CONTENTS

Part I. Competition Rules

1.  Purpose, Scope and Legal Basis
2.  Categories and Nominations
3.  Cycle Structure and Calendar
4.  Nomination Procedure
5.  Composition of the Nomination File
6.  Participation Fees and Financial Separation
7.  Verification of Information
8.  Disqualification
9.  Finality of Decisions
Part II.  Participant Eligibility Criteria
10.  General Eligibility Standards
11.  Professional Standing
12.  Eligible Nominations
13.  Excluded Nominees
14.  Evidence Standards
Part III.  Evaluation and Scoring Criteria
15.  Multi-Stage Selection Procedure
16.  Evaluation Principles
17.  Evaluation Criteria
18.  Scoring Scale and Descriptors
19.  Calculation of the Final Score
20.  Shortlist and Finalists
21.  Final Decision and Determination of Winners
22.  Equal Scores and Withheld Awards
23.  Result Validation and Recognition
Part IV.  Geography and Scale of Participation
24.  Geographic Coverage
25.  Volume of Participation
26.  Composition of the Jury
27.  Publication of Participation Statistics
Part V.  Final Provisions
28.  Relationship to the Regulation
29.  Amendments and Interpretation
Annex A.  Parameters Determined for Each Cycle

PART I

COMPETITION RULES

1. Purpose, Scope and Legal Basis
1.1. These Regulations consolidate, in a single instrument, the rules of the competition, the eligibility criteria applicable to nominees, the criteria and methodology of evaluation, and the declared scope of participation of the Velto European Awards (the "Awards").
1.2. These Regulations are issued by the Organizing Committee (the "Organizer") pursuant to Sections III and XV of the Official Program Regulation of the Awards (the "Regulation") and constitute an Annex to it.
1.3. These Regulations do not amend the Regulation. In the event of any inconsistency, the Regulation prevails.
1.4. The Awards are an international professional awards program recognizing outstanding achievements, leadership, and innovation across professional fields, organized as an independent recognition program administered by the Organizer (Regulation, Section I).
1.5. These Regulations bind all nominees, applicants, Jury members, and any third party participating in the nomination or evaluation process. The submission of a nomination constitutes acceptance of the Regulation and of these Regulations (Regulation, Section XV).
1.6. These Regulations are of permanent application and contain no cycle-specific data. Parameters determined by the Organizer afresh for each cycle are listed in Annex A and published before the opening of nominations, without amendment of this instrument.
1.7. In these Regulations:

• "Organizer" means the Organizing Committee of the Awards (Regulation, Section III);
• "Secretariat" means the body providing administrative and operational support under Section III of the Regulation;
• "Jury" means the body responsible for professional evaluation under Section IV of the Regulation;
• "nomination" means a single entry submitted in a single category;
• "nominee" means the individual, organization, project, or initiative to which a nomination relates;
• "cycle" means one complete run of the Awards comprising the nomination, evaluation, and announcement stages (Regulation, Section I);
• "Final Score" means the value calculated under Section 19.

2. Categories and Nominations
2.1. The Awards comprise professional categories established by the Organizing Committee (Regulation, Section VI). The categories are:


2.2. Each category comprises a number of nominations. The Organizing Committee approves the list of nominations within each category and publishes it before the opening of nominations for the cycle concerned. The list of nominations does not form part of these Regulations and its determination does not require their amendment.
2.3. Categories may vary between award cycles (Regulation, Section VI). The Organizing Committee may introduce, merge, divide, or suspend a category, and any such adjustment is approved and published before the opening of nominations for the cycle concerned.
2.4. A recognition conferred in an earlier cycle refers to the category and nomination in force at the time it was conferred and remains valid notwithstanding any subsequent change to the lists.
2.5. A nominee may be entered in more than one nomination or category only where each entry is supported by a distinct evidentiary record. Duplicate entries within a single nomination are not admitted.
2.6. Where the number of admitted entries in a nomination or category is insufficient to permit meaningful comparative evaluation, the Organizer may withdraw it from the cycle.

3. Cycle Structure and Calendar
3.1. The Awards are organized on a periodic basis, and each cycle comprises the nomination, evaluation, and announcement stages (Regulation, Section I). Each cycle proceeds through the following stages in the order stated:


3.2. The calendar of each cycle — the date on which each stage opens and closes — is approved by the Organizer and published before the opening of nominations. The calendar does not form part of these Regulations.
3.3. All deadlines expire at 23:59 (UTC) on the date published. Nominations received after the closing date are not admitted to evaluation.
3.4. The Organizer may extend the closing date once per cycle. Any extension is published through the official communication channels of the program (Regulation, Section I).
3.5. The order of stages set out in Clause 3.1 may not be varied, and no nomination may enter a later stage without having passed each preceding one.

