Article Withdrawal Policy

The Journal of Circular Economy Innovations maintains this Article Withdrawal Policy to establish a clear, fair, and transparent procedure for withdrawing manuscripts from editorial consideration before formal publication.

Withdrawal may occasionally be necessary because of a significant error discovered by the authors, an unresolved authorship issue, an ethical concern, an inadvertent duplicate submission, a change in circumstances affecting the validity of the work, or another legitimate reason. Authors should nevertheless regard manuscript submission as a formal commitment and should request withdrawal only when there is a reasonable and documented basis for doing so.

This policy distinguishes manuscript withdrawal before publication from correction or retraction after publication. Once an article has become part of the published scholarly record, concerns affecting its reliability or integrity are addressed through the journal's applicable correction, retraction, or post-publication procedures rather than through ordinary manuscript withdrawal.

1. Purpose of the Policy

The purpose of this policy is to:

  • establish a consistent procedure for author-initiated withdrawal requests;

  • protect the integrity of the editorial and peer-review process;

  • prevent inappropriate simultaneous submission or duplicate publication;

  • ensure that all authors are aware of and agree to a withdrawal request;

  • distinguish manuscript withdrawal from post-publication retraction;

  • provide editors with a framework for handling exceptional circumstances; and

  • maintain an accurate and transparent scholarly record.

The journal seeks to process legitimate withdrawal requests fairly while also protecting the time and professional contributions of editors, reviewers, and other participants in the publication process.

2. Scope

This policy applies to manuscripts submitted to the Journal of Circular Economy Innovations that are at any pre-publication stage, including:

  • initial editorial screening;

  • editorial assessment;

  • reviewer assignment;

  • peer review;

  • author revision;

  • additional review;

  • final editorial evaluation;

  • acceptance; and

  • production before formal publication.

Different considerations may apply depending on the stage at which withdrawal is requested.

3. Author-Initiated Withdrawal

An author may request withdrawal of a manuscript when a legitimate reason exists.

The withdrawal request should be submitted by the corresponding author through the journal's designated editorial communication channel and should clearly identify:

  • manuscript title;

  • manuscript identification number, where available;

  • corresponding author's name;

  • reason for withdrawal;

  • current stage of editorial processing; and

  • confirmation that all authors have been informed of and agree with the withdrawal request.

The journal may request additional confirmation where necessary.

A manuscript should not be considered formally withdrawn until the journal has acknowledged or approved the withdrawal request.

4. Agreement of All Authors

Withdrawal affects the scholarly interests and responsibilities of all listed authors. Authors should therefore reach agreement before submitting a withdrawal request.

The corresponding author should confirm that all listed authors consent to withdrawal.

Where there is uncertainty or disagreement concerning author consent, the editorial office may request written confirmation from each author before completing the withdrawal.

If an authorship dispute exists, the journal may suspend further editorial processing while clarification is sought.

5. Withdrawal During Initial Editorial Screening

Authors who identify a significant issue shortly after submission should contact the editorial office promptly.

Where a manuscript has not yet entered substantive editorial or peer-review evaluation, a properly documented withdrawal request may ordinarily be processed without extensive additional review.

Authors should not submit the manuscript to another journal until confirmation of withdrawal has been received.

6. Withdrawal During Peer Review

A manuscript may be withdrawn while under peer review where a legitimate reason is provided.

However, authors should recognize that reviewers and editors may already have devoted substantial professional time to the assessment of the manuscript.

The corresponding author should explain the reason for withdrawal clearly and confirm agreement among the authors.

Withdrawal should not be used routinely to avoid responding to legitimate reviewer criticism, to obtain peer-review comments without intending to continue the editorial process, or to transfer a manuscript immediately to another journal while it remains formally under consideration.

7. Withdrawal Following a Revision Decision

Authors who receive a request for minor or major revision may decide that they no longer wish to pursue publication with the journal.

In such circumstances, authors should notify the editorial office rather than simply allowing the manuscript to remain inactive.

