General Terms and Conditions (GTC) for participation in Fair Match

People use Fair Match to network with others who share their business interests. The aim is to create a respectful and safe environment for all users. Participation in Fair Match therefore requires compliance with the applicable laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, the European Union and these GTC. By participating in Fair Match, users agree to comply with these GTC.

1. Platform operator

Messe Düsseldorf GmbH

PO Box 10 10 06, 40001 Düsseldorf

Messeplatz, Stockumer Kirchstraße 61, 40474 Düsseldorf

Germany

Telephone: +49 211 4560-01

Fax: +49 211 4560-668

Email: fairmatch@messe-duesseldorf.de

2. Guidelines

1. Users of Fair Match must be at least 18 years of age. Users of Fair Match are exclusively exhibitors and visitors to the trade fairs organised by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH.
2. Accurate information must be provided during registration. The use of third-party identities without their consent is prohibited. The buying, selling or transferring of user accounts is also prohibited.
3. Users undertake to comply with the relevant legal provisions, in particular data protection regulations, provisions on the protection of general personality rights, copyright law, labelling requirements and trade mark law. They warrant that they hold all rights to the content they share.
4. Users shall behave respectfully and courteously towards other users. Users undertake not to disseminate prohibited content within the context of Fair Match; this includes, in particular but not exclusively:
   
   - Incitement to hatred, violence or discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, religion or sexual orientation;
   - The presentation or dissemination of extremist content and false information (fake news);
   - The distribution of (child) pornography;
   - Insults, slander or defamation, bullying, stalking or harassment in any form are strictly prohibited;
   - Deceiving others, or carrying out unlawful, misleading or fraudulent acts.
   
   
    
5. The following actions, amongst others, are also prohibited:
   
   - Actions carried out by automated bots, spamming or attempts to manipulate algorithms;
   - Disrupting and/or impairing Fair Match, e.g. by sending malicious programmes;
   - Modifying or translating our products and their components, creating derivative works, or reverse engineering them.
   
    

3. Reporting and Remedial Procedures

Users may report to Messe Düsseldorf GmbH the presence of content on Fair Match which, in their opinion, is unlawful within the European Union, by sending an email to the following address: fairmatch@messe-duesseldorf.de. In order for Messe Düsseldorf GmbH to process your report, the following information must be included in the email:

• Your name, unless it is assumed that the matter relates to a criminal offence involving sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, child pornography, contacting children for sexual purposes, or incitement, aiding and abetting, or attempting to commit such offences;
• Reason why the reported information is to be regarded as unlawful content;
• Specification of the exact electronic location of this information (e.g. URL);
• Indication as to whether the user is a trusted flagger (DSA Trusted Flagger) in accordance with Article 22 of the Digital Services Act.

By sending the email, the user declares that the information and statements contained therein are correct and complete.

4. Sanctions

1. Breaches of these Terms and Conditions may result in sanctions.
2. Messe Düsseldorf GmbH reserves the right to remove or restrict content if it contravenes these Terms and Conditions, or if it is legally obliged to do so. Users will be informed in good time of any removal or restriction, as well as the underlying reason. This shall not apply if and for as long as Messe Düsseldorf is prohibited by law from notifying users. Nor shall this apply if and for as long as such notification would be unreasonable, taking into account the interests of both parties.
3. If users breach these Terms and Conditions and/or if users repeatedly infringe the intellectual property rights of others and/or if Messe Düsseldorf GmbH is legally obliged to do so, it may refuse or suspend the provision of Fair Match to users, either in whole or in part. In this case, we will inform the relevant user in advance of the reason, as well as the nature and scope of such intended restrictions, and give the relevant user the opportunity to comment on the matter. We will then inform the user whether or not we will proceed with the intended restrictions. This does not apply if and for as long as Messe Düsseldorf is prohibited from giving such notice for legal reasons. Nor does this apply if and for as long as such notification would be unreasonable, taking into account the interests of both parties.

5. Amendments to the General Terms and Conditions

Messe Düsseldorf GmbH reserves the right to amend these General Terms and Conditions in accordance with applicable law. Users will be informed of any significant changes in good time.

6. Data protection

Messe Düsseldorf GmbH processes users’ personal data. Users can find further information – including details of their rights – in Messe Düsseldorf GmbH’s privacy policy. This can be viewed at www.messe-duesseldorf.de/datenschutz. In principle, i.e. subject to statutory restrictions, you may object to the processing of your personal data at any time either via the aforementioned website, by email to privacy@messe-duesseldorf.de or by post to Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, G2-RV, PF 101006, 40001 Düsseldorf, Germany. Please note that once an objection has been successfully lodged, participation in Fair Match will no longer be possible unless a new expression of interest is submitted.

7. Final Provisions

1. The recommendations suggested to users are based exclusively on the information provided by users during registration regarding visitors’ interests, as well as on the product categories specified by exhibitors. This system can only be adjusted by modifying the interests or product categories.
2. The law of the Federal Republic of Germany shall apply to all disputes arising from or in connection with these General Terms and Conditions, to the exclusion of the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) and conflict-of-law rules; the right to freely choose the applicable law remains unaffected by this exclusion.
3. If the exhibitor is a trader, a legal entity under public law or a special fund under public law, the registered office of the exhibition organiser shall be designated as the exclusive place of jurisdiction – including international jurisdiction – for all disputes arising out of or in connection with these General Terms and Conditions. This shall also apply if the exhibitor has no general place of jurisdiction within Germany and if, after the conclusion of the contract, the exhibitor has transferred its registered office outside the scope of application of the German Code of Civil Procedure (ZPO) or if its registered office or habitual residence is unknown at the time the action is brought. This agreement on the place of jurisdiction shall not apply if the legal dispute concerns non-pecuniary claims which are assigned to the local courts regardless of the value of the matter in dispute, or if an exclusive place of jurisdiction is provided for by law in respect of the legal dispute.
4. In the event that the issuer loses the case, the losing party shall bear the costs of the proceedings and the necessary legal representation.
5. The language of the contract is German. Should translations of these General Terms and Conditions be produced, these serve exclusively for information purposes, without any guarantee of accuracy; the content of the contract is determined exclusively by the German version.

As at: February 2025