> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.cortecs.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.cortecs.ai/security-and-compliance/data-governance-and-controls.md).
# Data Governance & Controls
### **Simplified EU compliance**
Conventional AI gateways route requests but typically leave you responsible for assessing, contracting with, and monitoring each downstream model provider. With Cortecs, one DPA is integrated into our Terms. We manage model providers as subprocessors and handle vendor checks and safeguards for data transfers. This saves your legal and procurement teams time.
| | **Conventional Router** | **Cortecs** |
| -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Concept | Pass-Through Gateway | Managed Gateway |
| GDPR Role | Acts solely as a routing engine. | Acts as the primary Data Processor. |
| LLM Provider Status | Direct Processors to your organization. | Subprocessors under Cortecs. |
| Data Processing Agreements | Requires signing separate DPAs with every single LLM provider used. | One DPA built into our Terms. |
| Cross-Border Transfers | You must execute Standard Contractual Clauses and Transfer Impact Assessments for each non-EU vendor. | We manage the downstream compliance for all integrated models. |
| Compliance Boundary | Stops at the router; the connection to the LLM is legally exposed to you. | Encompasses the router *and* the downstream LLM providers. |
| Liability Shift | You carry the vendor risk and legal liability for the providers. | We take the responsibility for our providers. |
| AI Act clarity | Using non-EU providers may make you an AI importer. | Access EU-based models without added complexity. |
### Certified security level :badge-check:
ISO 27001 represents the European gold standard for information security. We monitor our partners’ security levels and certification statuses. In the selection grid, providers holding an active ISO certification feature a verification badge :badge-check:. Choose these badged providers to seamlessly enforce ISO 27001 compliance throughout your data processing chain.
### Fine-grained settings
**Compliance Settings** define rules that control how your data is handled, either **project-wide** or **per request**. These settings allow you to enforce compliance and governance requirements across a project, or override them selectively for individual requests when needed.
Use the pages below to configure specific controls:
* 🇪🇺 **Sovereign Cloud:** Restrict routing to providers based and regulated within the EU.
* 🗑️ **Zero Data Retention (ZDR):** Route requests only to endpoints that do not retain data.
* ⚡ **Quantization** : Allow requests to be routed to **quantized endpoints**
{% hint style="info" %}
By default, all requests remain within Europe and your data is not used for AI training. You can use additional settings to further customize specific routing requirements.
{% endhint %}