General Terms and Conditions of Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. (STFI)

General Terms and Conditions 
for Testing and Certification Services Provided by Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. (STFI)

§1 General

1. These General Terms and Conditions (GTC) apply to all testing and certification services as well as expert opinions provided by the testing laboratory or the certification body for protective textiles at the Saxon Textile Research Institute (hereinafter referred to as "STFI").
2. They apply exclusively to this area and independently of other areas of activity or business of the STFI.
3. Any deviating, conflicting or supplementary terms and conditions of the client shall not become part of the contract unless STFI expressly agrees to their validity in writing.

§2 Scope of services

1. This area offers testing, assessments and EU type examinations (certifications) in accordance with the applicable national and international standards, guidelines and internal procedures.
2. The exact scope of services is specified in the respective contract, offer or order confirmation.
3. Changes or extensions to the commissioned service must be made in writing and require the express consent of STFI.
4. Unless expressly agreed otherwise in the order, the test report or certificate shall be issued in a single copy. Additional copies shall be charged separately.

§3 Independence & impartiality

1. The testing laboratory and the certification body work in a strictly impartial and objective manner, free from any commercial, political or institutional influences and independently of each other.
2. Membership of the STFI, business or scientific cooperation with other departments of the association or other forms of relationship have no influence on the performance, evaluation or result of tests and certifications.
3. The STFI ensures the independence of its testing and certification activities through strict organisational separation from the rest of the STFI. Conflicts of interest are actively avoided. Independence and impartiality are documented, among other things, by regular briefings and declarations of commitment by all employees concerned, and are monitored by internal and external audits and the mechanism installed to ensure impartiality.
4. The client may not issue any instructions to the STFI that could distort actual findings or results.
5. Even upon request, STFI does not provide consulting services within the meaning of ISO 17065 that are related to the development, manufacture, installation, maintenance or distribution of a certified or certifiable product.

§4 Obligations of the client

1. The client undertakes to provide all documents, information and samples relevant to the testing or certification in a complete and truthful manner.
2. The client guarantees that the samples provided are representative, have not been deliberately modified and correspond to the actual product standard. If this proves not to be the case, the STFI is entitled to cancel the order or refuse to issue the test report and/or certificate. The client remains obliged to pay the full order value.
3. The client shall bear the costs of delivery and removal of the samples. The STFI will only store samples for as long as is necessary for verification purposes or in accordance with legal requirements. After this period has expired, the client must arrange for collection and bear the disposal costs incurred or, if applicable, a reasonable storage fee. The STFI is not liable for damage to samples during storage.

§5 Implementation & evaluation

1. The tests and assessments are carried out to the best of our knowledge and belief, based on recognised technical rules and taking into account the current state of science and technology. In doing so, we apply both existing knowledge and experience gained in the course of the contract.
2. The STFI is entitled to outsource services and ancillary services to competent third parties if their competence and suitability have been quality-assured and documented. Assessment procedures or resulting decisions within the framework of EU type examinations (certifications) are not transferred to third parties. The assessment process is carried out according to documented, traceable procedures.
3. Tests are carried out exclusively by qualified, authorised personnel.
4. If, in the course of the investigations, it becomes apparent that an analysis must be repeated or the test procedure extended to a double determination in order to confirm the measurement results found, the STFI may claim additional costs for this separately.
5. Upon completion of the procedure, the client shall receive a copy of the contractually agreed documents (test report, expert opinion, certificate, etc.). Only the authorised document, which may also be provided in digital form instead of a written copy, is legally binding.
6. Orders are generally processed in the order in which they are accepted and the services are provided according to available capacity. If individually agreed dates and deadlines cannot be met, the client will be proactively notified by the STFI. Exceeding deadlines does not entitle the client to claim damages for delay or other compensation if the exceeding of deadlines is due to slight negligence on the part of STFI.

§6 Confidentiality, copyright & data protection

1. STFI undertakes to treat all information obtained in the course of testing and certification as confidential and to comply with the applicable legal regulations. This also includes compliance with the GDPR with regard to personal data.
2. Data will be used exclusively for the purpose of executing the order or fulfilling legal obligations.
3. Data will only be passed on to third parties with the consent of the client or on a legal basis.
4. The STFI retains the copyright to the services provided, insofar as these are suitable for this purpose. The client is not permitted to edit, modify or publish excerpts from test reports, certificates and expert opinions.
5. If the client wishes to refer to the fact that the product has been tested and certified by the STFI in its product or company advertising, this is only permitted if:
   1. at the time of advertising, the product corresponds unchanged to the tested or certified product and any test reports and certificates have not expired,
   2. a clear reference is made to the item actually tested or certified by STFI, i.e. no false facts are presented,
   3. test results or certificates are not reproduced in excerpts, thereby giving the recipient an inaccurate picture of the product, and
   4. the STFI has not objected to the publication.

