TERMS OF USE FOR “BRIDGES AWARDS” WEBSITE

Valid from: 30.05.2019

1. Terms and Conditions

The Bridges Awards website awards.knowledgebridges.gr hereafter: website) and the online application platform (hereinafter: platform) provide their content in accordance with the following Terms and Conditions (hereinafter: Terms of Use), which constitute a legal agreement between between the User/Visitor and the operators of the website/platform. Users/Visitors must carefully read and use the website and the platform only if consenting to these Terms of Use in their entirety. By accessing, browsing and/or using the website / platform via computer or via any other mobile device, either directly or by referral from another website of implementing organisations (see www.ekt.gr, www.mindev.gov.gr, www.knowledgebridges.gr), to search for further information or to complete the online application, you agree that you have read and understood the Terms of Use as set forth below and are legally bound by them.

The Terms of Use represent the entire agreement between each User / Visitor and the website and govern the entire website and platform. These Terms prevail over any other written and / or oral agreement between each User / Visitor and the website.

The site is owned, operated and administered by the National Documentation Centre (hereinafter: EKT) under the ‘Knowledge and Partnership Bridges’ initiative and subject to the Terms of Use as set forth below.

Attention should be given to EKT policies as presented on the website, and specifically the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you are under the age of 18, you are obliged to inform your parents or guardians about Terms of Use and Personal Data Privacy Policy, before you can use the website and you can only register for the awards programme as part of a group not as legal representative or contact representative.

EKT reserves the right to modify for any reason and without prior consent, the contents of these Terms of Use, as the need arises. Please read them carefully and review them frequently to stay abreast of any updates. Any amendments to the Terms of Use will be published on the website. EKT will make every effort to indicate any changes to the Terms of Use by means of a notice (like a banner) on the home page of the awards.

The use of the website by the users implies their acceptance of the Terms and Conditions as in force.

If you do not agree with any amendments to the terms of Use, you must terminate browsing and/or use of the website. Any changes made after the submission of the online application will not affect you unless required by law.

The following documents are an integral part of these Terms of Use:

- the Terms of Use of the website awards.knowledgebridges.gr, the latest updated version of which contains the rights and obligations of the website and platform users.

- the Data Protection, Cookies and Privacy Policy of the website in the latest updated version in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation, EU 2016/679, which present among others: the type, scope and purpose of collection and use of personal data, both of which supplement our website's general Terms of Use.

2. Definitions

‘User’ is any individual registering on the website and has the right to submit an online application for the Bridges Awards.

‘Visitor’ is any individual who accesses, browses or uses the website, without having registered as a ‘User’.

‘Platform’ is the online system where Users submit their applications for the Bridges Awards.

3. The website

The Bridges Awards is a new award programme under the ‘Knowledge and Partnership Bridges’ initiative that aims to strengthen networking and co-operation, the exchange and transfer of knowledge and the creation of new synergies and employment opportunities between Greek scientists-researchers and entrepreneurs worldwide and those residing in Greece. Members of the scientific and business communities can express their interest for participation through the website: awards.knowledgebridges.gr.

Maintenance performed on the website and on the platform, may occasionally hamper availability, however, this work will be carried out, with the minimal possible inconvenience to visitors and users of the website. If such work is to be of considerable duration, users and visitors will be given sufficient notice.

4. Registration

Visitors to the website awards.knowledgebridges.gr can visit and browse the pages of the Award Programme without having to submit an online application. Submission of electronic application is necessary, however, in the case of an expression of interest for participation in the award programme of the respective platforms.

By submitting an online application and consenting to these Terms of Use and the Personal Data, Cookies and Privacy Policy, natural persons and legal entities may express their interest by submitting an online request to the award programme. Submission of an online application and use of the website by legal persons, can only be made by an individual duly authorised, who must also be specifically named. Furthermore, only those fulfilling the conditions as set out in the relevant calls for expressions of interest, are qualified to apply.

