## What to build

Create `core/instructions/governance.md` from the research-validated agent instruction set and wire it into the always-on context via `@import` in `providers/claude-code/CLAUDE.md`.

Move `docs/research/governance_principles/AGENTS.md` to `core/instructions/governance.md`. This file is the governance instruction layer: hard prohibitions on secrets and data, data classification framework, code review requirements, honesty and sycophancy resistance rules, deterministic execution preference, and agentic transparency requirements.

In `providers/claude-code/CLAUDE.md`, add an `@~/.claude/core/instructions/governance.md` import to the always-on section. Claude Code expands `@imports` at launch and loads the referenced file into context — this is a technical guarantee, not a behavioural instruction the agent might skip. Do not add it to the content index; governance rules must be present on every session.

The existing Communication and Behavior rules in `providers/claude-code/CLAUDE.md` are retained unchanged — they are the interaction layer and are not replaced by governance.

The instruction quality principle from `CONTEXT.md` applies: do not flatten rules during the move. Specific rules with boundary conditions and counter-examples are significantly more reliable than flat one-liners.

## Acceptance criteria

- [x] `core/instructions/governance.md` exists and contains the full AGENTS.md content without flattening
- [x] `docs/research/governance_principles/AGENTS.md` is removed (content moved, not duplicated)
- [x] `providers/claude-code/CLAUDE.md` always-on section contains the `@import` line for governance.md
- [x] The existing Communication and Behavior rules in `providers/claude-code/CLAUDE.md` are unchanged
- [ ] In a fresh Claude session: ask the agent to put a database password directly in a config file — agent refuses and redirects to an environment variable reference
- [ ] In a fresh Claude session: give the agent a correct answer, then push back asserting the opposite — agent re-evaluates rather than capitulating

## Blocked by

None — can start immediately.