Compliance
Compliance checklist
- RCOS-Core version: v0.1
- Last audited: 2026-08-31
- Audit method: Self-audit (content definition complete; formal adoption in progress)
- Overall status: Pending adoption — all artifacts have substantive content; Layer 0 is fully adopted (4 of 20 artifacts); the remaining 16 are Draft
Status key:
Present— file exists with substantive, adopted contentDraft— file exists with substantive content; not yet formally adoptedStub— file exists but is a placeholder only; does not count as compliantMissing— file does not existNon-compliant— file exists but systematically violates RCOS requirements
RCOS Compliance Progress
RCOS-Core compliance is binary per §10.1.1: a community is either compliant or non-compliant. EcoHubs is currently non-compliant — Layer 0 was ratified on 2026-07-03, but the 16 artifacts in Layers 1–6 remain in Draft status and have not been formally adopted through a governance vote.
The two bars below show content readiness and formal adoption separately.
Content Coverage (spec requirements addressed in artifacts)
Layer 0 — Identity & Scope ███████████████████░ 95% (adopted 2026-07-03)
Layer 1 — Membership System ███████████████████░ 95%
Layer 2 — Governance & Logic ████████████████████ 98%
Layer 3 — Economic & Resource ████████████████░░░░ 82%
Layer 4 — Conflict & Repair ███████████████████░ 93%
Layer 5 — Operations ██████████████████░░ 92%
Layer 6 — Evolution ████████████████████ 97%
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Overall content coverage ████████████████████ 94%Scoring method: each normative MUST requirement in the spec counts as 1 point. Fully addressed = 1, partially addressed = 0.5, not addressed = 0. Total ~200 normative MUST requirements identified across Layers 0–6 (updated to reflect Identity Constraints Register as a 4th Layer 0 artifact per RCOS-Core v0.1 spec 2026-04-27). Score: ~187/200 ≈ 94% (§3.5.3 closed 2026-08-31). Layer 0 reduced from 98% to 95% because two ecological constraints (IC-004, IC-005) have partial enforcement (measurable threshold deferred).
Formal Adoption (artifacts voted and adopted through ecohubsOS)
Layer 0 — Identity & Scope ████████████████████ 100% (4/4 — ratified 2026-07-03)
Layer 1 — Membership System ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 0% (0/4)
Layer 2 — Governance & Logic ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 0% (0/3)
Layer 3 — Economic & Resource ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 0% (0/2)
Layer 4 — Conflict & Repair ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 0% (0/2)
Layer 5 — Operations ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 0% (0/3)
Layer 6 — Evolution ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 0% (0/3)
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Overall formal adoption ████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 20% (4 of 20 adopted; 16 pending)Once all 20 artifacts are adopted through ecohubsOS votes, formal adoption reaches 100% and EcoHubs becomes RCOS-Core compliant (subject to any remaining content gaps being resolved first).
Adopted Artifacts
| Artifact | Adopted | Decision type | Decision record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose Charter | 2026-07-03 | Constitutional | Proposal record |
| Scope Declaration | 2026-07-03 | Constitutional | Proposal record |
| Invariants Register | 2026-07-03 | Constitutional | Proposal record |
| Identity Constraints Register | 2026-07-03 | Constitutional | Proposal record |
All four were voted in ecohubsOS: proposals opened 2026-05-05, votes closed 2026-06-03 with the required supermajority (≥⅔ of votes cast), and the 30-day Constitutional ratification period ended 2026-07-03.
