Terms and Conditions
This page tells you the terms and conditions on which we, ef.Info Limited, trading under the name of europeanfunds.info (“We”, “Us”, “Our”), enable you (“You”, “Your”) to make an online/offline registration in respect of any of Our training courses, conferences or seminars (“Courses”) listed in Our mail-shots, brochures and flyers and on Our website www.europeanfunds.info (“Our Site”). Please read these terms and conditions carefully before registering, or authorizing someone to register on your behalf, to any of Our Courses. You should understand that by registering to any of Our Courses, You agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.
You should print a copy of these terms and conditions for future reference.
Please understand that if You refuse to accept these terms and conditions, You will not be able to register to any of Our Courses. Registrations which are not made online (e.g. e-mails or over the phone) are still deemed to accept these terms and conditions.
Information about Us
We are a limited liability company registered in Malta under company number C67189 and with Our registered office at 49, Triq Tal-Franciz, Swieqi, Malta, Europe. Our VAT number is MT2202-9722.
www.europeanfunds.info is a site operated by ef.Info Limited.
EuropeanFunds.info is a Higher Education Institution registered with the Malta Further & Higher Education Authority, having License Number 2018-002.
Your status
By registering to Our Courses You warrant that:
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You are legally capable of entering into binding contracts; and
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You are at least 18 years old.
How the contract is formed between You and Us
After making a registration, or someone makes a Registration on Your behalf, You will receive a website notification or an e-mail from Us acknowledging that We have received Your registration form. Please note that this does not mean that Your registration to Our Course has been accepted. Your registration request constitutes an offer to Us to secure a place at one of Our Courses. All registrations are subject to availability of the Course and formal acceptance by Us, and We will confirm such acceptance to You by sending You an e-mail stating that the registration has been confirmed (the “Booking Confirmation“). Upon sending the Booking Confirmation, the agreement to participate is mutual.
We shall raise an invoice for payment of the Course and send it to You or Your organization for satisfaction. Payment shall be due strictly in accordance with Our standard invoice terms (thirty days from date of invoice). Payment must be made in advance before You attend the Course you have registered (such as seminar, conference, or training course). The contract between Us (“Contract”) will only be formed when We receive payment for the full price of the Course. The contract will be valid until we receive the payment, the course is delivered and all course materials were provided, whichever comes the latest. Further details on payment may be found under the section Price and Payment.
The Contract will relate only to those Courses which We have confirmed in the Booking Confirmation.
There is a limited number of places at each Course and these will be allocated in order of payments effected.
Course/Seminar Title and content
Our course title is the title as specified on the Registration Form at the time of Your Registration.
We reserve the right to make changes to the published title or programme of a Course (but not the overall content), for example to session titles, timings and/or speakers if one of the advertised speakers is unable to attend. In such cases, You will not be entitled to cancel.
Course/Seminar Logistical Arrangements
Venue
Our Courses are held at an external venue, as specified on the Registration Form at the time of Your Registration. You acknowledge that We may have to change the published venue for the Course for reasons beyond Our control and in such cases, You will not be entitled to cancel unless the change in venue represents a significant disadvantage to You.
You are liable for any loss or damage which You may cause to the external venue and agree to adhere to all housekeeping rules, procedures and policies (including policies as to behaviour and conduct) that may be in place at any venue from time to time.
If you have a disability or medical condition that requires special arrangements to be made, please notify Us of Your requirements when making Your registration.
Days and Dates of training
Our Courses are held on the days and dates, as specified on the Registration Form at the time of Your Registration, and as per selection made by You. To be eligible for a certificate of participation and attendance, Participants shall sign on all the attendance sheets provided for every day of the seminar.
Language
All our courses and seminars are delivered in the English Language.
Courses Accreditation
All our Courses/Seminars are awarded by EuropeanFunds.info. The courses offered by EuropeanFunds.info are not accredited unless specifically advertised on our website and specified on the Registration Form at the time of Your Registration as accredited. Accreditation details can be found further on in these Terms and Conditions.
