Terms of Participation and Payment

1. Registration

By registering for the HARRIS event, you acknowledge and accept the following Terms of Participation and Payment. The organization and implementation of the event is carried out by employees of the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy (MPI-SP). Registration for the event is conducted via an online booking portal. Registrations are processed in the order in which they are received and confirmed by email. If a registration cannot be accepted, the MPI will inform the registering party in a timely manner. The contract becomes effective only upon receipt of the registration fee by MPI-SP.

2. Terms of Payment

Payment is due within 14 days of invoicing.

3. Withdrawal

Participants may withdraw from the contract by giving written notice of withdrawal to the MPI-SP at least two weeks before the start of the event. The relevant date is the date on which the MPI-SP receives the withdrawal notice. With the MPI-SP’s consent, the participant is entitled to name a substitute participant. The MPI-SP will only withhold such consent if the substitute participant does not meet essential entry requirements or lacks the necessary personal suitability. Alternatively, the participation fee will be reimbursed minus a processing fee of EUR 10 per invoice; any additional bank and transaction fees shall be borne by the registrant. If the participant fails to withdraw in a timely manner or does not attend the event at all or only attends part of it, the participant is obliged to pay the full fee. The statutory right of revocation for distance contracts remains unaffected by the provisions of this paragraph.

4. Change of Speakers

Provided that the overall character of the event is not substantially impaired, a change of speakers or alterations to the event schedule shall not entitle the participant to withdraw from the contract or to reduce the fee.

5. Cancellation, Failure, and Postponement of Events

The MPI-SP has the right to cancel events for good cause, in particular if the number of participants is insufficient or if speakers are unavailable at short notice due to illness, for other reasons, or in cases of force majeure. Fees already paid will be reimbursed in such cases. Alternatively, the MPI-SP may schedule catch-up dates. The MPI-SP is entitled to modify the framework of the event for a factually justified reason (e.g., speaker illness), insofar as such modifications are reasonable for the registrant. Under the same conditions, the event may be held via electronic communication (video conference) instead of as an in-person event. A mere change of speakers, electronic delivery of the event, rescheduling, or a change of venue does not entitle the registrant to withdraw from the contract or to reduce the fee. The right to terminate for good cause remains unaffected. Claims for reimbursement of substitute and/or consequential costs (e.g., travel expenses or loss of work) on the part of participants due to the cancellation or postponement of events are excluded.

6. Liability

The MPI-SP is not liable for damages incurred by participants unless those damages are caused by willful misconduct or gross negligence on the part of the MPI-SP or its agents. This does not affect liability for injury to life, limb and health or the breach of cardinal obligations, i.e. obligations that arise from the nature of the contract and whose breach jeopardizes the achievement of the purpose of the contract. Furthermore, liability under the German Product Liability Act (ProdHaftG) remains unaffected by the limitation of liability set forth in the first sentence.

7. Processing and Use of Personal Data, Right to Object

The MPI-SP processes and uses the participant’s personal data collected during registration insofar as this is necessary for the execution of the event or the handling of the contractual relationship. This includes the forwarding of data to the service providers commissioned by the MPI-SP for the purpose of fulfilling the contract concluded with the participant. In addition, the MPI-SP may process or use these data to send information on its own similar offerings related to science and research, provided the participant has not objected to such use. The participant may at any time object to the use of their personal data for the above-mentioned informational purposes, for example by email.

All materials provided in MPI-SP events are subject to copyright protection. Any audio or visual recording of events is not permitted.

9. Collateral Agreements

Collateral agreements must be in writing to be valid.

10. Place of Performance

The place of performance is Bochum. If the participant is a merchant, a legal entity under public law or a special fund under public law or has no general place of jurisdiction in the Federal Republic of Germany, the place of jurisdiction for all mutual claims shall be Bochum.

11. Validity

From the date of publication of these Terms of Participation and Payment, they shall apply exclusively to all subsequent contracts concluded with the MPI-SP.