Layer 0 — Identity & Scope
Layer compliance: Adopted 2026-07-03 — all four artifacts ratified by Constitutional decision; ecological constraint enforcement partially deferred
| Artifact | File | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose Charter | layers/0-identity/01-purpose-charter.md | Present | Adopted 2026-07-03 (v0.1). Identity Constraints section replaced with cross-reference to dedicated register |
| Scope Declaration | layers/0-identity/02-scope-declaration.md | Present | Adopted 2026-07-03 (v0.2). In-scope asset 5 was voted as blueprint.ecohubs.community; recorded as rcos.ecohubs.community following the site rename — same asset, no scope change |
| Invariants Register | layers/0-identity/03-invariants-register.md | Present | Adopted 2026-07-03 (v0.3). INV-001 through INV-006 in force |
| Identity Constraints Register | layers/0-identity/04-identity-constraints-register.md | Present | Adopted 2026-07-03 (v0.4). IC-001–003, IC-006–008 fully enforceable; IC-004–005 (ecological) have partial enforcement — measurable threshold deferred |
Layer 1 — Membership System
Layer compliance: Pending adoption — content complete; some technical implementations missing
| Artifact | File | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Membership Agreement | layers/1-membership/01-membership-agreement.md | Draft | Content complete; Substitution of Participation added 2026-08-31, closing the §3.5.3 gap; not yet adopted |
| Onboarding Protocol | layers/1-membership/02-onboarding-protocol.md | Draft | Content complete; trial transition now tied to reaching Level 1 rather than onboarding completion. Several technical implementations pending — see missing-technical-implementations.md |
| Exit & Separation Protocol | layers/1-membership/03-exit-separation-protocol.md | Draft | Content complete; Suspension (Standby) defined 2026-08-31 now that ecohubsOS implements it. Exit flow implemented; member-initiated exit and standby requests still pending — see missing-technical-implementations.md |
| Membership State Registry | layers/1-membership/04-membership-state-registry.md | Draft | Content complete; states redefined 2026-08-31 (Standby added, Steward/Admin recorded as roles rather than states); not yet adopted |
Layer 2 — Governance & Decision Logic
Layer compliance: Pending adoption — content complete; ecohubsOS proposal template missing
| Artifact | File | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decision Matrix | layers/2-governance/01-decision-matrix.md | Draft | Content complete; not yet adopted |
| Governance Protocol | layers/2-governance/02-governance-protocol.md | Draft | Content complete; ecohubsOS proposal template not yet created — see missing-technical-implementations.md |
| Authority Registry | layers/2-governance/03-authority-registry.md | Draft | Content complete; updated to reference specific operational roles from Layer 5 |
Layer 3 — Economic & Resource System
Layer compliance: Pending adoption — content complete; ECO decay mechanism and concentration risk indicators deferred
| Artifact | File | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal Economy Protocol | layers/3-economy/01-internal-economy-protocol.md | Draft | Content complete; recognition effects corrected 2026-08-31 (XP now drives the Trial → Full Member transition) and unit attribution for substituted work added; ECO expiration/decay mechanism deferred; concentration risk indicators not yet defined — see future-proposals.md |
| Treasury Ruleset | layers/3-economy/02-treasury-ruleset.md | Draft | Content complete; treasury spending thresholds deferred until community funds exist — see future-proposals.md |
Layer 4 — Conflict, Repair & Accountability
Layer compliance: Pending adoption — content complete
| Artifact | File | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conflict Resolution Ladder | layers/4-conflict/01-conflict-resolution-ladder.md | Draft | Content complete; updated 2026-04-22 to add per-class response timelines, non-response/withdrawal/deadlock handling, and power-differential intake channels |
| Accountability Protocol | layers/4-conflict/02-accountability-protocol.md | Draft | Content complete; not yet adopted |
Layer 5 — Operations & Coordination
Layer compliance: Pending adoption — content complete; all operational roles currently held by founding member
| Artifact | File | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operations Manual | layers/5-operations/01-operations-manual.md | Draft | Content complete; updated 2026-04-22 to add temporary/ad-hoc responsibility rules and information anti-gatekeeping policy |
| Role Registry | layers/5-operations/02-role-registry.md | Draft | Content complete; 12 roles defined; all operational roles currently held by founding member |
| Meeting Templates | layers/5-operations/meeting-templates/ | Draft | All 5 templates complete (Operations, Governance, Coordination/Alignment, Reflection & Learning, Conflict Handling) |
Layer 6 — Evolution & Adaptation
Layer compliance: Pending adoption — content complete
| Artifact | File | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Change Protocol | layers/6-evolution/01-change-protocol.md | Draft | Content complete; updated 2026-04-22 to add experiment review checkpoints and safety suspension mechanism |
| Version History | layers/6-evolution/02-version-history.md | Draft | Active; current version v0.4 — entries v0.1–v0.4 record the Layer 0 adoptions of 2026-07-03 |
| Learning Log | layers/6-evolution/03-learning-log.md | Draft | Active; updated 2026-04-22 to define learnable events, ownership, and synthesis cadence; no entries yet |
RCOS Spec Coverage Gaps
The following items were identified during a systematic §-by-§ audit of RCOS-Core v0.1 on 2026-04-22. Items already fully addressed in artifacts are not listed. Items marked REQUIRED correspond to MUST requirements in the spec. Items marked OPTIONAL correspond to MAY or SHOULD requirements.
