Annual Meeting of the Astronomische Gesellschaft 2024
Converia – Conference Management Software

General Terms and Conditions and Conditions of Participation in the Event

Event

Annual Meeting of the Astronomische Gesellschaft 2024

Organizer

Universität zu Köln
1. Physikalisches Institut
Zülpicher Str. 77
50937 Köln
Germany

1. General

1.1 These General Terms and Conditions ("GTC") apply to the participation and ticket sales associated therewith for the above event, hosted by the above Organizer. Any diverging terms and conditions of the participant shall not be valid.

1.2 Organizer reserves the right to change and supplement these regulations. Potential changes and supplements shall be rendered valid by being published on this website or the event website: https://ag2024.astronomische-gesellschaft.de/ 

2. Registration and contract conclusion

2.1 Registration for participation in the event is only possible via the Organizers conference management platform or personally at the event venue.

2.2 Based on the details furnished on the website, the Organizer shall submit an offer for the conclusion of a sales agreement. Participants shall accept the Organizer's offer for the conclusion of a sales agreement by completing the order process and clicking "Complete registration" in the last order form. Any effective acceptance of the offer by the participant shall be subject to the participant having completed all of the required fields on the order form (each marked with an asterisk) and having accepted these General Terms and Conditions.

2.3 The contract concerning participation in the event shall not become effective until such time as the Organizer has confirmed the participant’s registration in writing via e-mail. Any changes and/or supplements to this contract require written form. This shall also apply to any annulment of the written form clause.

3. Prices

3.1 The price quoted in the certificate of participation shall be final and binding for participants.

3.2 All prices are quoted inclusive of the required sales tax, where required.

3.3 Insofar as special discounts are offered (students, members of certain organizations etc.), this shall also be stipulated separately. Discounts may only be granted if they are actually stipulated. Discounts shall be granted subject to appropriate proof (student ID card, confirmation from university, membership number). Such proof shall be presented prior to the event commencing. Failure to provide proof will result in the participant having to pay the difference between the full price and the discounted price prior to the event commencing, in order to be admitted.

4. Payment

4.1 Payment shall be made through the methods specified on the website. All prices shall be paid promptly upon contract conclusion and on the event day at the latest.

4.2 Payment against invoice
If the participant fails to pay the relevant amount within 14 days upon receipt of the invoice, the Organizer may rescind the contract. If the Organizer rescinds the contract, the participant loses his/her entitlement to participate in the event. Any fees in connection with the remittance shall be borne by the participant.

4.3 Payment by credit card
When paying by credit card (MasterCard, Visa), the participant will be asked during the payment process to enter his/her credit card details. The relevant credit card account will then be debited with the ticket amount.

4.4 If a payment is returned (for example, if the account specified in the order does not have sufficient funds), the participant shall compensate any damage or expenditure arising from such returned payment. In particular, this includes bank charges as well as a processing fee of EUR 10 per returned payment, for processing by the Organizer.

In the case of an unjustified returned payment of the credit card, processing fees of EUR 40 shall be debited.

Any returned payment will entitle the Organizer to promptly rescind the contract. As a result, the participant will lose his/her entitlement to attend the event. The aforesaid shall not affect any further claims of the Organizer with respect to the participants.

5. Right of withdrawal

5.1 Right of withdrawal instruction

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Right of withdrawal
If the participant is a consumer within the scope of Section 13 of the German Civil Code (BGB), he/she may revoke his/her contractual declaration in writing (for example by letter or e-mail) within 14 days, without giving reasons. To do so, an e-mail can be sent quoting the ticket ID. The participants shall use the following contact details for this purpose:

Universität zu Köln
1. Physikalisches Institut
Zülpicher Str. 77
50937 Köln
Germany

The above withdrawal period shall commence upon receipt of this instruction in writing, but in any case not prior to contract conclusion, nor prior to the Organizer fulfilling his/her duty to provide information as per Section 246 (2) in connection with Section 1 (1) and (2) Introductory Law to the German Civil Code (EGBGB) as well as the duties as per Section 312g (1) sent. One of the German Civil Code (BGB) in connection with Section 246 (3) EGBGB. The timely dispatch of the withdrawal shall be deemed sufficient for compliance with the withdrawal period.

