Clouds of Europe - Code of Conduct

Version 1.0 - December 2024

Our Commitment

The Clouds of Europe community is dedicated to building an inclusive, respectful, and collaborative environment for all practitioners working toward European digital sovereignty and cloud independence. We welcome participants from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and skill levels who share our commitment to open standards, cloud-native solutions, and European values of privacy, transparency, and democratic participation.

This Code of Conduct outlines our shared expectations for behavior within all community spaces, whether online, at events, or in collaborative projects. By participating in our community, you agree to uphold these standards and help create a positive environment for knowledge sharing and innovation.

Our Values

Our community is built on these foundational principles:

Digital Sovereignty

We believe in the fundamental right of European organizations and individuals to control their digital infrastructure, data, and technological destiny. This includes supporting European cloud providers, open-source solutions, and technologies that respect privacy and democratic oversight.

Open Standards & Cloud-Native First

We champion open standards and cloud-native technologies as the foundation for true cloud portability and independence. We share knowledge freely and contribute to open-source projects that advance our collective goals.

European Values

We embrace the European commitment to privacy, transparency, democratic participation, and social responsibility. We respect the diverse cultures, languages, and perspectives across Europe while working toward our shared technological objectives.

Collaborative Learning

We believe in the power of community-driven knowledge sharing. We learn from each other's experiences, celebrate successes together, and support one another through challenges in achieving cloud independence.

Expected Behavior

All community members are expected to:

Demonstrate Respect and Inclusion

Show empathy and kindness toward other people, recognizing that behind every username is a human being with their own context and challenges
Be respectful of differing opinions, viewpoints, and experiences, especially regarding technical approaches to cloud independence
Use inclusive language that welcomes people from all backgrounds, technical skill levels, and European regions
Respect people's identities, pronouns, and cultural backgrounds across our diverse European community

Foster Constructive Collaboration

Give and gracefully accept constructive feedback on technical approaches, strategies, and community initiatives
Accept responsibility and apologize to those affected by our mistakes, and learn from the experience
Focus on what is best not just for us as individuals, but for the overall community and the goal of European digital sovereignty
Ask questions thoughtfully and provide helpful answers when you have expertise to share

Maintain Professional Standards

Keep discussions relevant to cloud independence, European digital sovereignty, cloud-native technologies, and related platforms
Share knowledge generously while respecting intellectual property and confidentiality agreements
Be honest about your experience level and don't present yourself as an expert in areas where you're still learning
Support newcomers and those transitioning to European cloud alternatives

Respect European Data and Privacy Standards

Protect personal information shared within the community
Respect GDPR and other European privacy regulations in all community activities
Be mindful of data sovereignty when discussing technical solutions and hosting community resources
Support privacy-by-design approaches in all community projects and recommendations

Unacceptable Behavior

The following behaviors are considered unacceptable within our community:

Harassment and Discrimination

Personal attacks, trolling, or insulting/derogatory comments based on personal or professional characteristics
Harassment of any kind, including unwelcome sexual attention, stalking, or intimidation
Discrimination based on age, body size, visible or invisible disability, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, level of experience, education, socio-economic status, nationality, personal appearance, race, religion, or sexual identity and orientation
Publishing others' private information without their explicit permission

Technical Misconduct

Deliberately sharing misleading or false technical information that could harm cloud migration efforts
Promoting solutions that contradict European digital sovereignty without clear disclosure of conflicts or limitations
Sabotaging or deliberately undermining community projects or collaborative efforts
Violating intellectual property rights or encouraging others to do so

Community Disruption

Sustained disruption of community discussions, events, or collaborative projects
Spam, off-topic content, or commercial promotion unrelated to our community mission
Using community platforms for political campaigning unrelated to digital sovereignty and European tech policy
Circumventing community moderation or repeatedly violating community guidelines

Professional Misconduct

Providing knowingly false or misleading information in connection with Code of Conduct investigations
Retaliating against a person because they reported an incident or provided information as a witness
Abusing power or influence within the community to advance personal interests over community goals

Enforcement Guidelines

Reporting Incidents

If you experience or witness behavior that violates this Code of Conduct, please report it promptly to:

Primary contact: conduct@clouds-of-europe.eu
Alternative contact: [Community Admin] via private message
Anonymous reporting: [Anonymous form link]

Include the following information in your report:

Names or usernames of people involved
Description of the incident with specific details
When and where the incident occurred
Any relevant documentation (screenshots, links, etc.)
Impact on you or others

Investigation Process

Acknowledgment: We will acknowledge receipt of your report within 3 business days
Assessment: Our Code of Conduct Committee will assess the situation and determine next steps
Investigation: If needed, we will conduct a thorough investigation with involved parties
Resolution: We will determine appropriate consequences and communicate the outcome
Follow-up: We will check in with affected parties to ensure the resolution is effective

Possible Consequences

Depending on the severity and context of the violation, consequences may include:

Correction: Private feedback and guidance on appropriate behavior
Warning: Formal warning with clear expectations for future behavior
Temporary Suspension: Removal from community spaces for a specified period
Permanent Ban: Permanent exclusion from all community spaces and activities
Leadership Removal: Loss of leadership roles or privileges within the community

Appeals Process

If you disagree with a Code of Conduct decision, you may appeal by:

Submitting a written appeal to appeals@clouds-of-europe.eu within 30 days
Providing new information or context that wasn't previously considered
Requesting review by an independent party if there are conflicts of interest

Community Leadership Responsibilities

Community leaders, including administrators, moderators, and project maintainers, have additional responsibilities:

Model expected behavior and maintain high standards of conduct
Fairly and consistently enforce this Code of Conduct
Provide clear, constructive feedback when addressing violations
Protect the privacy and safety of community members who report incidents
Continuously improve community processes and practices

Community leaders who don't follow or enforce the Code of Conduct may be temporarily or permanently removed from leadership positions.

Scope

This Code of Conduct applies to all community spaces, including:

Online platforms: Discord, Slack, forums, mailing lists, social media groups
Events: Meetups, conferences, workshops, and informal gatherings
Collaborative projects: Open source contributions, documentation, case studies
Public representation: When representing the community in external contexts

This Code of Conduct also applies when community members are representing the project in public spaces, such as social media, conferences, or online/offline events.

European Legal Compliance

This Code of Conduct is designed to comply with European laws and regulations, including:

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) for privacy and data handling
Digital Services Act for content moderation and platform responsibilities
Various national laws regarding discrimination and harassment

We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of legal and ethical conduct while fostering innovation in European digital sovereignty.

Attribution and License

This Code of Conduct is adapted from the CNCF Code of Conduct, originally licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Modifications have been made to reflect our focus on European digital sovereignty, cloud independence, and cloud-native solutions. Key adaptations include:

European Values Integration: Emphasis on GDPR compliance, European data sovereignty, and democratic principles
Cloud Independence Focus: Specific language around migrating from proprietary cloud platforms to European alternatives
Cloud-Native First Approach: Recognition of cloud-native technologies as foundational for cloud portability and independence
Geographic Scope: Tailored for the European technology community and regulatory environment

Original Source: CNCF Code of Conduct
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Adapted for: Clouds of Europe Community
Last Updated: December 2024

Contact Information

General Questions: hello@clouds-of-europe.eu
Code of Conduct Reports: conduct@clouds-of-europe.eu
Appeals: appeals@clouds-of-europe.eu
Emergency Contact: [European emergency numbers as appropriate]

This Code of Conduct is a living document that will evolve with our community. We welcome feedback and suggestions for improvement as we build the future of European digital sovereignty together.