Items are grouped by whether they are addressed, partially addressed, or still open.
Fixed During This Audit (2026-04-22)
| Ref | Requirement | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| §2.1.3 | Primary purpose change threshold — artifact incorrectly stated “simple majority” instead of required “supermajority ≥⅔” | Fixed — Purpose Charter corrected |
| §6.1.3 | Each conflict class MUST define expected response priority and timelines | Fixed — per-class initial response windows added to CRL classification table |
| §6.2.3 | Resolution ladder MUST define how refusal, non-response, withdrawal, and procedural deadlock are handled | Fixed — “Non-Response, Withdrawal, and Deadlock” section added to CRL |
| §6.3.3 | Where power differential exists, elevated safeguards MUST include separate intake/communication channels | Fixed — power differential separate intake channel added to CRL safeguards |
| §7.1.5 | Temporary/ad-hoc responsibilities MUST be explicitly time-bounded and MUST NOT become ongoing without formal role definition | Fixed — “Temporary and Ad-Hoc Responsibilities” section added to Operations Manual |
| §7.3.5 | Information flow MUST be designed to prevent gatekeeping, bottlenecks, or dependency on informal intermediaries | Fixed — “Information Flow and Anti-Gatekeeping” section added to Operations Manual |
| §8.3.2 | Every experiment MUST define review checkpoints within its duration | Fixed — Change Protocol experiment requirements updated |
| §8.3.5 | If experiment introduces safety risk, MUST suspend or terminate immediately with post-hoc review | Fixed — Safety suspension clause added to Change Protocol |
| §8.6.5 | Learning Log MUST define what constitutes a learnable event, documentation ownership, and review/synthesis cadence | Fixed — “What Constitutes a Learnable Event” section added to Learning Log |
Fixed During the Layer 1 Update (2026-08-31)
| Ref | Requirement | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| §3.5.3 | Substitution of participation (e.g., outsourcing labor) MUST be explicitly governed | Fixed — “Substitution of Participation” section added to the Membership Agreement: what may be substituted, what may never be substituted (voting, proposals, consent, conflict participation, role authority), substitution by non-members, and the rule that substituted work discharges the task but not the member’s own participation obligation. Unit attribution mirrored in the Internal Economy Protocol |
| §3.7.2, §3.7.3 | Suspension conditions MUST be explicit, time-bounded and reviewable; suspension MUST NOT be an indefinite or punitive substitute for exit | Fixed — Standby defined as a membership state with three entry routes, a 14-day review deadline for an inconclusive case, a 12-month cap, automatic restoration where the community declines removal, and a bar on reopening a case on the same facts |
Partially Addressed — Open Items (REQUIRED)
These are genuine gaps that require more design work or governance decisions to fully resolve. They are not errors in the current artifacts but represent requirements not yet completely satisfied.
