General

Please read the present Terms and Conditions carefully before making your decision to register. By finalizing your registration, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. If you do not feel able to accept and meet these Terms and Conditions, do not proceed with registration and payment.

These Terms and Conditions, together with any annexes, constitute the entire agreement between EMBL and you.

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions is intended to confer nor shall confer any benefit on any third party.

If any provision(s) from these Terms and Conditions should be illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained in these Terms and Conditions shall not be affected and the parties shall make efforts in good faith to replace any invalid or unenforceable provision with a valid and enforceable one so that the objectives of the Terms and Conditions may be maintained.

Payment of registration fees

• EMBL encourages online payments by card for course registration fees. For payments that are made by bank transfer, all bank transfer fees must be covered by the participant and may not be deducted from the amount remitted. All registration data submitted to EMBL will be treated confidentially.
• Upon registration a confirmation email will be sent automatically to the registrant.
• For events with registration only after a prior selection process, the confirmation email serves as proof of pre-registration. The outcome of the final selection, and, for those registrants who have been selected, the invitation to complete the full registration and make the payment of the registration fees, will be communicated via email.

Payment terms

Online Registration for EMBL events is subject to:

• For events requiring a pre-selection process, payment will be required only after the invitation to full registration. The selection process usually takes 3-4 weeks after the registration deadline. Registrants will be invited for full registration and asked to pay the registration fee via email.
• Credit card payments will be processed via a secure online payment module (WorldPay) included in the EMBL registration form. Registration fees charged in EUR will be debited in EUR.

Course application and admission processes

Applicants are expected to pay immediately after selection results to confirm their attendance. In this regard, EMBL and its payment provider WorldPay collects your payment and billing information and will use such information to process your payments.

EMBL processes information about you, including personal data, in accordance with the EMBL Privacy Policy and Information for data subjects, both forming an integral part of these terms.

We will use your personal information to:

• process your payments and thus your registration and facilitate your attendance at the event
• provide you with information regarding the course, including scheduling and logistics
• provide you with other information that we believe may be of interest to course attendees.
• provide you with accounts to access any digital event platforms and softwares in use for the event
• promote our events by sharing pictures and video materials taken during the events

In case you share with us contact details of your emergency contacts, we will process those only in the case of emergency.

We may also share personal information (other than payment information) of course attendees with the other persons attending the same event. The purpose of this is to enable course attendees to contact each other prior to, during or after the course for networking purposes.

Usage of social media to share information

EMBL welcomes and encourages the use of social media by participants. As a courtesy to other members, as well as to presenters at such events, we ask that you follow accepted social media etiquette.

Please do

• Remember that unpublished data presented at events should be regarded as confidential, and should not be published
• Tweet about the conference and sessions (without sharing unpublished information or data)
• Gain express approval from a speaker prior to quoting or publishing that individual’s scientific results
• Be respectful in tone and content
• Mute your cellphone/laptop/tablet volume at on-site events to avoid disrupting sessions

Consider taking pictures or recording the event including other participants for your private use only and do not share the material more widely, unless those depicted in your material have consented to be shared publicly.

Please do not

• Capture, transmit or redistribute data presented at the meeting – this may preclude subsequent publication of the data in a scholarly journal and/or patent protection. In case of doubt, please contact your technology transfer office.
• Use offensive language in your posts
• Engage in rudeness or personal attacks
• Broadcast the event to unregistered participants

Cancellation of registration by the participant

Once paid, registration and accommodation fees are non-refundable. However, EMBL will, on a case-by-case basis, attempt to reallocate the place of selected applicants who cancel to those on the waiting list. If this is successful, full refunds will exceptionally be made.

Cancellation of registration must be submitted via email and is valid only with acknowledgment of receipt by the EMBL Course & Conference Office.

Cancellation of registration by EMBL due to force majeure

Any circumstances beyond the reasonable control of EMBL, including but not limited to acts of nature, fire, severe thunderstorms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, terror, threats, pandemics, local or international health crises, security / safety risks or flooding shall constitute “force majeure”. If the force majeure is affecting an EMBL event, EMBL will notify the participants of such event without undue delay.

When EMBL is subject to force majeure, it shall be released from the performance of its obligations relating to any events (partially or wholly) to the extent that such performance is affected by the force majeure.

EMBL may take reasonable steps to minimise the consequences of the force majeure on its events and it is entitled to reschedule or shorten (in all cases partially or wholly) an event and any performance related to such event.    

For termination of contract concerning an event between EMBL and the participant due force majeure, this shall be without any liability for either party, except in so far as has accrued prior to the date on which the termination of the contract takes effect.

Each party to the contract concerning the event (EMBL and the participant) shall itself be responsible for all direct and indirect financial consequences affecting it as a result of or in connection with the force majeure. The occurrence of force majeure shall not entitle either party to any additional payment or compensation.  

In the event of a cancellation due to force majeure, EMBL will reimburse a participant registered for the cancelled event any payment made to EMBL for participation in such event. Refunds are issued for events cancelled by EMBL. The reimbursement shall concern only payments made to EMBL for participation in the event and shall exclude for this purpose any other costs committed by participants or associated with their attendance in an EMBL event such as any travel or off-site accommodation.

Code of Conduct

• EMBL is dedicated to providing a harassment-free learning experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof) or manner of articulation. Harassment of participants in any form is not tolerated by EMBL.