If a User submits an online application as a business or another legal entity, in the name and on behalf of such entity, that User should also represent and warrant having the legal power and authority necessary to accept and agree to be legally bound by these Terms of Use on behalf of such entity and its affiliates. The User must also warrant that the Business or other legal entity represented, shall comply with all applicable laws relating to online services. If the User does not have such authority must not accept these Terms of Use nor submit an online application to the award programme.

EKT reserves the right to amend the required details of the online application, when deemed appropriate. When registering, Users are obliged to provide true, accurate, current and complete information and must keep it current and up-to-date at all times. However, EKT cannot exclude the possibility of someone giving the wrong information and/or data or giving a false identity. In the event of the accidental entry of incorrect data in the online application, the User can correct the application only if it has not been definitively submitted. Changes to the final application can be made by emailing EKT at awards@knowledgebridges.gr.

At the time of registering, the User selects a user name an email address and a password. The password must have a medium level of complexity. It must be kept secret to remain safe at all times. Those who have submitted an online request, shall immediately notify EKT of any breach of security or unauthorised use of their account.

After completing and submitting the registration form, EKT emails the address registered in the first step ‘General Information’ of the online application to confirm the successful submission of the online application.

After successful registration, EKT stores the data provided by Users upon registration as per the terms of our Personal Data, Cookies and Privacy Policy.

Accounts are personal and cannot be transferred and/or assigned over and may only be used by a User personally.

5. Statutory Online Declaration

The online application for participation in the award programme serves as a formal declaration of Article 8 of N. 1599/1986 (OGG A 75) for the items referring to it.

Specifically, by submitting the electronic application, the legal representative declares that: a) the information given in the online application form is true and accurate, and they are fully aware of and accept the terms of participation in the Programme. By submitting the online application, Users declare and warrant that all data / information submitted is truthful, accurate, reliable and up to date.

b) the online application was duly submitted and received the necessary authorisation from members of the co-operative, any other required authorisations, consents and/or licenses,

c) they do not infringe intellectual or industrial property rights, trade rights or any other rights of third parties, natural persons or legal entities, domestic or foreign, users have full and exclusive responsibility to safeguard any related rights of the submitted proposal,

d) σif awarded, the applicant agrees to the promotion of the collaborative proposal by the implementing bodies in any way and with any means deemed appropriate in the context and for the purposes of the Awards Programme during a determined period,

e) authorizes the implementing body to process online personal data in accordance with the specific processing conditions referred to here,

f) the participant / participating entities have not dissolved or gone bankrupt or are insolvent or have been subject to acquisition or special liquidation by order of an administrative liquidator or the court or suspension of their business activities or any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure, anticipated in special legal provisions.

6. Consequences of violations of law or of these Terms of Use

All Visitors to and Users of the website/platform must observe and comply with the Terms of Use, the Policies and rules applied by EKT for the smooth and effective operation of its website.

The website can only operate smoothly if all Visitors and Users adhere to the aforementioned terms. Additionally, Visitors and Users must only use the website and platform as permitted by law and any applicable regulations.

EKT reserves the right -at its absolute discretion-to take all appropriate and reasonable measures against Visitors and/or Users who, via the awards website, violates or has violated any applicable law and/or these Terms of Use. Such measures would include indicatively and without limitation, giving a written warning, suspending, restricting, prohibiting, blocking access, limit visibility of or remove listings and/or hosted content or even terminating with immediate effect such User Account, including taking any legal and technical measures to achieve any of the foregoing. When deciding upon these measures, ΕΚΤ shall take into consideration the operational requirements of the website, own liability risks as well as the legitimate interests of any party asserting a claim and those of Visitor/ User (e.g. seriousness of the breach of duty, risks, statement of the user).

Use of the website and the platform does not grant intellectual property rights on the website or the content you access to any Visitor and / or User's.

EKT may occasionally send Users information / updates about the services provided. You can opt out of receiving these updates by selecting exclusion from the recipient list after the update to download.

Visitors and Users may not use the website and the platform, in a way that is distracting, preventing and / or impeding the use of the website by other visitors / users.

