others acknowledged in Acknowledgments.
Error correction: immediately communicate and collaborate in corrections/republications.

Editors’ Commitments

Editorial decision based on validity, originality, and relevance.
Impartial and discrimination-free evaluation.
Confidentiality throughout the process.
Prohibition of using privileged information from unpublished manuscripts.

Reviewers’ (Peers) Commitments

Contribute to editorial decision and article improvement.
Diligence: decline if unqualified or unavailable.
Absolute confidentiality of the manuscript.
Objectivity and substantiation in critiques.
Identification of bibliographic omissions and relevant overlaps.
Absence of conflicts: abstain when real/perceived conflict exists; not use information for personal benefit.

Digital Archiving of the Journal’s Content

The journal ensures the electronic preservation plan of its content through the digital repository Zenodo.org, which guarantees permanent archiving and free access to all published articles. Thus, even in the event of a possible interruption of publication, the content will remain available in a secure, free, and long-term manner, ensuring the integrity and continuity of access for the academic community and the general public.