4. Nomination Procedure
4.1. Nominations must be submitted in accordance with the procedures and submission requirements established by the Organizer (Regulation, Section VII). Materials transmitted by any other means are not registered.
4.2. The procedure comprises the following steps:

1. Selection of the category and nomination.
2. Completion of the official nomination form.
3. Submission of the description of achievements and supporting documentation.
4. Payment of the participation fee applicable to the nomination.
5. Administrative screening by the Secretariat.
6. Professional eligibility review.
7. Admission to Jury evaluation.

4.3. Nominations and supporting materials are submitted in English. Documents in another language shall be accompanied by a translation; the Organizer may require certification of the translation.
4.4. A nomination may be submitted by the nominee personally or by a third party with the nominee's documented written consent. Nomination without consent is not admitted.
4.5. Admission to evaluation does not constitute a finding on the merits and confers no entitlement to inclusion in the shortlist or to any award.

5. Composition of the Nomination File
5.1. Nomination materials may include (Regulation, Section VII):

• a description of achievements;
• supporting documentation;
• professional references;
• evidence of measurable results.

5.2. A complete nomination file further comprises confirmation of the nominee's current position and organization, or of the lawful existence of the nominated organization or project, and a signed declaration as to the accuracy and completeness of the information submitted.
5.3. Evidence shall relate to the assessment period of five years preceding the closing date of nominations, save where the achievement relied upon is of a durable nature and its continuing effect is demonstrated.
5.4. Nomination materials and evaluation records are treated as confidential. Personal data contained in a nomination is processed solely for the purposes of the evaluation, administration, and announcement of the Awards.
5.5. The Organizer may request additional supporting materials from nominees (Regulation, Section VIII). Failure to respond within ten business days of the request results in the nomination being treated as incomplete and excluded from further consideration.

6. Participation Fees and Financial Separation
6.1. Participation in the Awards is subject to a participation fee. The Organizer determines the fees applicable to each cycle and publishes them, together with the categories and nominations to which they apply, before the opening of nominations.
6.2. No fee may be introduced, increased, or extended to a new stage after nominations for the cycle concerned have opened.
6.3. Payment of the fee entitles the nominee to have the nomination processed, verified, and evaluated in accordance with these Regulations. It does not entitle the nominee to inclusion in the shortlist, to finalist status, to an award, or to any other outcome, and confers no advantage whatsoever in the evaluation.
6.4. Fees cover administrative processing, verification, and documentation. They are non-refundable once a nomination has been admitted to Jury evaluation, save where the Organizer withdraws a nomination or category under Clause 2.6, in which case the fee is refunded in full.
6.5. Jury members act independently and must not accept instructions or influence from external parties (Regulation, Section IV). Jury members are not informed whether or in what amount a fee has been paid, and financial operations are structurally separated from Jury scoring, evaluation procedures, and the determination of results.
6.6. No sponsorship or commercial arrangement may be linked to a nomination, a shortlist placement, finalist status, or an award.

7. Verification of Information
7.1. The Organizer reserves the right to verify all submitted information. Verification may include a review of documentation, confirmation with professional organizations, and examination of public records (Regulation, Section VIII).
7.2. Verification is applied to the nominee's professional standing, to the claimed achievements, and to the authenticity of the supporting materials.
7.3. Nominations failing verification are excluded. The nominee is notified of the exclusion; the underlying assessment materials remain confidential.

8. Disqualification
8.1. Where submitted information is found to be false or misleading, the nomination may be disqualified (Regulation, Section VIII). Disqualification may further occur where:

• the nomination is materially incomplete;
• the nominee does not hold rights to the submitted materials;
• the eligibility criteria of Part II are not met;
• an attempt has been made to interfere with the evaluation, including approaches to Jury members or the offering of any benefit;
• submitted materials have been altered after the commencement of evaluation;
• the principles of honesty, professional conduct, and integrity have been breached (Regulation, Section XIV).

8.2. Disqualification may be applied at any stage, including after the formation of the shortlist and, where the grounds are established subsequently, after the announcement of results. In the latter case the Organizer may revoke the recognition conferred and withdraw the right to reference laureate status (Regulation, Sections XIII and XIV).
8.3. Participation fees are not refunded upon disqualification.