7. Indemnity

Users shall defend, indemnify and hold EKT harmless and unaffected from and against any and all fines, penalties imposed by any competent supervising authorities, and or claims (including legal fees and expenses) made by any third party arising out of or in connection, directly or indirectly with the User’s breach or violation of any applicable laws and regulations, any Intellectual Property rights of third parties, as a result of an act, omission in tort, or breach of contractual obligation of such infringing User. Reasonable costs for a legal defence (in particular, attorney fees) which EKT has demonstrably incurred as a result of a User’s misconduct shall also be reimbursed.

8. Termination

The User relationship shall run for an indefinite period of time and may be duly terminated by a User or EKT whenever deemed necessary and at EKT's discretion, for convenience at any time upon giving a prior seven (7) days written notice of termination in the form of an email to or from: awards@knowledgebridges.gr.

The right to terminate for cause, with immediate effect, remains unaffected. Breach of any of the provisions of these Terms of Use, all considered material, including any of the events set out in section 6 of these Terms of Use, shall constitute, without limitation reasonable cause for EKT to terminate a User’s relationship/ account.

If EKT decides at any time to discontinue a service, we shall use our best endeavors to give our Visitors and/or Users a reasonable prior notice and a chance to remove information/data from such discontinued Service.

9. Rights of Use

By entering the required data and accepting compliance with these Terms of Use (upon completion of the online application), Users grant EKT all the rights licenses to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, adapt, communicate, publish, publicly display, promote and distribute content and data submitted, posted and/or sent or received by EKT by Users / through the website and / or the platform, to the extent necessary for the proper use of the website and platform.

Further information about how EKT uses and stores content can be found in the Personal Data, Cookies and Privacy Policy.

Users or Visitors are not allowed to use, reproduce, publicly display, make available to the public, modify and / or adapt the EKT's exclusive proprietary rights. They may, however, share content uploaded on the website through social networking pages.

10. Liability

EKT will take all the necessary measures to ensure the best operation of the website and platform, however, it does not guarantee that the operation will be uninterrupted and without technical problems. EKT will make every effort to ensure that the information and the content available through the website and platform is clear, accurate and complete and as far as this is possible up-to-date. Under no circumstances EKT is to be held liable for any loss suffered by Visitors/Users of the website and platform for any loss which the user may sustain due to lack of clarity, accuracy and completeness and/or to the information provided not being up-to-date.

EKT and the respective directors, employees, agents and / or representatives shall not be liable under any circumstances to any Visitor or /and User or other third party for any claims of a legal nature or for any direct or indirect damage or costs which may result from the operation or otherwise and the access to, use of or navigation of the website or from downloading material, text and other data contained in it, including, but not limited to, damages caused by viruses, program bugs, human error, any computer system or hardware, software, program malfunction or any other error, omission or transmission delay due to the computer or the network connection.

EKT makes all reasonable efforts to ensure the maintenance and availability of the website and platform. However, Users and Visitors should acknowledge and accept that EKT may modify and / or discontinue temporarily or permanently the operation of the website and / or platform entirely or in part and with or without prior notice [to Users and / or Visitors] since availability may be affected by factors related to the User such as equipment, other communications networks, the large number of Users who attempt to use the website or other causes. Therefore, EKT bears no liability for any damages direct or indirect, arising during the use of the website or from the failure of the User to have access to it, from interruption of the entire operation of the website or any part thereof, from delays, non-delivery, failure or poor reception quality of the content and / or loss of the website content or existence of errors. In all cases, EKT reserves the right to interrupt or discontinue the operation of the entire site and / or platform or part thereof, for maintenance or upgrade and / or for any other reason.

11. Responsibility for content and links

Visitors and Users accept the content of the website and the platform 'as is'. Despite the general prohibitions included in these Terms of Use, EKT has no obligation to monitor the content and/or information submitted, hosted, transmitted or stored on the website or to search for possible illegal, inaccurate, offensive or inappropriate content.