The request should state that the authors wish to discontinue consideration of the manuscript and should provide the reason where appropriate.

Failure to submit a revision within an editorial deadline may lead to closure of the submission according to journal procedures, but administrative closure should not necessarily be treated as equivalent to a formal author-initiated withdrawal.

8. Withdrawal After Acceptance

Withdrawal after formal acceptance should occur only in exceptional circumstances because the manuscript has already completed substantial editorial and peer-review evaluation.

Possible reasons may include:

  • discovery of a serious error affecting the reliability of the work;

  • identification of an unresolved ethical problem;

  • substantial authorship disagreement;

  • discovery of unauthorized or legally restricted material;

  • serious concerns regarding data integrity;

  • previously undisclosed duplicate publication; or

  • another significant matter that makes publication inappropriate.

The journal may request a detailed explanation and supporting information before determining the appropriate action.

Where a serious integrity concern is involved, the matter may also be considered under the journal's Research Misconduct Policy or Publication Ethics Policy.

9. Withdrawal During Production

Once an accepted manuscript has entered copyediting, typesetting, proof preparation, metadata creation, or other production processes, withdrawal becomes more consequential.

Authors who identify a serious issue at this stage should contact the editorial office immediately.

The journal will consider:

  • the reason for the request;

  • whether the issue can be corrected before publication;

  • whether the scientific conclusions remain reliable;

  • whether ethical or legal concerns are involved; and

  • whether withdrawal is necessary to protect the scholarly record.

Minor typographical or formatting errors do not ordinarily justify withdrawal and should generally be addressed through proof correction.

10. Withdrawal After Online Publication

Once an article has been formally published online as part of the journal's scholarly record, it is no longer treated as an unpublished manuscript eligible for routine withdrawal.

Concerns identified after publication should be addressed through the appropriate post-publication mechanism, which may include:

  • correction;

  • clarification;

  • expression of concern;

  • retraction; or

  • another appropriate editorial notice.

Authors should therefore consult the journal's Corrections and Retractions Policy and Retraction Policy for published articles.

11. Difference Between Withdrawal and Retraction

For the purposes of this policy:

Withdrawal generally refers to discontinuation of editorial consideration before formal publication.

Retraction refers to a formal post-publication action taken when a published article contains serious problems that materially affect its reliability, integrity, ethical acceptability, or publication status.

The terms should not be used interchangeably.

The journal will determine the appropriate procedure according to the publication status of the manuscript or article.

12. Duplicate or Simultaneous Submission

Authors should not submit the same or substantially similar manuscript simultaneously to multiple journals.

If authors discover that a manuscript has been inadvertently submitted elsewhere while under consideration by the Journal of Circular Economy Innovations, they should inform the editorial office immediately.

The journal may request an explanation and determine whether withdrawal, rejection, or another editorial action is appropriate.

Deliberate simultaneous submission may be treated as a publication-ethics concern.

13. Withdrawal to Submit to Another Journal

Authors should not submit a manuscript to another journal while it remains formally under consideration by the Journal of Circular Economy Innovations.

Where authors wish to discontinue consideration and submit elsewhere, they should first request withdrawal and wait for confirmation that the manuscript has been removed from active editorial consideration.

This procedure helps prevent duplicate submission and conflicting editorial processes.

14. Withdrawal Because of Authorship Disputes

Where withdrawal is requested because of disagreement regarding authorship, contribution, author order, or inclusion or exclusion of a contributor, the journal may request clarification from the authors.

Editors do not ordinarily adjudicate institutional authorship disputes where the evidence required to determine contribution lies outside the journal's authority.

Where necessary, the journal may recommend that the matter be resolved through the authors' institution or another appropriate body before editorial processing resumes.

A manuscript may remain temporarily suspended while a substantive authorship concern is being addressed.

15. Withdrawal Because of Research Integrity Concerns

Authors should immediately notify the journal if they discover a serious concern involving:

  • fabricated or falsified data;

  • unreliable analysis;

  • major methodological error;

  • plagiarism;

  • unauthorized data use;

  • ethical noncompliance;

  • substantial misrepresentation;

  • serious conflict of interest; or

  • another matter that could materially affect the validity or integrity of the manuscript.