• We recognise the inherent worth of every person by being respectful to them. All forms of communication should be appropriate for a professional audience including people of different backgrounds.
• Participants violating these Terms and Conditions and in particular this Code of Conduct may be asked to leave the event without a refund at the sole discretion of the event organisers and also banned from attending future events organised by EMBL.
• Participants shall conduct themselves in such a manner so as not to jeopardise EMBL’s reputation during their participation in conferences/courses/events organised by EMBL.
• Participants shall strictly comply with the venue’s health and safety policy and instructions applicable at the time of the event.
• Participation is governed by this Code of Conduct as well as applicable national legislation.
• Please contact us at events@embl.de if you have questions or experience any violation of our Code of Conduct.

Liability

EMBL shall be held free and harmless from any loss and damage, including personal injury and death and related legal costs, resulting from the acts or omissions of a participant to an EMBL conference, course or event.  

Except in case of gross negligence or willful misconduct on its part, EMBL shall not be liable for any loss or damages, including but not limited to: 

• damage to, loss of, or loss of use of any property;
• loss of revenue or profits; or
• any other direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage.

Participants are not covered by any EMBL medical or travel insurance and are required to make appropriate arrangements for their own medical, repatriation and travel insurance, including coverage for loss of, or damage to, their belongings.

In all cases, participants will be responsible for their cost of travel to the location of the conference, course or event, as well as for the costs of all meals not included in the programme of the event, local transport and other living expenses. Participants must also make their own arrangements for any required visas. Should EMBL cancel an event due to force majeure, all such costs will continue to remain solely in the responsibility of the participants. EMBL shall have no responsibility for any such claims from the participants.  

Disputes

Any payment disputes, controversy or claim arising under or pursuant to these Terms and Conditions shall be settled, to the extent possible, amicably. That failing, you agree to submit any such dispute to final and binding arbitration under the expedited proceedings of The Arbitration Rules of the Milan Chamber of Arbitration and without recourse to the ordinary courts of law (the place of arbitration shall be Rome, Italy; the language of the arbitration shall be English). Nothing contained in or related to these Terms and Conditions shall be deemed or interpreted as a waiver, express or implied, of any privileges and immunities accorded to EMBL by its constituent documents or international law.

Links to other websites

The EMBL site contains links to third party websites or resources. Their inclusion does not imply any endorsement or approval by EMBL, and these are provided for your information and convenience only. EMBL accepts no responsibility of liability in respect thereof. 

Please be aware that our privacy policy does not apply to these linked sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements for all third-party websites to understand their procedures for collecting, using, and disclosing visitors’ information.

Annex 1 to the Course Terms and Conditions – additional COVID-19 terms and conditions

General

This Annex complements the provisions of the main Terms and Conditions.

In case of conflict between this Annex and the main Terms and Conditions, provisions of this Annex shall prevail.

Conditions of attendance (COVID-19 restrictions)

You are obliged to follow any Italian national regulations related to COVID-19 and also EMBL Rome’s venue’s health & safety instructions and policies applicable at the time of the event.

Dependent on COVID-19 conditions and restrictions when the event takes place, your participation may be subject to further safety measures including but not limited to:

• a mask wearing policy,
• appropriate physical distancing
• a Covid-19 testing policy (such as providing negative COVID-19 antigen or PCR test result upon arrival at the venue and/or daily testing)

Participants accept that they may be asked to leave the event should they fail to meet obligations related to the COVID-19 restrictions.

Safe conduct at the event

By attending, you agree to abide by applicable Italian regulations and to conduct yourself in accordance with all provided instructions. This will include, but is not limited to:

• refraining from coming to the event, or leaving promptly if you test positive for, or develop symptoms associated with COVID-19, or if you are required to be in self-isolation or quarantine by COVID-19 regulations in Italy or at the location you are travelling from;
• observing good hand-washing and hygiene etiquette;

The risk of extra costs due to COVID-19

Please be sure to thoroughly check and keep yourself updated on any requirements for testing or quarantine or international travel on your route to and from Italy.

Except in case of gross negligence or wilful misconduct on its part, EMBL shall not be liable for:

• any loss and damage, including personal injury and death and related legal costs, resulting from any exposure to the COVID-19 virus caused by travel to/from or participation in one of our events;
• any direct or indirect costs arising from your need to quarantine for reasons relating to COVID-19, including but not limited to medical costs, accommodation for extended stays or costs for rearranged travel;
• any expenses or losses resulting from your failure to meet any national or regional COVID-19 travel and entry rules and any rules regulating admission to indoor events.

In light of the foregoing, you shall book flexible travel/ accommodation and take out travel insurance that covers you for these eventualities.

Cancellation terms

Cancellation of the event due to COVID-19

The course will be cancelled if:

• it is necessary to protect public health and safety;
• it is impractical to hold the event due to COVID-19 related restrictions;
• the event becomes unviable due to an insufficient number of participants

Should this occur, EMBL will reimburse participants for any payment made to EMBL for participation in such an event.

For the avoidance of doubt, EMBL does not accept liability for other costs committed to by participants or associated with their attendance in an EMBL event such as those for any travel, off-site accommodation etc. You shall book flexible travel and take out travel insurance that covers you for these eventualities.