Participation to our courses
To be eligible to attend any of our courses and seminars, participants are to:
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possess at least 6 months experience in an executive position within within one of the departments listed in the Target Group or with any other EU or national institution with equivalent managerial expertise; and
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possess verbal knowledge and comprehension of the English language.
By submitting a Registration Form, you are thereby declaring that you possess the required entry requirements for our seminars and courses.
Continuing Professional Development (“CPD”) Points
To claim CPD points (if applicable) in respect of Our Courses, please ensure that You sign the relevant Course attendance sheet.
European Qualification Framework (“EQF”) Accredited courses
This part is only applicable to participants registering for EuropeanFunds.info accredited course/s. Currently, EuropeanFunds.info only delivers one accredited Award which consists of four (4) ECTS and exit awards.
Title of Qualification: Award in the Prevention, Detection and Treatment of Errors in EU-funded Programmes
EQF Level: Level 5
Total learning Hours: 100 hours
The full award consists of four modules, namely:
· Module 1: Award in the detection and treatment of irregularities in EU funded projects (ECTS 1)
· Module 2: Award in financial corrections on public procurement and financial instruments (ECTS 1)
· Module 3: Award in result orientation, verifications, evaluations for 2014-2020 (ECTS 1)
· Module 4: Award in the simplification of programming, payments, sampling and monitoring for 2021-27 (ECTS 1)
To complete the full Award, participants need to complete all four (4) modules. Notwithstanding this, each Module can be awarded separately for one (1) ECTS each.
Mode of Delivery: Traditional/Face-to-Face Learning
Mode of assessment: A selection of One-on-one and group assignment
Learning outcomes:
Module 1: Award in the detection and treatment of irregularities in EU funded projects (ECTS 1)
Competences: – at the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the responsibility and autonomy to:
a) critically analyse any situation in the daily management of the Funds;
b) assess the gross, tolerable and net risk of the organisation and the management and control system;
Knowledge – at the end of the module/unit the learner will have been exposed to the following:
a) The Common Provisions Regulations (EC1303/2013), the Fund-specific Regulations (ERDF, CF, ESF, EMFF and EAFRD)
b) Public procurement directives, regulations and guidelines;
c) The most common errors in the past and current programmesp
d) Common cases of fraud in the implementation of projects;
e) Real-life cases and situations which provide detailed insights of financial management and control.
Skills – at the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the following skills:
a) understand the potential loopholes in the management and control system of an operational programme and project, and apply adequate error-prevention techniques for each circumstance;
b) identify the potential entry points of error in public procurement and apply common safeguards to protect the principles of transparency, mutual recognition, non-discrimination, equal treatment and proportionality;
c) design management verifications procedures
Module 2: Award in financial corrections on public procurement and financial instruments (ECTS 1)
Competences: – at the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the responsibility and autonomy to:
a) interpret regulations and guidelines within a holistic context that promotes less error and fraud;
b) create solutions on the basis of facts, regulations and guidelines.
Knowledge – at the end of the module/unit the learner will have been exposed to the following:
a) The latest guidelines for the application of financial corrections for both public procurement errors and errors in financial instruments
Skills – at the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the following skills:
a) apply financial corrections to errors in public procurement and financial instruments;
b) understand the relationship between the audit authority and the other auditing and investigative bodies of the EU and the Member States.
Module 3: Award in result orientation, verifications, evaluations for 2014-2020 (ECTS 1)
Competences: – at the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the responsibility and autonomy to:
a) Analyse the progress that EU and Member States are registering towards the Europe 2020 targets,
b) draw down lessons learnt from the implementation of the 2014-2020 programme.
Knowledge – at the end of the module/unit the learner will have been exposed to the following:
a) The Common Provisions Regulations (EC1303/2013), the Fund-specific Regulations (ERDF, CF, ESF, EMFF and EAFRD)
b) Public procurement directives, regulations and guidelines applicable at the time
c) The Performance Framework and Reserve for the 2014-20 European Social and Investment Funds
d) Simplified Cost Options – regulations and guidelines
e) Financial Instruments – regulations and guidelines
f) Performance audits methodology procedures
Skills – at the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the following skills:
a) create programme and project objectives which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely (‘smart’);
b) understand the mechanics of simplified cost options;
c) understand the shift from financial assistance based on repayable grants to a system which is increasingly inclined towards financial instruments;
d) avoid the most common errors in public procurement of projects funded by the European Structural and Investment Funds;
e) carry out independent examination of a program, function, operation or the management systems and procedures of an organisation to assess whether the entity is achieving economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the employment of available resources.
