General Terms and Conditions of NZZ Connect

Version of April 2024

1. Scope

The following General Terms and Conditions apply to all events of Neue Zürcher Zeitung AG, branch office NZZ Connect (hereinafter called NZZ Connect) and to all events, held physically or online, of which NZZ Connect acts as an operator. The General Terms and Conditions (GTC) are available in several languages. If the case of contradictions in the General Terms and Conditions, the German version applies.

2. Registration
2.1 Liablity

Registration for events shall take place through the relevant online registration platform. Registration shall not become legally binding until written confirmation is sent (by e-mail). The events are carried out in compliance with the applicable official requirements, all details are without guarantee. Changes to the timing and content of the programme and adjustments to the number of persons permitted may be made at any time. NZZ Connect reserves the right to exclude registered guests due to capacity restrictions, reputational risks or other legitimate reasons.

2.2 Private bribery

By registering, the participant confirms that no legal or contractual provisions exist (in particular in connection with bribery of individuals) that would prohibit their participation in the event.

3. Operation

3.1 General provisions

The participant in the event acknowledges that no right of revocation exists with respect to the completed purchase of the admission ticket, subject to section 4 below. The tickets purchased for the event may therefore be neither exchanged nor refunded.

By registering, the participant agrees to the present General Terms and Conditions and to any further security, access or other operational rules issued for the relevant event and undertakes to adhere to these and to instructions given by employees of NZZ Connect (or its third-party agents). The participant acknowledges that they may be excluded from the event if they fail to adhere to these rules and instructions. In the event of such exclusion, the costs of the event ticket shall neither be compensated nor refunded. NZZ Connect reserves the right to substitute other speakers for those announced and to make necessary changes to the event programme while safeguarding the overall character of the event. The costs of the event ticket can neither be compensated nor refunded as a result of such changes.

3.2. Postponement of the event

If the event is postponed for whatever reason, the ticket purchased shall automatically be valid for the new event date. Tickets may not be exchanged or refunded. If hotel accommodation has been booked, it may not be possible to automatically move the booking to the new event date. A change to the hotel booked or to the price cannot be ruled out; any additional costs shall be borne by the participant.

3.3 Interruption or cancellation of the event
If an event must be interrupted or cancelled as a result of force majeure, external influences (demonstrations, influence of violence, threats by third parties, pandemics, epidemics, COVID-19), event bans by the authorities (Confederation, canton, local council) or other circumstances for which NZZ Connect is not responsible, or if the event is cancelled by NZZ Connect for any other reasons, the following provisions shall apply to refunds:

cancellation up to two months before the beginning of the event: 80% of the ticket price shall be refunded
cancellation up to one month before the beginning of the event: 50% of the ticket price shall be refunded
cancellation less than one month before the beginning of the event or in the event of the interruption of the event: no refund

Cancellation or refunding of any hotel accommodation booked shall only be possible to the extent that the hotel agrees to a cancellation or pays a refund.

4. Withdrawal of the participant

The following withdrawal and cancellation provisions apply to all reservations, registrations and bookings (events, hotel arrangements, outward and return travel, side-events, evening events):

withdrawal up to three months before the start of the event: full refund less CHF 100.00 processing fee
withdrawal up to one month before the start of the event: refund of 50% of the total costs, with no processing fee.
withdrawal less than one month before the start of the event: no refund
events free of charge: a processing fee of CHF 150 will be charged for unexcused absences from the event

In the case of events lasting more than one day, the first day of the event shall be deemed to be the beginning of the event.

These withdrawal and cancellation provisions also apply to absence as a result of illness, accident or similar causes. The declaration of withdrawal shall be made in written form by post, e-mail or fax. The claim to a refund shall be determined by the date of receipt of the written declaration of withdrawal. For Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays the following working day shall be the applicable date. In general it is not possible to split or transfer the ticket. Deviations from this are possible by way of exception but shall always be subject to an administrative fee.

5. Price adjustments

NZZ Connect reserves the right to adjust prices for events and associated services. These adjustments may be made in particular if there are relatively high cost increases due to market fluctuations, changes in supplier costs or other circumstances beyond the organiser's control. Customers will be informed of such price adjustments within a reasonable period of time.

6. Data protection

NZZ Connect attaches great importance to data protection. Personal data is treated as strictly confidential and is used exclusively for the purpose of staging the event in question. If the services booked are not provided by NZZ Connect itself (e.g. hotel accommodation, provider of platforms for digital events), NZZ Connect is authorised to pass on personal data to its partners for the purpose of providing the services (further use of contact data is subject to the privacy policy of the partner). A list of participants details (name/company/position) will be available to all participants in the NZZ Connect App a few days before the event. Furthermore, the privacy policy apply.

7. Multimedia recordings

In the context of the event, NZZ Connect or its third-party agents may make image, sound and/or video recordings. These recordings are used by NZZ Connect and its partners for its own marketing purposes among others – whether on the Internet, in publications, on social networks or at events of NZZ Connect as an organiser or operator. By participating in an event, the participant grants their consent for said image, sound and/or video recordings. The participant expressly permits NZZ Connect to use these recordings for subsequent promotional purposes without further claims on the part of the participant. NZZ Connect reserves the right to restrict image, sound and/or video recordings by participants during the event.

8. Exclusion of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, NZZ Connect shall be exempted from all liability for any direct or indirect loss or damage, including consequential loss or damage, that may be suffered by the participant in connection with the organisation and operation of an event. In particular, NZZ Connect shall not be liable for any loss or damage or consequential loss or damage that may be caused by cancellation or interruption of the event or inadequate organisation. In all instances, any liability that arises out of any contractual, tortious or other claims shall be limited to the costs of the event ticket. No further compensation or indemnity of any kind shall be payable. Any claims for damages or other claims for monetary compensation on the part of the participant shall lapse within one year of the claim in question being discovered.

9. Applicable law and place of jurisdiction

The performance of NZZ Connect, the events it operates and the present provisions shall be governed exclusively by Swiss law. Any disputes that arise between the participant and NZZ Connect with respect to an event or in connection with it shall be settled by way of negotiation if possible. If this should prove impossible, the courts of general jurisdiction in Bern shall have exclusive jurisdiction.