§7 Terms of payment & prices

1. Invoices are due for payment within 14 calendar days, net and without deductions. Any bank charges and exchange rate differences shall be borne by the client. Payment shall be made in cashless form to the STFI's account.
2. In the event of late payment, interest on arrears shall be charged from the due date at a rate of 9 percentage points above the base rate in accordance with §247 BGB (German Civil Code) and a processing fee in accordance with §288 (5) BGB.
3. In order to maintain independence and impartiality, the granting of special discounts or bonuses is generally excluded. Surcharges may be charged for small quantities or particularly demanding tests, provided that these have been notified to the client in advance and the client has not objected.
4. Changes to the respective STFI price list apply to all orders received by STFI after the start of validity. New price lists will be sent to the client at least four weeks before they become valid.

§8 Terms of delivery & retention of title

1. Test reports and certificates are delivered EXW (ex works) Chemnitz.
2. Until full payment has been made, all tests, reports, certificates and expert opinions remain the property of STFI. In this regard, STFI also has a right of retention and utilisation of any test specimens.
3. The extended retention of title also applies to future claims arising from the ongoing business relationship as long as the payment obligation has not been fulfilled in full. STFI reserves the right to retain test reports and certificates until all payments due from the client have been received in full.

§9 Liability

1. Tests, expert opinions and certifications are carried out on the basis of the information, documents, quality requirements and/or samples provided by the client or on its behalf. The client is responsible for drawing the necessary conclusions from the results. Neither the STFI nor its executives, employees or subcontractors are liable to the client or third parties for any actions taken or omitted on the basis of such results, nor for incorrect tests based on unclear, incorrect, incomplete or misleading information provided by the client.
2. STFI shall only be liable for damages caused by intentional or grossly negligent conduct. For all damages that were not caused intentionally or through gross negligence, the claim for damages shall be limited to damages that were foreseeable and typically occur at the time the contract was concluded.
3. Liability for indirect damage, consequential damage or loss of profit is excluded to the extent permitted by law.

Any expert opinions or test reports have no legal effect in court proceedings for the preservation of evidence, unless this is expressly requested in the order and confirmed in the order confirmation.

 

§10 Miscellaneous

1. Amendments or additions to these General Terms and Conditions must be made in writing.
2. Should any provision of these General Terms and Conditions be or become invalid, this shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions. The invalid provision shall be replaced by a valid provision whose effect comes closest to the economic purpose of the invalid provision.
3. If the client cancels the order during processing, all partial services incurred up to that point must be paid for by the client.
4. The limitation period for claims, regardless of their legal basis, shall be one year from the start of the statutory limitation period, unless the limitation period is determined in accordance with Section 634a (1) No. 1 of the German Civil Code (BGB).
5. German law shall apply. The place of jurisdiction shall be the registered office of STFI, insofar as this is legally permissible.

Chemnitz, 15 January 2026

Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V.

Terms of Service for events organised by Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. (STFI)

§ 1 General

The following terms and conditions apply to the contracts for events that are concluded between the Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. as the contractor (hereinafter: organiser) and the client (hereinafter: participant), as well as all services provided in this context. They also apply to entrepreneurs for all future business relationships, even if they are not expressly agreed again. Our terms and conditions are exclusively agreed if they are not contradicted immediately. We do not recognise conflicting or deviating conditions of the customer, unless we have expressly agreed to their validity in writing. Deviating terms and conditions of the participant do not become part of the contract even if the organiser does not expressly object or carry out an unconditional implementation. Our terms and conditions apply to consumers as well as to entrepreneurs and legal entities under public law, as well as to special funds under public law (hereinafter referred to as "entrepreneurs"), unless a differentiation is made in the respective clause. Our written contract or our written confirmation is decisive for the content of overriding individual agreements. Verbal promises by our representatives or other auxiliary persons require our written confirmation.

§ 2 Registration

With the online registration, the participant transmits his wish to participate in an event to the organiser. The contract for the participation of the participant in the event comes into effect with the written confirmation of the wish to participate by the organiser. If a participant appears without having submitted a request to participate, or if the request to participate has been submitted but not confirmed in writing by the organiser, the decision as to whether or not to participate is entirely at the discretion of the organiser.

If participation is not possible for the participant, the participant's claims against the organiser, in particular reimbursement of expenses or damages, are excluded in this case.

