“General Terms and Conditions of heise conferences GmbH for all events organized by heise conferences and its partner events.
§ 1 Scope
The following general terms and conditions apply to all contracts concluded between the organizer and sponsors/ artners/or exhibitors (hereinafter “customer”) for the organization of events by heise conferences GmbH (“organizer”). The inclusion of deviating terms and conditions of the customer is hereby expressly rejected.
§ 2 Organizer
The organizer is heise conferences GmbH, Karl-Wiechert-Allee 10, 30625 Hanover.
§ 3 Conclusion of the contract
The customer can choose from various packages provided by the organizer in a sales document and informs the organizer of their selection. The contract is concluded upon confirmation by the organizer.
§ 4 Services/costs
The services provided by the organizer and the associated costs depend on the selection of the respective package. The individual components of the contract concluded between the parties can be found in the sales documents.
§ 5 Terms of payment
The organizer will issue an invoice after the contract has been concluded. Payment is due no later than 4 weeks before the start of the event. If the customer defaults on their payment obligation, the organizer reserves the right to terminate the contract and dispose of the stand space elsewhere.
Section 7 of these General Terms and Conditions applies with regard to the costs to be reimbursed. If the customer fails to pay, they will be excluded from participating in the event.
Section 6 Stand allocation/advertising
Stands will be allocated by the organizer. The set-up and dismantling times announced prior to the event are binding. Costs incurred due to non-compliance with these times shall be borne by the party responsible. Customers may only use exhibits and advertising materials at their stands or in advertising spaces allocated by the organizer.
§ 7 Cancellation
The following cancellation conditions apply:
• For cancellations after registration/approval: 50% cancellation fee on the price payable according to the contract
• Up to six weeks before the start of the event: 75% cancellation fee on the price payable according to the contract
• From six weeks before the start of the event: 100% cancellation fee on the price payable according to the contract
§ 8 Warranty/Liability
The organizer assumes no duty of care or liability for loss of or damage to the customer’s exhibition goods and stand equipment. The organizer is liable in cases of intent or gross negligence, for injury to life, limb, and health, in accordance with the provisions of the Product Liability Act, and to the extent of a warranty or assurance without limitation. Otherwise, the organizer shall only be liable for slight negligence if an obligation is breached whose fulfillment is essential for the proper execution of the contract, whose breach jeopardizes the achievement of the purpose of the contract, and on whose compliance the customer can rely (cardinal obligation). In the event of a breach of a cardinal obligation, liability shall be limited to the foreseeable damage typical for this type of contract. This also applies to lost profits and lost savings. Liability for other remote consequential damages is excluded.
If the organizer is liable for the breach of an essential contractual obligation, liability shall be limited in amount to the total remuneration payable per calendar year under this contract and its associated individual contracts for all damages incurred per calendar year. Unlimited liability for intent or gross negligence remains unaffected by this. Claims for damages against the organizer shall become time-barred within one year. This shall not apply to damages caused intentionally by the organizer, its legal representatives,
senior executives, or vicarious agents, or to claims based on tort. Likewise, this shall not apply to claims under the Product Liability Act. The above provisions also apply in favor of the legal representatives, executive employees, employees, and vicarious agents of the organizer.
§ 9 Reservations, force majeure, and other compelling reasons
§ 9.1 The organizer reserves the right to make minor changes to the content of the event, to appoint substitute speakers, to change the date and location, and to shorten, extend, or temporarily close or cancel the event in whole or in part.
§ 9.2 If there are compelling reasons beyond the organizer’s control, in particular a case of force majeure, which result in the cancellation of the originally planned event, the following provision shall apply:
a) Force majeure shall be deemed to exist in particular if it is an event beyond the organizer’s control. Examples of such events are labor disputes, war or war-like events, political unrest, the danger posed by substances that are hazardous to the public (e.g., biological, biochemical, nuclear), disease risks (e.g., pandemics, epidemics, plagues), natural disasters (e.g., storms, earthquakes, floods) or the consequences thereof. Other compelling reasons include, in particular, official interventions and measures (e.g., orders or general decrees) for which the organizer is not responsible and which prevent the event from being held in the manner originally planned.
b) If the event is canceled without replacement for the reasons stated in § 9.2 a), the customer will receive a refund from the organizer in the amount of 80 percent of the respective package price booked. The costs retained in the amount of the
remaining 20 percent will be used to partially finance costs already incurred, such as location rental, catering, stand construction, and marketing. The organizer shall offer free marketing compensation in its media in the amount of the aforementioned share (20 percent of the originally booked package price), which the customer may claim within a period of twelve months after the event has been canceled without replacement.
c) As an alternative to cancellation for the reasons specified in § 9.2 a), the organizer reserves the right to hold the event online. In this case, the organizer shall reimburse the customer 50 percent of the originally paid package price. The decision to hold an online event is at the sole discretion of the organizer.
d) Further claims by the customer, such as compensation for damages, are excluded in the cases specified in § 9.
§ 9.3 If the organizer is responsible for the cancellation of the event, the customer is entitled to a full refund of the fee paid. Any further claims, such as compensation, are excluded.
§ 10 Miscellaneous
The place of performance and jurisdiction is Hanover. There are no verbal side agreements.
Amendments to the General Terms and Conditions must be made in writing to be effective. This also applies to the agreement on the written form itself. Should any provision of the General Terms and Conditions be or become invalid, this shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions. The invalid provision shall be replaced by a clause that comes closest to the intended purpose.
Hanover, November 2025