Consequences of withdrawal
In the case of an effective withdrawal the mutually received benefits are to be returned and derived benefits (for example, interest), where applicable, are to be returned. If the participant is unable to return and/or pay back the received services as well as benefits (for example, benefits from use) either in full or in part or only in a deteriorated condition, he/she shall be liable to pay compensation to the Organizer. Any obligations to refund a payment must be fulfilled within 30 days. Such period shall commence for the participant once the right of withdrawal instruction is dispatched and for the Organizer once said instruction is received.

End of the right of withdrawal instruction
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5.2 The right of withdrawal shall end prematurely if the Organizer commences providing its services, with the participant's express consent, prior to the end of the withdrawal period or if the participants themselves initiate the service provision.

6. Rescission/cancelation

6.1 If the participant does not want to attend the event, he/she shall declare his/her rescission of the contract in writing or via e-mail vis-à-vis the Organizer.

a) If the contract is rescinded/canceled prior to 01.08.2024, the attendance fee shall be reimbursed, minus a processing fee of 30 EUR.
b) If the contract is rescinded/canceled prior to 01.09.2024, the attendance fee shall be reimbursed, minus a processing fee of 50%.
c) No reimbursement shall be made if the contract is rescinded/canceled after 01.09.2024.

7. Services

7.1 The scope of the contractual service rendered within the framework of the event derives from the information documents, the details provided on the event website and existing registration forms, if any, as well as from the Organizer's confirmation of participation. In the case of objections and in any case, the service specification set out in the booking confirmation shall be decisive.

7.2 If the services are not rendered in the contractually agreed form, the participant shall be entitled to remedy. Defects shall be notified promptly. Claims for the reimbursement of the participation fee, due to services evidently not having been provided as contractually agreed, shall be asserted within 14 days from the end of the event.

7.3 The Organizer reserves the right to appoint a substitute presenter in exceptional cases. The participant shall be informed about the relevant changes in good time.

7.4 The event offer does not include transport, board and lodging, unless services of this type are explicitly mentioned in the event description. If a contracting partner does not take up appropriately offered services in whole or in part, this does not entitle them to any reimbursement of the participation fee.

8. Cancelation of the event

8.1 For urgent reasons the Organizer may cancel the event with a reasonable period of notice. This shall also apply to any fringe and evening events.

8.2 If the event is canceled, the Organizer shall refund the full amount of any payment made within 14 days. Any other costs incurred by the participant shall not be reimbursed.

9. Copyright and other rights

9.1 The presentations and event documents distributed are protected under copyright and are for personal use only. Usage rights may only be transferred expressly by writing. Reproduction, distribution, processing or public communication of any type is generally not allowed and requires the Organizer's written consent.

9.2 Audio and video recordings and descriptions of the event, the event results as a whole or in part, shall not be permitted.

10. Footage/photographs

10.1 The participants of the event shall give their irrevocable consent free of charge to the Organizer creating, reproducing, broadcasting or arranging to be broadcast as well as using in audiovisual media, video and/or audio recordings of their person which go beyond the reproduction of the period of this event.

11. Liability

11.1 The Organizer shall be liable

  • for any violation of essential contractual duties arising from intent and any type of negligence. The total liability for any damage shall be limited to the participant fee; liability for consequential and pecuniary damages such as lost profit shall be excluded;
  • in other respects only for damages caused by intent or gross negligence. The total liability for any damage shall be limited to the order total; liability for consequential and pecuniary damages such as lost profit shall be excluded.

11.2 These liability limitations and exclusions shall not apply to

  • claims arising from the German product liability act (Produkthaftungsgesetz);
  • claims arising from any fraudulent conduct on part of the contracting partner;
  • claims from any liability for guaranteed condition characteristics;
  • damages arising from violations of life, limb, or health of individuals.

11.3 Furthermore, the Organizer and his/her agents in performance will not accept any liability for disturbances of whatever kind which are caused by circumstances beyond his/her/their reasonable control.

11.4 Any liability for damages arising from travel to and from the event locations as well as from loss and accidents shall be excluded to the legally permitted extent.

12. Final provisions

12.1 This contract shall be exclusively governed by the law of the Federal Republic of Germany, to the exclusion of the CISG. The legal venue shall be Munich.

12.2 If individual stipulations of this contract are ineffective or become ineffective due to a subsequently occurring circumstance, the effectiveness of the remaining contract shall not be affected thereby. The ineffective contractual stipulation shall be replaced with a regulation which comes closest to what the contracting parties would have intended, had they considered the relevant aspect. This also applies to any contractual loopholes.

12.3 The place of performance shall be the Organizer's place of business.