About code.europa.eu

1. Introduction

Welcome to code.europa.eu, an open-source platform dedicated to fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and supporting innovation in coding and software development. These Terms and Conditions govern your access to and use of our platform, outlining the rules and regulations users must follow to ensure a safe and effective experience. By accessing and using our services, you confirm your acceptance of these terms and agree to abide by them at all times. The platform is designed to facilitate collaboration and the exchange of knowledge while maintaining security, compliance, and ethical engagement.

By using our services, users acknowledge that they have read, understood, and accepted these terms in full. If you do not agree to these Terms and Conditions, you should immediately cease using the platform. Code.europa.eu reserves the right to modify, update, or terminate any part of these terms at any time, and users will be notified of significant changes. It is the responsibility of the user to stay informed about any modifications to the terms. If you continue using the platform after an update, it constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

Code.europa.eu is committed to providing an inclusive and transparent environment for developers, researchers, and other contributors. Our platform supports coding projects, documentation, and educational resources, allowing users to interact with and contribute to software repositories. Only European institutions are allowed to publish repositories actively on the platform. They may collaborate with vendors and service providers, but all intellectual property rights of the published code and content will remain under the exclusive ownership of the European Commission. All repositories must follow open-source principles to ensure accessibility, transparency, and reusability.

To support open-source collaboration, repositories must be licensed under recognized open-source licenses. Acceptable licenses include, but are not limited to:

• European Union Public License (EUPL)
• MIT License
• GNU General Public License (GPL)
• Apache License 2.0
• BSD License (2-Clause or 3-Clause)
• Creative Commons Licenses (where applicable)

Each project must specify its license to ensure compliance with these terms. The goal is to maintain a framework that promotes open collaboration while safeguarding the interests of European institutions.

This agreement is legally binding between the platform and the user. It is designed to protect both the interests of users and the integrity of the platform. Violation of these terms may result in suspension, account termination, or legal action where necessary. Users are encouraged to review the terms regularly and ensure compliance with all applicable policies. These terms apply to all users, including visitors, registered members, and contributors.

2. Definitions

• Platform: refers to code.europa.eu and all its associated services, including but not limited to its website, applications, and APIs.
• User: refers to any individual, entity, or organization accessing the platform, whether for personal, academic, or commercial use.
• Content: encompasses all materials available on the platform, including but not limited to code, text, images, videos, documentation, and third-party integrations.
• Account: refers to a registered profile created by users to access certain features of the platform.
• Intellectual Property: covers copyrights, trademarks, patents, and other proprietary rights related to content published or shared on the platform.
• Contributions: refer to any material, including source code, documentation, and multimedia files, submitted by users for public use or collaboration within the platform.

These definitions ensure that users clearly understand the terms used throughout this agreement. The platform reserves the right to update these definitions as necessary to reflect technological, legal, or operational changes.

3. Acceptable Use

Users are required to adhere to the highest standards of ethical behavior when using the platform. The following guidelines must be observed at all times:

• Users must not engage in any illegal activities, including but not limited to hacking, phishing, fraud, or any other unlawful conduct.
• Users must not distribute, upload, or share any malicious code, viruses, or software designed to compromise security or disrupt operations.
• Intellectual property rights must be respected at all times. Users must not share or distribute copyrighted materials without proper authorization.
• Respectful communication is mandatory. Users must not engage in hate speech, harassment, bullying, threats, or any form of abusive behavior.
• Excessive API requests, unauthorized data scraping, and any actions that may overburden the system or degrade performance are strictly prohibited.

The platform reserves the right to take corrective action against users who violate these guidelines, including warning notices, account suspension, or permanent bans. Users found engaging in unlawful activities may be subject to legal prosecution.

4. User Accounts

Certain features of the platform require users to create an account. By registering, users agree to the following conditions:

• Users must provide accurate, complete, and up-to-date information when creating an account.
• Users are solely responsible for maintaining the security of their login credentials and must not share them with others.
• Any unauthorized access, breach, or suspicious activity must be reported immediately to platform administrators.
• The platform reserves the right to terminate or suspend accounts found in violation of these terms without prior notice.
• Users must not create multiple accounts for deceptive or fraudulent purposes, and impersonation of others is strictly prohibited.

The platform takes user security seriously and employs industry-standard measures to protect accounts from unauthorized access. However, users are also expected to take precautions in safeguarding their information.

5. Intellectual Property

All content on the platform is subject to intellectual property laws. The following terms apply:

• The platform retains ownership of all proprietary content, branding, and materials made available to users.
• Users who contribute content grant the platform a non-exclusive, worldwide license to display, distribute, and use the content.
• Users must not copy, reproduce, or distribute any content from the platform without permission unless explicitly stated otherwise.
• Third-party rights must be respected. If a user submits content belonging to a third party, they must have the appropriate authorization.
• If any intellectual property dispute arises, the platform reserves the right to remove the disputed content until resolution is reached.

6. Disclaimer of Warranties

The platform is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. Users should be aware of the following disclaimers:

• The platform does not guarantee uninterrupted, error-free, or secure operation at all times.
• No warranties are provided regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of content shared by users.
• Users assume all risks associated with using the platform and any reliance on third-party services or integrations.
• The platform disclaims responsibility for damages resulting from technical issues, data loss, or unauthorized access.
• Users must exercise discretion when sharing sensitive or confidential information on the platform.

7. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

• The platform is not responsible for direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from platform use.
• Users agree to indemnify the platform against claims, liabilities, losses, or expenses resulting from their actions.
• The platform is not liable for disruptions caused by maintenance, security breaches, or third-party interference.
• Users acknowledge that the platform operates with reasonable efforts to ensure security and stability, but no system is infallible.

8. Third-Party Links

Users should be aware that:

• The platform may contain links to external websites or services.
• The platform is not responsible for third-party content, privacy policies, or terms of service.
• Users should exercise caution when interacting with external links or downloading third-party materials.
• Third-party services integrated into the platform operate under their respective terms and conditions.
• The platform disclaims liability for any damages resulting from third-party interactions.

9. Final statements

Users' data is managed according to the Privacy Policy, available at here

The platform reserves the right to update these terms at any time. Users will be notified of major changes.

These terms are governed by the laws of European Commission. Any disputes shall be resolved through legal proceedings in the relevant courts.

7. Contact

For inquiries, contact us at eu-code-europa@ec.europa.eu

1. Purpose

We are committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative environment for everyone involved in the development and use of the code.europa.eu platform. This Code of Conduct outlines our expectations for participants and the consequences for unacceptable behavior.

2. Our Standards

Examples of behavior that contributes to a positive environment include:

• Using welcoming and inclusive language.
• Respecting differing viewpoints and experiences.
• Gracefully accepting constructive feedback.
• Showing empathy and kindness toward other community members.

Examples of unacceptable behavior include:

• The use of sexualized language or imagery, and unwelcome sexual attention or advances.
• Trolling, insulting/derogatory comments, and personal or political attacks.
• Public or private harassment.
• Publishing others’ private information without explicit permission.

3. Scope

This Code of Conduct applies to all spaces managed by code.europa.eu—including the landing page, Git repositories, issues, merge requests, comments, and all forms of communication.

4. Enforcement

Project maintainers are responsible for clarifying standards of acceptable behavior and are expected to take appropriate and fair corrective action in response to any instances of unacceptable behavior.

Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately.

5. Reporting

Instances of abusive, harassing, or otherwise unacceptable behavior may be reported by contacting the European Commission OSPO team at eu-code-europa@ec.europa.eu.