The website can use links, hyperlinks or advertising banners and/or other websites whose providers are held fully liable for the security, lawfulness and validity of their content. EKT shall not be held liable with regard to intellectual and industrial property rights or any rights of third parties. Users are therefore obliged to conform to the terms of use of those websites and to contact directly their providers for any issue regarding use of such websites.

12. Amendments of the Terms of Use

EKT continually strives to improve and expand the award programme and to optimise the capabilities provided. It reserves the right to vary to amend these Terms of Use at any time and change the use of the website and the platform subject to new and / or additional terms and conditions. Any visitor that does not agree with any such new, amended or varied Terms of Use, is encouraged to discontinue using the website and services. In any event the continued use of the website, beyond the fifteen 15 days after the date they were initially posted constitutes an unconditional (tacit) acceptance thereof.

The updated Terms of Use is available here. The changes will not apply retroactively. However, changes made for legal reasons or to address legal requirements may be effective immediately.

13. Notices

Any notices to Members hereunder shall be sent by any of the following means: message banner to the home page of the website, or via email at the registered email as provided in the “expression of interest” form or by registered mail at the address as provided upon registration.

14. Miscellaneous

These Terms of Use constitute the entire understanding between EKT and each User and/or Visitor of the website with respect to its object, superseding any and all prior instruments, agreements, letters and/or contracts, oral or written agreements between the parties with respect to the subject matter described herein.

Nothing in these Terms of Use will constitute a partnership, a joint venture, an agency relationship, a franchise relationship or a contract of employment between a Visitor and/or User and EKT.

If any provision of these Terms of Use is or becomes invalid, unenforceable or non-binding, Users and Visitors shall remain bound by all other provisions hereof. In such event, such invalid provision shall nonetheless be enforced to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, and Users or Visitors will at least agree to accept a similar effect as the invalid, unenforceable or non-binding provision, given the contents and purpose of these terms and conditions.

No failure or delay by EKT in exercising any of its rights or remedies under these Terms of Use, shall be construed as a waiver of such right or remedy. The rights and remedies provided in these Terms of Use are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by law.

Without prejudice to the general principles of conflict of laws, these Terms of Use as well as any disputes arising out of or in connection with those, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Greece. Furthermore, the Courts of Athens, Greece shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim that arises out of or in connection with these Terms of Use.

The original Greek version of these Terms of Use may have been translated into other languages. Visitors and/or Users may not derive any rights from the translated version. In the event of a dispute about the contents or interpretation of these Terms of Use or inconsistency or discrepancy the Greek version of these Terms of Use, the Greek language version to the extent permitted by law shall apply, prevail and be conclusive. The Greek version is available on our website or shall be sent to you upon your written request.

Please note that content on the website is fundamentally accessible worldwide. Therefore, depending on the case it is possible that laws of multiple jurisdictions must be observed. Visitors and Users must ensure at least their compliance with the laws and regulations applicable in the country where their business is based.

15. Communication - Members Privacy- Updates

During submission of an online application, EKT acquires personal information such as email address and mobile phone number. This information shall only be used in communication with EKT. EKT commits to not disclose, sell, rent, or distribute a User's information to a third party. Additionally, EKT cannot use information for marketing purposes, via electronic or other means, unless it obtained the consent of the specific user/visitor to do so. Please refer to our Personal Data, Cookies and Privacy Policy for specific information about how EKT uses data.

EKT can communicate with users via text messages or email for information purposes (e.g. newsletters and events) only if users have expressly consented to receiving such communications. The aforementioned consent is given freely by a clear affirmative act and more specifically by clicking the relevant checkbox that is made available via email or/and at the “expression of interest” form that is accessible either in the email or online application or on the website.

The collection, use, disclosure, retention and protection of your personal information is governed by the Personal Data, Cookies and Privacy Policy. If the User does not wish to receive such communications, you can change your communication preferences at any time by contacting us at the email address: awards@knowlwdgebridges.gr.