Ethics & Integrity Framework 2025.

Citizen of Europe Ethics Framework

Effective: 25 October 2025
Alignment: Raad voor de Journalistiek (RvJ), Nederlandse Vereniging van Journalisten (NVJ), International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), and EU Digital Services Act (DSA 2025).

1. Ethical Declaration

Truth before tribe. Citizen of Europe exists to report what matters — not what flatters. We don’t serve parties, corporations, or governments. Our loyalty is to the reader, to evidence, and to context.

Integrity is our non-negotiable. We verify before we amplify. Every article is cross-checked against multiple sources, and our editorial process follows the principles of accuracy, fairness, and accountability set by the Raad voor de Journalistiek, NVJ, and IFJ.

No framing without framing it. Every story carries a lens. We name ours. When bias appears, we confront it — not conceal it.

Unbiased doesn’t mean neutral. We don’t pretend all sides are equal when they aren’t. We give space to complexity, not propaganda. We expose power, protect facts, and publish without fear or favor.

Ethics aren’t a page — they’re a practice. From sourcing to sentence structure, from AI use to image choice, our work is guided by conscience and transparency. If we make an error, we correct it publicly. If we’re challenged, we explain our reasoning.

Every frame is an ethical choice — ours is to illuminate, not manipulate.

2. Editorial Integrity Charter

• Editorial independence is absolute. No political, corporate, or state influence affects content decisions.
• We do not publish sponsored or paid content disguised as journalism.
• Conflicts of interest are disclosed and documented.
• Editorial and commercial functions remain strictly separate.
• Funding sources and partnerships are disclosed where relevant.

3. Framing & Bias Policy

• All stories have a frame; transparency means acknowledging it.
• Writers identify the central lens — legal, humanitarian, geopolitical, economic, or social.
• Opposing perspectives are fairly represented within that frame.
• False balance is not neutrality. It is distortion.
• Language audits are part of every editorial review to check tone, insinuation, and framing bias.

We frame to clarify, not to manipulate.

4. Corrections & Accountability

We correct verified errors promptly and visibly. Minor updates are timestamped; major ones include a public explanation. Readers may contact info@citizenofeurope.com with accuracy concerns or evidence requests.

All corrections and retractions are archived for transparency under our Fact-Checking & Corrections Procedure.

5. AI & Automation Ethics

• AI tools may assist in research, language editing, or formatting — never in judgment, framing, or final decision-making.
• AI outputs are reviewed for factual integrity and bias.
• All published content undergoes human editorial verification prior to release.
• Automated processes comply with the EU AI Act and DSA transparency requirements.

6. Data & Privacy Integrity

We respect our readers as people, not data points. Citizen of Europe does not sell, trade, or exploit personal information. Cookies and analytics are used solely for performance monitoring and consent-based functionality. Details are outlined in our Privacy Policy.

7. Legal & Ethical Anchoring (LLAP Entry #100)

• Document version: Ethics & Integrity Framework v1.0
• Effective date: 25 October 2025
• Compliance references: RvJ, NVJ, IFJ, EU DSA 2025
• Scope: Editorial conduct, sourcing, AI use, bias transparency, data ethics
• Reviewed by: PeanutsChoice / Citizen of Europe Editorial Board

8. Ethics in Practice

Our ethical principles live in practice, not policy. Examples:

• Declining publication of unverified claims, despite public pressure.
• Disclosing potential conflicts when covering overlapping organizations or funding sources.
• Correcting factual inaccuracies with visible change logs and timestamped updates.

Ethics are only real when they cost something — and we’re willing to pay that cost.

Further Reading & Standards

Explore foundational codes and transparency links that underpin our commitment:

• Nederlandse Vereniging van Journalisten (NVJ) – mission & independence [oai_citation:0‡nvj.nl](https://nvj.nl/over/nvj/dit-is-nvj?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
• International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) – Ethics & journalist conduct [oai_citation:1‡IFJ](https://www.ifj.org/what/press-freedom/ethics?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
• European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) – Ethics overview [oai_citation:2‡European Federation of Journalists](https://europeanjournalists.org/policy/ethics/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
• Fact-Checking & Corrections Procedure
• Editorial Transparency & Ethics main page
• Support & Contact page