Registration, cancellation, substitution and refund policy

Article 01Purpose scope and precedence of mandatory law

1. 1.

   This Policy governs registration, cancellation, participant substitution and refunds of amounts paid in connection with the International Conference “WASTES: Solutions, Treatments and Opportunities” (the “WASTES Conference”).

2. 2.

   This Policy applies to all editions of the WASTES Conference, unless edition-specific terms are expressly identified as taking precedence and are disclosed before registration.

3. 3.

   This Policy applies to the standard registration fee and to fees for additional papers.

4. 4.

   This Policy shall be interpreted in accordance with Portuguese law and applicable European Union law. It does not disapply, restrict or exclude any mandatory rights of Participants, particularly those acting as Consumers. In the event of any conflict, the relevant mandatory provisions shall prevail.

Article 02Definitions and precontractual information

1. 1.

   “Organiser” means the entity identified on the cover of this Policy; “Participant” means any person who registers; and “Consumer” means a natural person acting for purposes outside their trade, business, craft or profession.

2. 2.

   Before a Participant becomes bound by their registration, the Organiser shall clearly provide its identity and contact details, the date and venue of the Conference, the total applicable price, including VAT and any fees payable, payment arrangements, cancellation terms, the complaints procedure and the Privacy Policy.

3. 3.

   The prices and terms specific to each edition are those published on the official platform before registration is confirmed and on the Conference website.

Article 03Registration acceptance and payment

1. 1.

   By completing registration for the Conference, the Participant freely accepts this Policy in full on an informed basis, without prejudice to any applicable mandatory statutory rights, including those afforded to Participants acting as Consumers.

2. 2.

   The registration fee and any fees for additional papers must be paid in full in a single payment. Split payments, partial payments, instalments and payment plans are not accepted.

3. 3.

   Registration is valid only once payment has been received in full and the Organiser has issued or made available confirmation of registration.

4. 4.

   Submitting a registration request, abstract or paper does not, of itself, guarantee participation, inclusion in the scientific programme or publication of any work.

Article 04Cancellation

1. 1.

   Cancellation and refund requests must be submitted through the registration platform using the individual link provided to the Participant after registration has been confirmed.

2. 2.

   The request must include the Participant’s name, the registration or invoice reference, the title and identification number of the work, where applicable, and the information required to process the refund.

3. 3.

   The date and time at which the request is recorded on the platform shall determine whether the applicable cancellation deadline has been met.

4. 4.

   If the registration platform is unavailable, experiences a technical error or cannot be accessed, the Participant may submit the cancellation request by email to secretariat@wastesconference.org within the applicable deadline. The email must state the Participant’s name and registration reference and, wherever possible, include evidence of the issue, such as a screenshot of the error message.

5. 5.

   In such circumstances, the date and time at which the email is sent shall determine the applicable refund period, provided that the Organiser confirms the platform’s unavailability or technical error.

6. 6.

   Nothing in this Article restricts the exercise of any applicable statutory right of withdrawal by means of an unequivocal statement.

Article 05Refunds for Participants without a paper

1. 1.

   The following terms apply to Participants whose registration is not linked to the submission of a paper, subject to Article 9:

2. 2.

   The amounts retained are intended to cover administrative, processing and organisational expenses, and costs of services already committed to for the management of registrations and delivery of the Conference.

3. 3.

   A Participant’s non-attendance, including partial non-attendance, without a valid cancellation request does not entitle the Participant to any refund.

Article 06Authors and registrations linked to a paper

1. 1.

   Where a Participant has submitted a paper to the Conference, cancellation entitles the Participant to a refund of 20% of the standard registration fee actually paid, irrespective of the date of the request and whether the paper is under review, has been accepted, has been scheduled or has been prepared for publication.

2. 2.

   The 80% retained represents the scientific, technical, editorial and administrative costs of receiving, assessing, reviewing, processing, editing, preparing and publishing the paper.

3. 3.

   By submitting the paper and making payment, the author expressly requests that assessment, scientific review and editorial processing services begin immediately and acknowledges that those services commence before the Conference.

4. 4.

   If a Consumer has a statutory right of withdrawal in a particular case, the statutory rules governing the exercise of that right shall prevail, including, where applicable, those governing proportionate payment for services actually provided.

Article 07Additional papers

1. 1.

   Fees for additional papers are non-refundable, irrespective of the date of the request, the Participant’s withdrawal, non-attendance or substitution, or the acceptance, rejection, withdrawal or non-presentation of the paper.

2. 2.

   This rule reflects the scientific, technical and editorial processing costs associated with each additional paper.

3. 3.

   This Article is without prejudice to applicable mandatory rights or to the full refund provided for in Article 11 if the Organiser cancels the Conference.

Article 08Participant substitution and scientific contributions

1. 1.