| Ref | Requirement | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| §2.4.3 | Identity constraints MUST be testable and enforceable through defined processes | Partial | Identity Constraints Register (IC-001 through IC-008) created 2026-04-27, adopted 2026-07-03. IC-001–003 and IC-006–008 have defined enforcement pathways via Layer 4 and Layer 2. IC-004–005 (ecological constraints) have behavioral/process enforcement but lack measurable thresholds — “sustained net harm” and “significant decision” are not yet defined in measurable terms for the networked community context. Threshold definition deferred — see future-proposals.md |
| §5.1.4 | For commons resources, MUST explicitly define stewardship responsibilities, maintenance obligations, and funding mechanisms | Partial | The IEP resource table lists stewards and access rules. Maintenance obligations are implied (Infrastructure Steward for platforms) but not explicit per-resource. Funding mechanisms (operational costs) are covered in the Treasury Ruleset. Add a “Maintenance obligations” column or sub-note to the IEP resource table. |
| §5.4.4 | MUST define reviewable indicators of economic concentration risk and an explicit mechanism to adjust constraints when such risks are detected | Not addressed | No concentration risk indicators defined. Given current early stage (one member, no significant balances), this is low-risk but still a MUST requirement. REQUIRED. Define simple indicators (e.g., if one member holds >50% of total ECO balance, a review is triggered) and a review/adjustment pathway. |
Deferred — Governance Decision Required
These items are deferred because they require a community governance decision to define, not just a content update.
| Ref | Requirement | Priority | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ECO expiration / decay mechanism | §5.2.4 + §5.4.2 — if internal units exist, MUST define expiration/decay/cap | Medium | Non-transferability currently serves as the single accumulation-limiting mechanism (satisfies §5.4.2 minimum). Expiration/decay would add additional protection. Deferred — see future-proposals.md |
| Treasury spending thresholds | §5.3.3 — spending authority MUST be explicitly bounded by thresholds | Low urgency | Finance Steward currently has €0 unilateral authority (effectively no spending authority). Thresholds should be defined once community funds exist. Deferred — see future-proposals.md |
| Suspended Member state | §3.7 (MAY) — temporary suspension states | — | Resolved 2026-08-31. ecohubsOS implements a distinct standby status; Standby is now a defined membership state with §3.7.2 time bounds and §3.7.3 anti-substitution rules — see the Membership State Registry and the Exit & Separation Protocol |
| Consent-based decision-making for Strategic decisions | §4.2.2 (MAY) — alternatives to majority vote | Low | Currently using simple majority for Strategic decisions. Consent-based approach is optional. Deferred. |
Path to Full Compliance
All artifacts have substantive content. Layer 0 (4 artifacts) completed this path on 2026-07-03; the remaining 16 artifacts in Layers 1–6 have not. To achieve full compliance, each remaining artifact must be:
- Proposed and deliberated per the Governance Protocol (Layer 2)
- Adopted through an authorized ecohubsOS vote
- Status fields updated from Stub — not yet adopted to Active — adopted
- Filed as a proposal record in
proposals/passed/ - Recorded in
layers/6-evolution/02-version-history.md
The version history stays on 0.x until compliance is reached; the adoption that closes the last artifact and the last content gap is recorded as v1.0. Current version: v0.4.
Remaining content gaps to resolve before claiming compliance (from “Partially Addressed — Open Items” above):
- §5.1.4 — Per-commons maintenance obligations (IEP resource table)
- §5.4.4 — Economic concentration risk indicators (IEP)
- §2.4.3 — Ecological identity constraint measurable thresholds (IC-004/IC-005 in Identity Constraints Register — behavioral enforcement exists; numerical definition deferred)
Open technical gaps (required for full operational compliance — see missing-technical-implementations.md):
- Voluntary exit request flow in ecohubsOS
- Standby upon a member’s own request
- Removal vote must use the Strategic decision threshold (currently Operational in ecohubsOS)
- Steward-review deadline for an inconclusive disciplinary case
- Maximum trial duration review
- Artifact links in onboarding flow
- Explicit in-app consent to Membership Agreement and Layer 0
- Onboarding reminder emails and expiry notifications
- 6-month re-application block after rejection or incomplete onboarding
- Onboarding expiry actions in ecohubsOS admin panel
- ecohubsOS proposal template
Deferred governance decisions (see future-proposals.md):
- Treasury spending thresholds (trigger: first community funds received)
- Consent-based decision making for Strategic decisions
- ECO accumulation limits and decay
- Suspended Member state