Module 4: Award in the simplification of programming, payments, sampling and monitoring for 2021-27 (ECTS 1)
Competences: – at the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the responsibility and autonomy to:
a) interpret the European Commission’s newly proposed regulations and guidelines for the 2021-2027 programming period;
b) strike the right balance between simplification and proportional control measures;
c) assess how much money will be saved due to the introduction of a simplification measure.
Knowledge – at the end of the module/unit the learner will have been exposed to the following:
a) The proposed Common Provisions Regulations for the 2021-2027 programming period (COM(2018) 375 final);
b) Annual submissions for the 2021-27 programming period – the management declaration, the annual accounts, and the annual summary.
Skills – at the end of the module/unit the learner will have acquired the following skills:
a) design a financial management and control system for the 2021-2027 programming period;
b) create an efficient management and control system;
c) create an efficient structure of communication between the stakeholders responsible for the annual closure of accounts, management declaration and annual summary.
Price and payment
The price of any of Our Courses will be as quoted in Our mailshots, brochures and flyers and on Our Site from time to time, except in cases of obvious error. These prices are inclusive of trainers’ costs, coffee breaks and lunches as indicated on the course agenda, any transfer costs and access to projects sites related to EU funding project expeditions, all training material, and VAT (where applicable).
Prices are liable to change at any time, but changes will not affect registrations in respect of which We have already sent You a Booking Confirmation, except in cases of obvious error.
You may pay for Your registrations through a bank transfer. We shall be entitled to charge You interest on late payments in accordance with the relevant legislation of the European union and Malta.
Please note that We cannot guarantee the security of data which You send us by email. Unless We are fraudulent or negligent, We will not be liable to You for any losses caused as a result of unauthorised access to the personal and transactional information that You provide Us when making a registration.
Anti-bribery and corruption clause
By accepting these Terms and conditions, you are accepting that you have not received or been offered any illegal or improper bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback, illegal payment, illegal political contribution or other payments in the form of cash, gifts, or otherwise from any of our shareholders, directors, employees or any other person acting on their behalf in connection with this Agreement.
Our refunds policy
If You cancel the Contract between us by giving Us more than 30-days in writing prior to the Course, You shall be entitled to a full refund. If You cancel the Contract between us by giving Us in excess of 48-hours’ notice (but less than 30-days) in writing prior to the Course, You shall be entitled to a credit note for the full value of the Course booked. Such credit note must be used within the current or following financial year of issue (please note that Our financial year runs from 1 January to 31 December). We will process the credit note due to You as soon as possible. If You cancel the Contract between us by giving Us notice in writing less than 48 hours prior to the Course, You shall not be entitled to any credit note or any other form of refund.
Substitute attendees may be accepted by Us, at Our sole discretion, provided that the substitute attendee meets any applicable eligibility criteria for the relevant Course. If You fail to attend a Course for which You are registered and have not given Us prior notice then You shall not be entitled to any credit note or otherwise pursuant to Our refunds policy.
We shall be entitled to cancel Your registration/booking where We need to do so due to circumstances outside of Our control (including, but not limited to, situations where sufficient numbers have not booked for the Course or the speakers are unavailable or cancel the Course or if You are more than 30 days in arrears with any payment due to Us, or if it may prejudice Our reputation). We shall have no liability for losses or costs which You may incur due to such cancellation but We shall refund your booking payment (in full as soon as possible) or offer You an alternative Course if one is available. You have the choice of accepting the refund, a credit note or attending the alternative Course.
We will usually refund any money received from You using the same method originally used by You to pay for Your purchase but reserve the right to refund using an alternative method.