   A Participant who is unable to attend may request the transfer of their registration to another person up to 15 days before the Conference starts, by emailing the Organiser at secretariat@wastesconference.org.

2. 2.

   Any substitution is subject to approval by the Organiser and compliance with the terms applicable to the relevant registration category.

3. 3.

   Substitution does not entitle the Participant to a refund.

4. 4.

   A replacement for the author responsible for presenting a paper may be accepted only if the replacement is a co-author or the change is approved by the Scientific Committee, without prejudice to the rules governing scientific authorship.

5. 5.

   Each accepted paper must have at least one registered author who is identified as its presenter. If no author is registered, the Organiser may remove the paper from the programme, proceedings or publication, without any entitlement to a refund.

Article 09Statutory right of withdrawal

1. 1.

   Where a Consumer registers under a distance contract and no statutory exception applies, the Consumer may withdraw from the contract within the statutory withdrawal period without giving any reason.

2. 2.

   The right of withdrawal may be exercised by an unequivocal statement submitted through the platform, using the form in Annex II, or by any other means capable of providing evidence of the statement, sent by email to secretariat@wastesconference.org.

3. 3.

   If the Consumer has expressly requested that services begin during the statutory withdrawal period, a proportionate amount may be payable for services actually provided, in accordance with applicable law.

4. 4.

   Where a statutory exception to the right of withdrawal applies, or where the service has been fully performed under the conditions prescribed by law, the corresponding statutory rules shall apply.

Article 10Refund processing

1. 1.

   Approved refunds shall be processed within 30 days after the complete request has been validated.

2. 2.

   Where a refund arises from the exercise of a statutory right of withdrawal or another mandatory provision prescribing a different time limit, the applicable statutory time limit shall prevail.

3. 3.

   Wherever possible, refunds shall be made using the same means of payment as the original transaction or, if this is not feasible, by bank transfer.

Article 11Cancellation postponement or material changes

1. 1.

   If the Organiser cancels the Conference without providing an alternative arrangement accepted by the Participant, it shall refund in full all amounts received in respect of the standard registration fee and additional papers.

2. 2.

   If the Conference is postponed, the Participant may retain their registration for the new date or request a full refund of the amounts paid to the Organiser.

3. 3.

   If the date, venue or format of the Conference changes in a way that makes participation reasonably impracticable, the Organiser shall notify Participants of the change and explain the available options, including a refund where applicable.

4. 4.

   In the circumstances covered by this Article, no administrative, banking or processing fees shall be deducted from the refund.

Article 12Travel accommodation meals and external expenses

1. 1.

   Conference registration does not include travel, accommodation, visas, insurance, breakfasts, meals not included in the official programme or any other personal expenses incurred by Participants.

2. 2.

   Subject to the specific terms of each registration category, Conference registration includes the lunches scheduled on Conference days and attendance at the official Conference dinner, on the terms and dates stated in the programme for the relevant edition.

3. 3.

   Participants are solely responsible for making, managing, changing or cancelling their bookings for transport, accommodation and other services purchased directly from third parties.

4. 4.

   The Organiser shall not reimburse travel, accommodation or other services purchased directly by Participants, including where the Conference is cancelled, postponed or its programme is changed, without prejudice to any liability imposed on the Organiser by law.

5. 5.

   Participants requiring special meals for health reasons, allergies, intolerances or dietary preferences must notify the Organiser at the time of registration. The Organiser shall endeavour to accommodate requests received in good time but cannot guarantee that they can be met where logistical or supply constraints apply.

Article 13Personal data complaints and alternative dispute resolution

1. 1.

   Personal data collected in connection with registrations and refunds shall be processed in accordance with the Organiser’s Privacy Policy and applicable personal data protection legislation.

2. 2.

   Any complaint must be submitted by email to secretariat@wastesconference.org. Where applicable, Participants may also use the Portuguese Complaints Book (Livro de Reclamações), including its electronic version.

3. 3.

   For the purposes of alternative resolution of consumer disputes, and without prejudice to the right to bring proceedings before the competent courts or to any mandatory rules on territorial jurisdiction applicable to Consumers, Participants acting as Consumers may refer disputes to the following body:

Article 14Final provisions

1. 1.

   This Policy takes effect on the date stated on the cover and shall remain applicable until it is replaced by a new version.

2. 2.

   The version applicable to each registration is the version made available to and accepted by the Participant when completing registration.

3. 3.

   The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions, which shall be interpreted and, where necessary, supplemented in accordance with applicable law.

Annex IIllustrative cancellation periods and refunds

Example for an edition of the Conference taking place from 7 to 9 July 2027:

This example is for illustration only. The specific dates for each edition shall be published on the official platform.

Annex IIModel withdrawal form

Complete and return this form only if you wish to exercise an applicable statutory right of withdrawal.