Governance & Event Approval

ECON adopts a light, transparent and functional governance model designed to preserve flexibility while ensuring quality, ethical alignment and accountability in all activities.

Founding Team & Strategic Oversight

The founding team is responsible for safeguarding ECON’s identity, mission and ethical principles. Their role focuses on strategic coherence rather than administrative control. They oversee:

  • Compliance with ECON’s values and ethical standards
  • Alignment with international AI governance frameworks
  • Approval of external event proposals
  • Strategic continuity and integrity of the network

No hierarchical or political structures are foreseen. Governance remains minimal by design, ensuring openness, neutrality and agility.

Operational Autonomy of Participating Organisations

Operational decisions for each activity are taken by the organisations directly involved in its implementation. This guarantees rapid execution, creative freedom and adaptability to local needs.

ECON provides methodological support, ethical guidance and access to its frameworks when requested, but does not intervene in internal management or decision-making processes of partner organisations.

Approval Process for Externally Organised ECON Events

1

Submission of the Proposal

The organising institution submits a concept note including objectives, expected outcomes, proposed budget, transparency mechanisms and thematic alignment with ECON’s mission.

2

Review & Ethical Check

The founding team evaluates the proposal focusing on coherence with ethical frameworks, feasibility, transparency and public value.

3

Minimum Timeline Requirement

Proposals must be submitted at least 12 months before the planned event date.

4

Approval & Formalisation

Once approved, the organising institution signs a dedicated Participation Agreement confirming roles, responsibilities and transparency obligations.

5

Implementation & Reporting

The organiser delivers the event autonomously, ensuring full documentation of expenses and compliance with ECON’s values.

Commitment to Transparency and Ethical Integrity

All governance decisions follow principles of transparency, independence and equal treatment. The founding team ensures that administrative burden remains minimal and that all organisations have equal opportunity to propose activities. The Ethical Code still published on the ECON website remains fully in force and unchanged, serving as a binding reference framework for all events, collaborations and organisational decisions.

Regulatory Background on Ethical AI & Governance

ECON’s activities are grounded in the main international frameworks on trustworthy and responsible artificial intelligence.

GDPR – General Data Protection Regulation

The cornerstone of lawful, transparent and rights-based data governance in Europe.

OECD AI Principles

These global principles emphasise transparency, human-centred values, accountability and robustness.

UNESCO Ethics of AI Recommendation (2021)

A global standard promoting fairness, sustainability, diversity, inclusion and ethical impact assessments.

EU Artificial Intelligence Act (EU AI Act)

The world’s first comprehensive AI regulation introduces a risk-based approach, transparency requirements for generative AI, strict rules for high-risk systems, obligations on data quality, documentation, robustness, testing and human oversight.

EU Trustworthy AI Guidelines

The seven pillars of trustworthy AI — human oversight, robustness, transparency, fairness, privacy, societal well-being and accountability — form the ethical backbone of ECON’s methodology.

Together, these frameworks ensure that ECON’s work is ethically, legally and methodologically robust.