§ 3 Invoicing and Payment Terms

1. The participant will receive an invoice from the organizer about four weeks before the start of the event for the confirmed participation in the event. The invoice can be handed over personally, sent by post or postal service provider or by email. Other payment methods are not possible.
    
2. The invoice amount is to be transferred within 14 days of receipt of the invoice to the account named in the invoice with the appropriate purpose.
    
3. The participant may only offset recognised, undisputed or legally established claims against the claim of the organizer or exercise his right of retention in this regard. A right of retention or a right to set-off also exists if the claim is synallagmatically linked to the claim of the organiser. If the participant is an entrepreneur, he is only entitled to exercise a right of retention if his counterclaim is based on the same contractual relationship.

§ 4 Withdrawal

1. The participant can withdraw from participation in an event. The withdrawal must be made in writing by post, email or fax. The point in time at which the declaration of withdrawal is received is the point in time at which the organiser can take note of it as early as possible in the ordinary course of business.
    
2. A participant can be represented at the event by another person. However, the existing contractual relationship between organizer and participant remains unaffected.
    
3. If the participant declares his withdrawal, the following cancellation costs will be charged to the participant: Withdrawal up to 30 calendar days before the start of the event: no cancellation costs Withdrawal between 29 and 14 calendar days before the start of the event: 50% of the participation fee Withdrawal less than 14 calendar days before the start of the event: 100% of the participation fee.
    
4. If the payment according to § 3 is not made by the due date, the organiser reserves the right to exclude the participant from the event until full payment has been made, without the obligation to pay being canceled as a result. There is no right to a refund of the amount in the event of non-participation in the event. The participant has no right to ordinary termination of the contract.
    
5. The organiser is entitled to cancel events in the premises of STFI up to 14 calendar days before the start of the event, in external premises up to 30 calendar days before the start of the event if the minimum number of participants required for economic implementation has not been reached. In this case, the participant will be reimbursed for the participation fee he has already paid. Further claims of the participant against the organiser, in particular reimbursement of expenses or damages, are excluded in this case. This right also applies at any time before the start of the event if the organiser is unable to carry it out (e.g. officially ordered event bans).

§ 5 Adjustments and Changes

The event agenda is continuously updated. We therefore reserve the right to make necessary adjustments to the content or deviations, provided these do not significantly change the overall character of the conference. Accordingly, we reserve the right to make changes to the programme or to the announced speakers.

§ 6 Compensation

1. The organiser's liability for contractual breaches of duty and for tort is limited to intent and gross negligence. This does not apply to injury to life, body and health of the participant, as well as claims for breach of cardinal obligations and compensation for damage caused by delay. The exclusion of liability also applies to at least slightly negligent breaches of duty by our vicarious agents. Insofar as liability is not excluded for slight negligence for damages which are not based on injury to life, limb or health of the participant, such claims shall become statute-barred within one year from the date of the event. Insofar as we have excluded liability for damages or this is limited, this also applies to the personal liability of our employees, representatives and vicarious agents.
    
2. In the event of force majeure or cancellations by the speaker, the organizer reserves the right to commission a substitute speaker or to move the event to another date or location. Claims for compensation by the participant, in particular reimbursement of expenses or damages, do not exist in this regard.
    
3. The organiser is not liable for the correctness or content of the lectures or accompanying documents, provided there is no willful or grossly negligent fault.

§ 7 Photo and Video Recordings/Documents

1. Photos and/or film recordings are made at the organiser's events, in which the participant may be shown. These recordings are saved for documentation and advertising purposes and can be published in print media, on the website or in other digital media of the organiser. The participant waives any claims for fees. Before the start of the event, the organiser asks for the consent of the participant to publish recordings.
    
2. If the participant receives documents or other media from the organiser and/or purchases them during the event, these are protected by copyright and may not, not even in part, be reproduced, used commercially and/or made public without the written consent of the organiser will.

§ 8 Data Protection

1. The organiser intends to inform the participant about event activities of the STFI several times a year. You can object to this customer information at any time without giving reasons.
    
2. During the event, all participants will receive a list of participants (status: registrations up to 14 days before the start of the event) with details of salutation, title, first and last name, company, place of work and country. Each participant also receives a name tag on which their own salutation, title, first and last name and the company with place of work/country are noted.

§ 9 Miscellaneous

1. The law of the Federal Republic of Germany applies exclusively to the contractual relationship and its implementation.
    
2. Should individual provisions of these General Terms and Conditions be ineffective, this shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions.
    
3. If the participant is an entrepreneur, the place of performance and the exclusive place of jurisdiction for any disputes is the place of business of the organiser.

Chemnitz, 30th of September 2020

Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V.