9. Finality of Decisions
9.1. Final decisions are taken by a vote of the Jury (Regulation, Section XII). Decisions rendered through the proper evaluation and voting procedure are final and binding on all participants.
9.2. The Jury may decide not to grant an award where the nominations do not meet the required professional standards (Regulation, Section XI). No entitlement to an award arises from participation.

PART II

PARTICIPANT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

10. General Eligibility Standards

10.1. The Awards may recognize (Regulation, Section VI):

• individual professionals;
• organizations;
• projects or initiatives.

10.2. Nominees must demonstrate documented professional achievements within their field (Regulation, Section VI). Achievements that cannot be documented are not admitted.
10.3. The Awards are international in scope and may include participants, nominees, and Jury members from multiple countries (Regulation, Section I). There is no restriction on the basis of nationality, country of residence, gender, age, or organizational affiliation, save as provided in Section 13.
10.4. Participation is voluntary and subject to compliance with the Regulation and with these Regulations.

11. Professional Standing
11.1. The requirement of documented professional achievements under Clause 10.2 is assessed on the substance of the nominee's record. No single formal indicator, such as a specific number of years of experience, is applied mechanically; the Organizer evaluates achievements, roles, and recognition in their totality, applying the approach adopted in respect of the Jury under Clause 4.3 of the Jury Selection and Appointment Policy.
11.2. In assessing standing, the Organizer has regard to:


11.3. Where a nomination relates to an organization, a project, or an initiative, the indicators of Clause 11.2 are applied at organizational or project level, and the nomination shall identify the person authorized to submit it and that person's role.
11.4. Where a category is directed at a defined constituency or stage of professional career, the requirement of documented professional achievements is assessed relative to that constituency or stage. The Regulation prescribes no minimum period of experience, and the assessment remains one of substance under Clause 11.1.
11.5. A nominee whose record consists solely of study, training, or employment without demonstrable personal outcomes does not satisfy Clause 10.2.

12. Eligible Nominations
12.1. A nomination may relate to a completed achievement, to an ongoing project with demonstrated results, or to a sustained professional contribution.
12.2. Concepts, intentions, and plans not yet implemented are not admitted. An ongoing project is admitted where results achieved to date are documented and verifiable.
12.3. A nomination shall fall within the thematic scope of the selected category and of the nomination selected within it.

13. Excluded Nominees
13.1. The following are not eligible:

• nominees who do not satisfy Section VI of the Regulation, as elaborated in Sections 10 and 11;
• nominees whose professional record or claimed results cannot be verified;
• nominees subject to an active revocation of recognition under Clause 8.2;
• Jury members, members of the Organizing Committee, and members of the Secretariat, together with their immediate family members, in respect of any cycle in which they serve, such participation being incompatible with the conflict-of-interest regime of Section V of the Regulation;
• nominees in respect of whom there exist circumstances incompatible with the principles of honesty, professional conduct, and integrity (Regulation, Section XIV).

14. Evidence Standards
14.1. The burden of substantiating every claim rests on the nominee. Unsupported assertions are disregarded in scoring.
14.2. Evidence is assessed on a hierarchy of reliability:


14.3. Deliberate submission of false or misleading evidence constitutes grounds for disqualification under Section 8.

PART III

EVALUATION AND SCORING CRITERIA

15. Multi-Stage Selection Procedure
15.1. The selection process comprises the stages established by Section IX of the Regulation:


15.2. Section IX of the Regulation lists the formation of the shortlist before Jury evaluation, while Section XI provides that the shortlist is formed from the nominations receiving the highest evaluation scores. The two provisions are applied together as follows: scoring under Section 17 precedes the shortlist, the shortlist is formed from those scores, and the stage described in Section IX as the Jury evaluation is the deliberative consideration of the shortlisted nominations that precedes the final vote.
15.3. Only nominations passing Stages I and II proceed to scoring.

16. Evaluation Principles
16.1. All nominations are evaluated on the basis of professional merit and documented achievements (Regulation, Section X).
16.2. Each nomination admitted to evaluation is scored independently by not fewer than three Jury members. Assignment is made by the Organizer on the basis of subject-matter relevance and the absence of any declared conflict of interest.
16.3. Jury members act independently and must not accept instructions or influence from external parties (Regulation, Section IV). Scores are submitted individually and without collective discussion.
16.4. A Jury member with a conflict of interest abstains from evaluating the nomination concerned (Regulation, Section V), and the abstention is recorded.
16.5. All Jury deliberations, discussions, and voting results are confidential (Regulation, Section IV).