The journal may determine that simple withdrawal is insufficient where an integrity concern requires further editorial assessment.

The matter may be handled under the Research Misconduct Policy, even where the manuscript has not yet been published.

16. Journal-Initiated Discontinuation of a Manuscript

The journal may discontinue consideration of a manuscript before publication where serious concerns make further processing inappropriate.

Possible reasons may include:

  • confirmed duplicate submission;

  • substantial plagiarism;

  • fabricated or falsified information;

  • unresolved authorship problems;

  • failure to provide required ethical documentation;

  • legal or confidentiality concerns;

  • manipulation of the peer-review process;

  • serious undisclosed conflicts of interest;

  • material violation of journal policies; or

  • another issue that prevents responsible publication.

Depending on the circumstances, the editorial action may be recorded as rejection, withdrawal from consideration, closure, or another appropriate status.

17. Requests Made by Only One Author

A withdrawal request submitted by one author without evidence that the other listed authors have been informed may require additional verification.

The journal may contact the corresponding author and other authors directly before acting on the request.

Where disagreement exists, editorial processing may be paused until the authors clarify their collective position or an appropriate institutional process addresses the dispute.

18. Withdrawal Request Procedure

Authors requesting withdrawal should provide a written communication containing:

Subject: Request for Manuscript Withdrawal

The request should specify:

  • manuscript title;

  • manuscript ID;

  • article type;

  • corresponding author;

  • reason for withdrawal;

  • confirmation that all authors approve the request; and

  • any relevant information necessary to explain the circumstances.

The editorial office may request additional documentation where the reason for withdrawal involves ethics, authorship, data integrity, legal restrictions, or publication misconduct.

19. Editorial Review of the Request

Withdrawal requests are reviewed according to the manuscript's editorial stage and the reason provided.

The responsible editor may:

  • approve the withdrawal;

  • request clarification;

  • request consent from additional authors;

  • temporarily suspend editorial processing;

  • refer an integrity concern for further assessment; or

  • determine that a different publication-ethics procedure is required.

The journal should communicate the outcome of the request to the corresponding author.

20. Confirmation of Withdrawal

A withdrawal becomes effective when the journal provides confirmation that the manuscript is no longer under active consideration.

Authors should retain this confirmation for their records.

Until such confirmation is received, authors should not assume that the submission process has formally ended.

21. Effect of Withdrawal on Peer-Review Material

Reviewer reports, editorial correspondence, manuscript files, and other records generated during the editorial process remain confidential editorial records even after withdrawal.

Authors should not represent reviewer comments as an endorsement of the manuscript or disclose confidential reviewer information.

Reviewers must likewise continue to maintain confidentiality regarding withdrawn manuscripts.

22. Confidentiality

Information associated with a withdrawal request is treated confidentially and shared only with individuals who require access for legitimate editorial, ethical, administrative, or legal purposes.

Where a withdrawal request involves suspected research misconduct, the journal may need to communicate with:

  • authors;

  • editors;

  • relevant institutions;

  • ethics committees;

  • funding organizations; or

  • other appropriate responsible bodies.

Such communication should be proportionate to the concern being assessed.

23. Withdrawal and Copyright

Withdrawal of an unpublished manuscript does not authorize the journal or authors to disregard third-party intellectual-property rights, confidentiality obligations, licensing restrictions, or publication agreements that may otherwise apply.

Authors remain responsible for ensuring that any subsequent submission or use of the manuscript complies with applicable rights and agreements.

24. Withdrawal and Editorial Independence

Decisions concerning withdrawal requests are made on editorial, ethical, and procedural grounds.

The journal seeks to ensure that withdrawal decisions are not influenced by inappropriate commercial, institutional, personal, or reputational considerations.

Where a conflict of interest could affect the handling of a withdrawal request, responsibility should be transferred to another qualified editor where appropriate.

