Cancellation & refund policy

This Policy sets out the rules for voluntary cancellation of participation in the Congress, delegate substitution, group registrations, add-ons, and refunds following changes made by the Organizer. It supplements the Terms of Usage. It does not limit mandatory consumer rights, or the rights of an entrepreneur who is protected as a consumer.

A cancellation request must be sent to registration@iccsh2027.org from the e-mail address linked to the Registration. It should contain the registration number, the delegate's full name, payer details, and an unambiguous cancellation request. The time of receipt is determined by the message reaching the Organizer's electronic mail system.

Failure to attend without an effective cancellation ("no-show") does not create a right to a voluntary refund, without prejudice to mandatory law and the Organizer-side-change rules in §6.

Until 7 October 2027, the payer or registered delegate may request substitution by another person. The replacement must meet the eligibility criteria for the selected fee category, accept the current Terms of Usage and privacy information, and provide the required registration data. If the replacement falls into a higher fee category, the difference must be paid; if the category is lower, the difference is not refunded. Administration fee: none — substitution is free of charge.

The Organizer does not offer group registrations. Every participation is registered individually, by the delegate or on their behalf, under a separate Registration and a separate settlement. An entity funding several people is named as the payer on each Registration separately; this creates no separate regime for name changes and no separate name-list deadline.

• Workshop: each workshop is limited to 20 delegates, allocated in the order in which paid bookings are received. If the Organizer cancels a workshop, the delegate receives a full refund of the workshop fee, with no deduction. Refund where the delegate cancels: the same deadlines and deductions as for the registration fee apply (section 2).
• Gala Dinner: a paid add-on to the Registration, not an invitation-only benefit. Refund rules on delegate cancellation: the same deadlines and deductions as for the registration fee apply (section 2).
• Gala Dinner Student: a paid add-on at a reduced price for students and doctoral candidates. Status is verified on site, when the badge is collected, against a valid student or doctoral ID; a delegate who does not present the document pays the difference to the standard price. No copy or scan of the document is kept.
• Accompanying Person: two options are available — dinner and opening (the Gala Dinner and the opening ceremony, without access to the scientific sessions), or full access (as above plus the scientific sessions, without a certificate of attendance). Prices for both are shown in the fee table. An accompanying person receives no certificate and no educational credits. Substitution: free of charge, on a request sent to info@iccsh2027.org by 7 October 2027; no substitution is possible after that date.
• Refund of an add-on does not automatically result in a refund of the Congress registration fee, or vice versa, unless this Policy provides otherwise.

If the Organizer cancels the Congress, the delegate receives a refund of fees paid to the Organizer for services not performed, subject to applicable law and the terms of the specific service. The Organizer is not responsible for independently purchased transport, accommodation or other travel costs, unless liability arises under mandatory law.

If the date is postponed, or the format or venue is materially changed, the Organizer will inform the delegate without undue delay and allow at least 14 days to choose between keeping the booking for the new date, substituting another delegate, or receiving the applicable refund.

A "material change" means, in particular, a change that prevents participation in the core service — not ordinary changes to the programme, speakers, or session order.

Where circumstances outside the Organizer's control occur, the parties settle the services in accordance with applicable law, the extent of performance, and the availability of an alternative service. A force-majeure clause does not automatically exclude consumer rights, or the duty to refund a service that has not been performed.

Refunds are normally made through the same channel and in the same currency in which payment was made, unless the parties agree otherwise. The Organizer is not responsible for the exchange rate applied by the payer's bank or payment-instrument issuer.

Processing time: 14 days from the cancellation request, subject to any shorter period required by law. Any fee charged by the Payment Operator on a refund is borne by the delegate — it is deducted from the refunded amount, and its amount is disclosed before the cancellation is confirmed. This does not apply to a statutory withdrawal — there, the Organizer returns all payments received with no deduction whatsoever.

A corrective invoice is issued where required by law.

Visa refusal, changes to travel plans, illness or other personal circumstances are governed by the ordinary cancellation thresholds in §2, The Organizer operates no exception policy for those circumstances. This is without prejudice to mandatory law. Delegates are advised to purchase travel and cancellation insurance. An invitation letter is not a guarantee that a visa will be issued.

Complaints should be sent to registration@iccsh2027.org.

The Organizer does not rely on the exception from the right of withdrawal in Article 38(12) of the Act on Consumer Rights — it treats participation in the Congress as a scientific and educational service, not one connected with an entertainment, sporting or cultural event. The statutory right of withdrawal applies on the terms set out in the Terms of Usage §9.

This Policy supplements the Terms of Usage. Where a provision of this Policy conflicts with the Terms of Usage on a matter the Terms already govern, the Terms of Usage prevail unless this Policy expressly states otherwise.