17. Evaluation Criteria
17.1. The Jury evaluates nominations using the standardized scoring system established by Section X of the Regulation. Each criterion carries a maximum score of 10, and the maximum total score is 50.


17.2. The criteria carry equal weight, each contributing a maximum of 10 points to the total of 50. No criterion may be omitted, and no criterion is treated as decisive in itself.
17.3. A Jury member unable to score a criterion for want of evidence records a score of 0 for that criterion rather than leaving it unscored.
18. Scoring Scale and Descriptors
18.1. Each criterion is scored on a scale of 0 to 10. Because winners are determined by comparison of totals, the following descriptors apply so that the same numerical value carries the same meaning across all Jury members:


18.2. A Jury member awarding 0, 9, or 10 on any criterion records a short written justification in the evaluation form. Justifications form part of the internal record and are not disclosed to the nominee.

19. Calculation of the Final Score
19.1. The score of a Jury member in respect of a nomination is the sum of that member's five criterion scores, expressed out of 50.
Final Score  =  average of the Jury members’ totals, out of 50
19.2. The Final Score of a nomination is the arithmetic mean of the totals awarded by all Jury members who scored it, expressed out of 50 and rounded to two decimal places.
19.3. An evaluation is valid where it was submitted by a Jury member assigned to the nomination, covers all five criteria, and is not affected by an abstention recorded under Clause 16.4. The scores of an abstaining member are excluded from the calculation.
19.4. Worked example — the total of one Jury member:


19.5. Where three Jury members return totals of 41, 44, and 38, the Final Score of the nomination is 41.00 out of 50.

20. Shortlist and Finalists
20.1. Nominations receiving the highest evaluation scores form the shortlist, and each category as a rule includes three to five finalists (Regulation, Section XI).
20.2. Ranking is performed within each category. Where fewer than three nominations in a category attain a standard the Jury considers adequate, the shortlist may comprise fewer than three finalists, or the category may be declared without an award under Clause 22.3.
20.3. Shortlisted nominees are recognized as finalists (Regulation, Section XIII).
20.4. Only shortlisted nominations proceed to the final decision of the Jury.

21. Final Decision and Determination of Winners
21.1. Final decisions are taken by a vote of the Jury, and the nomination receiving the highest final score in each category may be declared the winner (Regulation, Section XII).
21.2. Voting is confidential, and all deliberations, discussions, and voting results remain confidential (Regulation, Section IV).
21.3. The determination of a winner is not automatic upon attaining the highest score. The Jury retains the discretion conferred by Section XI of the Regulation to decline to grant an award where professional standards are not met.

22. Equal Scores and Withheld Awards
22.1. Where two or more nominations in a category hold equal Final Scores, precedence is determined in the following order: the higher score in Professional Achievement; then in Leadership and Strategic Impact; then in Contribution to Industry.
22.2. Where equality persists, the Jury resolves the matter by vote under Section XII of the Regulation. Any such determination is documented and archived.
22.3. The Jury may decide not to grant an award if the nominations do not meet the required professional standards (Regulation, Section XI). As guidance in applying that discretion, a Final Score below 35 out of 50 indicates that the required standard has not been demonstrated. The threshold is guidance and does not displace the judgment of the Jury.
22.4. No standard is lowered in order to produce a winner in a category.

23. Result Validation and Recognition
23.1. The Organizer performs mathematical verification of the aggregated scores and a procedural compliance check confirming that each nomination was scored by the required number of Jury members, that all abstentions were recorded, and that no evaluation was submitted after the close of the evaluation stage.
23.2. Results are announced through the official communication channels of the program (Regulation, Section I).
23.3. Winners receive official recognition from the Velto European Awards, including an official winner's certificate and the right to reference their laureate status for professional purposes (Regulation, Section XIII).
23.4. Each nominee is notified of the outcome. The scores of nominations that did not reach the shortlist remain confidential and are not disclosed, and the identity of such nominees is not published.

PART IV

GEOGRAPHY AND SCALE OF PARTICIPATION

24. Geographic Coverage
24.1. The Awards program is international in scope and may include participants, nominees, and Jury members from multiple countries (Regulation, Section I), subject to applicable sanctions and export-control law binding upon the Organizer.
24.2. International representation is a principle of the composition of the Jury (Jury Selection and Appointment Policy, Clause 3.2).
24.3. Nominations are received across the following regions:

• Western and Northern Europe;
• Central and Eastern Europe;
• Southern Europe;
• the Commonwealth of Independent States and Central Asia;
• the Middle East and Africa;
• the Americas and Asia-Pacific.