25. No Silent Removal of the Published Record

Publication status should be handled transparently.

A formally published article should not ordinarily disappear from the journal website without an appropriate scholarly explanation.

Where exceptional circumstances require restriction or removal of content because of compelling legal, privacy, security, or ethical considerations, the journal should preserve appropriate bibliographic information or an explanatory notice where legally and technically permissible.

Such circumstances are distinct from ordinary author-requested manuscript withdrawal.

26. Withdrawal Following Editorial Disagreement

Authors may disagree with reviewer comments or an editorial decision.

Scholarly disagreement alone does not constitute publication misconduct, and authors remain free to request withdrawal before publication if they no longer wish to continue the process.

However, withdrawal should not be used to interfere with legitimate investigation of a serious ethical or research-integrity concern already identified during editorial review.

Where such a concern exists, the journal may continue an appropriate integrity assessment even after the authors request withdrawal.

27. Repeated or Strategic Withdrawal

Repeated patterns of submission and withdrawal that appear designed to obtain peer-review services without a genuine intention to pursue publication may warrant editorial attention.

The journal may take previous submission conduct into account where there is evidence of misuse of the editorial process.

Any response should be proportionate and based on documented conduct rather than assumption.

28. Manuscript Status and Record Keeping

The journal may retain appropriate administrative and editorial records concerning withdrawn manuscripts for legitimate purposes such as:

  • documenting editorial decisions;

  • preventing duplicate processing;

  • maintaining publication-integrity records;

  • responding to complaints or disputes; and

  • complying with applicable legal or institutional requirements.

Retention of an editorial record does not mean that a withdrawn manuscript remains under active consideration for publication.

29. Appeals or Disputes Regarding Withdrawal

Where an author disputes the handling of a withdrawal request, the concern may be submitted through the journal's Complaints and Appeals Policy.

The author should explain:

  • the manuscript concerned;

  • the withdrawal request;

  • the disputed action or decision; and

  • the basis on which reconsideration is sought.

Where practicable, the matter should be evaluated independently of the individual solely responsible for the disputed decision.

30. Relationship With Other Journal Policies

This Article Withdrawal Policy should be read together with the journal's:

  • Publication Ethics Policy;

  • Research Misconduct Policy;

  • Authorship Criteria;

  • Conflict of Interest Policy;

  • Plagiarism Policy;

  • Copyright and Licensing Policy;

  • Corrections and Retractions Policy;

  • Retraction Policy; and

  • Complaints and Appeals Policy.

Where a case involves a specific research-integrity or post-publication issue, the more specialized policy may govern the editorial procedure.

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are expected to:

  • submit manuscripts with a genuine intention to pursue editorial consideration;

  • avoid simultaneous submission;

  • notify the journal promptly when withdrawal becomes necessary;

  • provide an accurate reason for withdrawal;

  • obtain agreement from all authors;

  • cooperate with legitimate editorial inquiries;

  • avoid submitting the manuscript elsewhere before withdrawal is confirmed; and

  • disclose serious integrity concerns identified during the editorial process.

Responsibilities of Editors

Editors are expected to:

  • handle withdrawal requests fairly and consistently;

  • protect confidentiality;

  • verify author agreement where necessary;

  • distinguish withdrawal from rejection and retraction;

  • assess research-integrity concerns independently of the withdrawal request;

  • communicate decisions clearly; and

  • protect the integrity of the editorial and scholarly record.

Commitment to Transparent Withdrawal Procedures

The Journal of Circular Economy Innovations recognizes that legitimate circumstances may occasionally require authors or editors to discontinue consideration of a manuscript before publication.

The journal seeks to manage such situations through procedures that respect authors, reviewers, editors, research participants, institutions, and the integrity of scholarly communication. Withdrawal decisions should be appropriately documented, ethically responsible, and consistent with the manuscript's stage of publication.

The journal's objective is not to discourage legitimate withdrawal but to ensure that withdrawal is conducted transparently and does not compromise the reliability, fairness, or integrity of the scholarly publishing process.