ECON Manifesto for the Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence in European Project Design

Preamble

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping how ideas are conceived, articulated, and transformed into European projects.
As generative AI becomes increasingly pervasive, its use raises not only questions of efficiency, but also of responsibility, transparency, trust, and democratic integrity.

ECON affirms that innovation must always walk hand in hand with ethics.
Technology must serve humanity, reinforce equity, and strengthen the values at the heart of the European Union.

This Manifesto establishes the principles and commitments that guide ECON in using AI tools within EU-funded project design and governance.

Our Vision

We envision an ecosystem where AI enhances human creativity, supports strategic thinking, and strengthens collaborative processes—
without ever replacing human responsibility, authorship, or ethical judgement.

AI must be:

  • Transparent
  • Traceable
  • Inclusive
  • Secure
  • Accountable

And always aligned with European values.

Our Ethical Commitments

2.1 Transparency Above All

We commit to:

  • declaring openly when, where, and how AI has contributed to any project document;
  • providing an AI Contribution Statement for every proposal developed with AI assistance;
  • ensuring full clarity of roles, authorship, and responsibilities.

Hidden AI is not acceptable. Transparency is a democratic obligation.

2.2 Human Oversight as a Non-Negotiable Principle

AI does not replace expertise.
All AI-assisted outputs are:

  • reviewed,
  • verified,
  • contextualised
    by qualified professionals.

Decision-making remains exclusively human.

2.3 Inclusion, Fairness, and Bias Prevention

We ensure that AI-generated content:

  • promotes fairness, inclusivity, and dignity;
  • avoids gender, cultural, or linguistic bias;
  • represents all groups accurately and respectfully.

Ethics is not optional—it is foundational to European cooperation.

2.4 Data Protection and Digital Safety

ECON guarantees:

  • strict compliance with GDPR;
  • secure use of AI tools;
  • avoidance of personal/sensitive data in AI systems;
  • anonymisation and data-minimisation as standard practice.

Privacy and security are non-negotiable rights.

2.5 Integrity, Originality, and Intellectual Property

We ensure that all AI-assisted content:

  • respects copyright,
  • preserves originality,
  • avoids plagiarism,
  • acknowledges sources transparently.

Innovation requires intellectual honesty.

Our Operational Principles

3.1 The Prompt Logbook

All AI interactions are documented to ensure:

  • traceability,
  • reproducibility,
  • accountability.

This strengthens internal ethics and external trust.

3.2 The ROM Requirements (Minimum Ethical Standards)

Every AI-assisted document must comply with ECOn’s five Minimum Operational Requirements:

  1. Transparency
  2. Human Oversight
  3. Security & Data Protection
  4. Responsibility
  5. Traceability

These are the pillars of our ethical architecture.

3.3 Ethical Audit Before Submission

Every proposal undergoes a structured Ethical AI Review, including:

  • verification of compliance with the Manifesto;
  • internal peer review;
  • approval from the ECON AI & Ethics Focal Point.

3.4 Training & AI Literacy

We commit to continuous education to ensure:

  • informed, responsible AI use;
  • organisational competence;
  • a culture of ethical innovation.

AI literacy is a collective asset.

What ECON Defends

  • Responsible innovation
  • Human-centred digital transformation
  • Transparency in public funding
  • Trust between partners, institutions, and communities
  • Methodological rigor
  • Ethical leadership in Europe

What ECON Rejects

  • Hidden or undeclared AI use
  • AI-generated content without human review
  • Bias, stereotypes, or unfair representations
  • Unsafe or non-GDPR-compliant AI tools
  • Plagiarism, text replication, or template misuse
  • Any use of AI that undermines trust or democratic values

Our Call to Action

We invite partners, institutions, and project designers to join us in shaping a new European standard for ethical, transparent, and responsible AI use.

Together, we can build a digital future where innovation strengthens:

  • human dignity,
  • collective intelligence,
  • social justice,
  • and the values of the European Union.

Final Declaration

AI should amplify human creativity—not replace human responsibility.
True innovation is ethical, transparent, inclusive, and accountable.
This is the commitment of ECON.