The following document constitutes a formal policy of EP Journals Group. It is intended to be read together with related policies and guidance notes published by the organisation. This policy applies to all journals under the EP Journals Group imprint and is implemented across the organisation on a continuing basis.
Publication frequency across the portfolio is monthly. Where timelines are referenced, they are stated as typical timeframes and may vary by discipline, submission volume, and the requirements of the peer review process. The organisation retains the right to apply additional checks where warranted by a specific case.
Copyright ownership
Authors generally retain copyright in their work. Submission and acceptance constitute a grant of a non-exclusive right to EP Journals Group to publish, distribute, and archive the work as part of the scholarly record.
Where co-authors exist, authors are expected to ensure that all contributors consent to publication and to the licensing terms. Where institutional or funder agreements apply, authors are expected to disclose relevant constraints.
Licensing for open access distribution
Open access distribution is typically implemented via Creative Commons licensing. Unless otherwise stated, CC BY 4.0 is applied, permitting broad reuse subject to attribution. Alternative licensing may be used where legally required or where a journal states a variation.
The applicable licence is displayed on journal and article pages. Readers and reusers are expected to consult the licence terms prior to reuse.
Third-party materials
Authors are responsible for obtaining permissions to reproduce copyrighted third-party materials where fair use or equivalent exceptions do not apply. Permissions must permit distribution under the article’s licence terms.
Where third-party content cannot be licensed for open access distribution, authors should either remove it or replace it with an appropriate alternative.
Self-archiving and repository deposit
Authors are generally permitted to deposit their work in institutional repositories and personal academic pages. Where a DOI is assigned, authors are encouraged to cite the final published version. Repository deposit supports long-term access and is consistent with the monthly publication cycle.
Where a repository requires additional metadata, authors should ensure accuracy of journal title, ISSN, and the article identifier.
Policy enquiries
Enquiries regarding interpretation or application of this policy may be directed to the editorial office. Correspondence should identify the relevant journal (if applicable), the manuscript or article identifier (if applicable), and a concise description of the issue.
Email: editor@ep-journals.org