Presenting ECAT

Watch the event recording

This event presented the European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency (ECAT), the first European centre focused on this topic that put research at direct service of the enforcement of the Digital Service Act (DSA).

The DSA responds to the increasing need to unveil and better understand the technologies that drive platforms business models. The creation of ECAT, by DG CONNECT and the Joint Research Centre, allows the Commission to level-up its technical expertise in the field of data science and algorithms. ECAT pools top-notch experts to support the Commission’s new tasks as regulator, and will become the reference for research around algorithmic transparency.

During this event, our speakers took us through the challenges of building a safe online space for all, and unveiled how ECAT will be key in getting there.

Photo gallery

Agenda

11:00 - 12:00
Session I – Presenting ECAT
Several videos will explain the creation and mission of ECAT as the different speakers will address the political context.
- Speakers:
  - Mikel Landabaso, Director for fair and sustainable economy, Joint Research Centre
  - Gerard de Graaf, Senior EU Envoy for Digital to the US and Head of the EU Delegation to San Francisco
  - Francesca Bria, European Digital Policy Expert, President of the Italian National Innovation Fund
  - Renate Nikolay, Deputy Director General, Communications Networks, Content and Technology, European Commission
  - Rumman Chowdhury, Head of Parity Consulting and Responsible AI Fellow at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University
  - Carme Artigas, Secretary of State for Digitization and Artificial Intelligence of Spain
  - Krishna Gummadi, European Lab for Learning and Intelligent Systems (ELLIS)
  - Antonio Muñoz, Mayor of Seville
  - Antonio Sanz, Andalusian Regional Minister of the Presidency
  - Stephen Quest, Director General, Joint Research Centre
12:45 - 13:30
Session II – Dive into ECAT’s work
JRC scientists and experts from partner research centres in other Member States will display the work they are doing in an interactive and plural presentation.
18-19 April 2023
ECAT Community - Workshop
Scientists and experts working at ECAT will cooperate with industry representatives, academia, and civil society organisations to improve our understanding of how algorithms work: they will analyse transparency, assess risks, and propose new transparent approaches and best practices.
In this physical workshop after the main event, interested partners and experts from other organisations will have the opportunity to present their work and interact with the ECAT team and other participants, to start building a community ensuring a broad-based, collective approach to algorithmic transparency.
See workshop's agenda