Rights in course materials
All copyright and other rights (including all intellectual property rights) in course materials provided to You during or for the purposes of any of Our Courses (including, without limitation, Course notes, slides, brochures, articles or case studies) are Our property or that of our licensors. You are entitled to use such materials only for Your own personal use. You are not entitled to copy such materials (except as permitted by law) nor are You entitled to use or authorise others to use such materials for any commercial purposes. Please note that course materials (if any) shall only be made available to You on the day of the relevant Course.
Our liability
Subject to the following paragraphs, We will be responsible for any losses You suffer as a direct result of Us breaching these course registration/booking terms and conditions if those losses were reasonably foreseeable to both You and Us at the time the Contract was formed. Our liability to You under these course registration/booking terms and conditions will not exceed the total price charged for the Course(s) that You have registered/booked.
Subject to the paragraph above, Course participants shall be required to keep their personal belongings with them at all times and We accept no liability for damage to, or loss of, personal belongings. We do not accept any responsibility for any loss (including, without limitation, theft) of any property occasioned at external venues save for any damage caused by Our negligence in which circumstances Our liability shall be limited to the amount of Our insurance for such losses. We will not be responsible to You or any third party for any business loss (including loss of revenue, profits, contracts, anticipated savings, wasted expenditure, data or goodwill) or any other loss or damage which does not result directly from Our actions or the actions of Our sub-contractors or agents, is consequential or was not reasonably foreseeable to both You and Us when the Contract was formed.
We are not responsible or liable in any manner for any losses You suffer which are not specified in this Agreement.
Written communications
Applicable laws require that some of the information or communications We send to You should be in writing. When using Our Site, You accept that communication with Us will be mainly electronic. We will contact You by e-mail or provide You with information by posting notices on Our Site. For contractual purposes, You agree to this electronic means of communication and You acknowledge that all contracts, notices, information and other communications that We provide to You electronically comply with any legal requirement that such communications be in writing. This condition does not affect Your statutory rights.
Complaints procedures
Formal complaints should be made only if informal discussions fail to resolve a matter of concern satisfactorily.
The complaints process begins with the submission of a Letter of Complaint to the Head of the Institution as soon as possible after the relevant events. The complaint must be received within thirty days of the formal date of notification of the decision or event causing the complaint. The Head of the Institution acknowledges receipt of the complaint and may seek further clarification if necessary.
The Head of the Institution then considers the complaint and informs the participant in writing within ten days whether the complaint will proceed or not. If the complaint is not pursued, the participant is provided with a written explanation for the decision. If the complaint proceeds, the respondent(s) (staff members involved) are notified and provided with a copy of the complaint, the procedure, and an invitation to respond within fifteen days. The respondent(s) can consult with relevant individuals and provide a formal response.
The response from the respondent(s) is then shared with the participant, who has fifteen days to comment on its factual accuracy. Based on the material presented, the Head of the Institution determines whether a decision on the complaint can be made. If so, all parties involved are notified in writing of the decision, along with the reasons for it.
During the process, equal procedural treatment is ensured for all parties, and the Head of the Institution may seek further clarification or interview the concerned parties when necessary. The Head completes a written statement of findings and decision within a reasonable timeframe. Any proposed compensating action will be implemented after the review process, if applicable.
Once a decision is made in accordance with the procedures, it is binding on all parties involved, subject to the rights of review.
Privacy
Our Privacy Policy explains how We will use the information which You have provided to Us.
Notices
All notices given by You to Us must be given to ef.Info Ltd, 49, Triq Tal-Franciz, Swieqi Malta, Europe or contact@europeanfunds.info. We may give notice to You at either the e-mail or postal address You provide to Us when making a registration, or in any of the ways specified in the written communications paragraph above. Notice will be deemed received and properly served 24 hours after an e-mail is sent, or four days after the date of posting of any letter. In proving the service of any notice, it will be sufficient to prove, in the case of a letter, that such letter was properly addressed, stamped and placed in the post and, in the case of an e-mail, that such e-mail was sent to the specified e-mail address of the addressee.