24.4. No quota, reservation, or preference is applied by country or region. Geographic distribution is a consequence of the nominations received and of merit-based evaluation, and is not a factor in scoring.
24.5. The number of countries represented in a cycle is established after its close and published under Section 27.

25. Volume of Participation
25.1. The number of nominations received and admitted varies by cycle. Figures for a given cycle are established after its close and published under Section 27; they do not form part of these Regulations.
25.2. The following rules govern volume in every cycle:

• each category is evaluated independently, and a nomination's standing in one category has no effect on any other;
• the shortlist in a category as a rule comprises three to five finalists (Clause 20.1);
• one winner is determined per category, save where the Jury declines to grant an award under Clause 22.3;
• a nominee may hold recognition in more than one category within a cycle, provided each nomination is supported by a distinct evidentiary record;
• where the Organizer sets a cap on the number of nominations admitted to Jury evaluation in a category, admission is determined strictly by rank order of the professional eligibility review, and no discretionary admission is permitted;
• no standard is lowered, and no cap is raised, in order to produce a result.

26. Composition of the Jury
26.1. The Jury is responsible for the professional evaluation of nominations and for the determination of finalists and winners (Regulation, Section IV). Membership is by appointment only; candidates are not admitted through open enrollment, and self-nomination is not accepted (Policy, Clause 4.1).
26.2. Jury members are selected on the basis of their professional experience, reputation, and expertise in the relevant fields, and are expected to demonstrate recognized professional expertise, leadership experience, and significant contributions to their field (Regulation, Section IV).
26.3. Each appointee must satisfy all of the criteria of Clause 4.2 of the Policy, and appointment follows the five-step procedure of Clause 6.1 of the Policy — confirmation of credentials, assessment of relevant expertise, review of professional standing and integrity, conflict-of-interest screening, and formal approval by the Organizing Committee.
26.4. Jury members are assigned to categories on the basis of subject-matter relevance and the absence of any declared conflict of interest. Each nomination is scored by not fewer than three Jury members (Clause 16.2).
26.5. The size of the Jury in a given cycle is determined by the number of categories and the volume of admitted nominations. It is not fixed by these Regulations, and the composition, obligations, term, and termination of the Jury are governed by the Policy.

27. Publication of Participation Statistics
27.1. Following the close of each cycle, the Awards publish aggregate statistics comprising the number of nominations received, the number admitted to evaluation, the number of countries represented, and the number of finalists and winners by category.
27.2. Statistics are published in aggregate form only. No individual score and no identity of a nominee that did not reach the shortlist is disclosed.

PART V

FINAL PROVISIONS

28. Relationship to the Regulation
28.1. These Regulations consolidate and elaborate provisions of the Regulation, in particular Section VI (Nomination Framework), Section VII (Application and Submission Process), Section VIII (Verification of Information), Section IX (Multi-Stage Selection Procedure), Section X (Evaluation Methodology), Section XI (Shortlist and Finalists), and Section XII (Final Decision).
28.2. These Regulations do not amend the Regulation. In the event of any inconsistency, the Regulation prevails.
28.3. The composition and governance of the Jury are governed by the Jury Selection and Appointment Policy, which forms a separate Annex to the Regulation.

29. Amendments and Interpretation
29.1. The Organizer reserves the right to amend the Regulation and these Regulations where necessary (Regulation, Section XV).
29.2. No amendment affecting categories, the scoring system, the criteria, or participation fees takes effect in respect of a cycle in which nominations have already opened.
29.3. Any amendment must preserve merit-based recognition, independence of evaluation, professional integrity, transparency of procedures, and impartiality of the Jury (Regulation, Section II).
29.4. In cases not expressly addressed, decisions are made by the Organizer in accordance with the mission and principles of the Awards.
29.5. These Regulations enter into force upon their publication by the Organizer (Regulation, Section XV) and remain valid until replaced or amended.

ANNEX A

PARAMETERS DETERMINED FOR EACH CYCLE

A.1. These Regulations are of permanent application. The parameters listed below are determined by the Organizer for each cycle and published before the opening of nominations. Their determination does not amend these Regulations.


A.2. The following parameters are fixed by these Regulations and apply in every cycle. They may be altered only by amendment under Section 29, and no alteration takes effect in respect of a cycle in which nominations have already opened.