Publicity
We may use photographs or videos taken at Courses in publicity and marketing materials, including use on Our Site and all our social media, (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube and Instagram). Your attendance at a Course may mean that You are featured in such photographs/videos and You are deemed not to object to the taking of such photographs as detailed above. In any case, a specific consent form will be presented to you at the registration desk on the first day of the course. If You do not wish to be included in any photograph/video, please refrain from signing such consent form.
Transfer of rights and obligations
The Contract between You and Us is binding on You and Us and on Our respective successors and assigns.
You may not transfer, assign, charge or otherwise dispose of a Contract, or any of Your rights or obligations arising under it, without Our prior written consent. We may transfer, assign, charge, sub-contract or otherwise dispose of a Contract, or any of Our rights or obligations arising under it, at any time during the term of the Contract.
Events outside Our control
We will not be liable or responsible for any failure to perform, or delay in performance of, any of Our obligations under a Contract that is caused by events outside Our reasonable control (“Force Majeure Event“) which includes any act, event, non-happening, omission or accident beyond Our reasonable control and includes in particular (without limitation): strikes, lock-outs or other industrial action; civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack, war (whether declared or not) or threat or preparation for war; fire, explosion, storm, flood, earthquake, subsidence, epidemic or other natural disaster; impossibility of the use of railways, shipping, aircraft, motor transport or other means of public or private transport; impossibility of the use of public or private telecommunications networks; and/or the acts, decrees, legislation, regulations or restrictions of any government.
Our performance under any Contract is deemed to be suspended for the period that the Force Majeure Event continues, and We will have an extension of time for performance for the duration of that period. We will use Our reasonable endeavours to bring the Force Majeure Event to a close or to find a solution by which Our obligations under the Contract may be performed despite the Force Majeure Event.
Waiver
If We fail, at any time during the term of a Contract, to insist upon strict performance of any of Your obligations under the Contract or any of these terms and conditions, or if We fail to exercise any of the rights or remedies to which We are entitled under the Contract, this shall not constitute a waiver of such rights or remedies and shall not relieve You from compliance with such obligations. A waiver by Us of any default shall not constitute a waiver of any subsequent default.
Severability
If any of these terms and conditions or any provisions of a Contract are determined by any competent authority to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable to any extent, such term, condition or provision will to that extent be severed from the remaining terms, conditions and provisions which will continue to be valid to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Entire agreement
These terms and conditions and any document expressly referred to in them represent the entire agreement between us in relation to the subject matter of any Contract and supersede any prior agreement, understanding or arrangement between us, whether oral or in writing.
We each acknowledge that, in entering into a Contract, neither of us has relied on any representation, undertaking or promise given by the other or be implied from anything said or written in negotiations between us prior to such Contract except as expressly stated in these terms and conditions.
Neither of us shall have any remedy in respect of any untrue statement made by the other, whether orally or in writing, prior to the date of any Contract (unless such untrue statement was made fraudulently) and the other party’s only remedy shall be for breach of contract as provided in these terms and conditions.
Our right to vary these terms and conditions
We have the right to revise and amend these terms and conditions from time to time to reflect changes in technology, changes in payment methods, changes in relevant laws and regulatory requirements and changes in Our system’s capabilities.
You will be subject to the policies and terms and conditions in force at the time that You place a booking with Us, unless any change to those policies or these terms and conditions is required to be made by law or governmental authority (in which case it will apply to bookings previously made by You), or if We notify You of the change to those policies or these terms and conditions before We send You the Booking Confirmation (in which case We have the right to assume that You have accepted the change to the terms and conditions, unless You notify Us to the contrary within seven working days of receipt by You of the Booking Confirmation).
Data Protection
We confirm that your personal data will be dealt with in line with the Data Protection Act (Cap 586 of the laws of Malta).
In accordance with Cap 607, we shall grant access to the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority to the information collected through our agreement. The data shall be transmitted to the Authority within a reasonable time from when it was requested and shall be used by the Authority in pursuance of its functions.
Law and jurisdiction
Contracts for the booking of Our Courses through Our Site will be governed by the law of Malta. Any dispute arising from, or related to, such Contracts shall be subject to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Malta.