General Sales Conditions

General sales conditions

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE

Identity of the association

Alliance Française Bruxelles-Europe

Centre Européen de Langue Française

Avenue des Arts 46

1000 Bruxelles – Belgique

Company number: BE0408.099.685

+32 (0)2 788 21 60

Email : info@alliancefr.be

Website : https://www.alliancefr.be/

 

General and definitions

  1. Endorsement to the general conditions

The present general terms and conditions of sale govern all relations between the ASBL Alliance française Brussels-Europe (AFBE) and its customers, except in the case of express derogation accepted in writing by AFBE. By the mere fact of placing an order, the customer endorses the present general terms and conditions of sale, renouncing the general and special terms and conditions mentioned in his own order forms, in his letters or on his commercial documents, even if these were drawn up by hand before or after our documents were drawn up.

  1. Glossary used in these terms and conditions

  • “1 unit of training” represents 55 minutes of classroom instruction
  • The word “course” used in these terms and conditions represents a unit of training on a given date for a given number of hours
  • The word “session” used in these terms and conditions represents a complete course programme.

  1. Information on the different media

The AFBE brochures / web offers have been written in good faith, according to the data available at the time of writing. The latest version can be found in the catalogue on the website.

  1. Admission requirements

To be enrolled in the Alliance Française Brussels-Europe courses, the student must be at least 18 years old or at least 16 years old with parental authorisation: the parent or guardian must sign an official release form before the course, thus releasing the Alliance Française Brussels-Europe from all responsibility for the conditions of reception and supervision of the minor.

The public authorised to register for a course is clearly indicated in the course sheet on the website.

Concerning private lessons or certifications, the minimum age required for candidates is 6 years old. All minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian throughout the exams.

  1. Residence permits/visa

Persons wishing to register for the AFBE from their country of residence must take into account the legislation in force in Belgium. The AFBE cannot be held responsible for any difficulties or refusal to obtain a visa or residence permit on presentation of a certificate of registration in one of its courses.

  1. Customer information

The customer must provide AFBE with all useful information that is expressly requested or that could reasonably influence the smooth running of the course or examination. If the customer fails to inform AFBE or provides incorrect information that would result in additional costs to AFBE, the customer will be charged for such costs.

 

Registrations

  1. Conditions and formalities for registration

All registrations are nominative and non-transferable. By validating his/her order/registration on the AFBE website, by phone, email or at the AFBE reception desk for all training courses and certification, or by signing the preliminary estimate or order form (individual and company courses or group courses financed by a company), the customer confirms his/her irrevocable commitment to follow or to have followed by a customer the training and/or certification mentioned, subject to the right of withdrawal organized in article 14.

In the case of registration by a company for group courses, a fee of 60€ will be applied to each order.

As soon as the registration is effective, the customer will receive confirmation of his registration by e-mail or by reception. The registration as stated in this confirmation obliges the customer to follow the training/examination during the period and at the times specified in this document.

For group courses

In order for the learner to enrol in the course adapted to his/her level in French, he/she will have to complete a placement test prior to registration. The placement in the group corresponding to the level of the test allows us to guarantee each learner a high pedagogical quality and a harmonisation of levels within the class.

If the customer does not wish to take the placement test or wishes to join a different level from the one obtained by his/her placement test, AFBE cannot be held responsible for an inadequate placement. If the customer wishes to change levels once his/her course has started, he/she will not be guaranteed a place on the different level course. In this case, no refund or credit note will be issued.

For group courses, possession of the course material is compulsory.

For e-learning courses

Access to e-learning courses will only be made available to the customer if all the necessary information has been sent to AFBE. Upon receipt of this information, the customer will receive the access codes to connect within 48 working hours.

  1. Refusal of registration

The Alliance française Brussels-Europe reserves the right to refuse access to its training courses and certifications to any person who has not completed all the registration formalities listed in article 7 above. Or in the event of inappropriate behaviour by the learner in accordance with the “principles of internal order”.

  1. Renewal of registration

Any renewal of enrolment will only be valid if all the requirements set out in article 7 above are met before the start of the course.

  1. Modification of the order

AFBE may charge the customer for all costs resulting from changes that the customer makes to the initial order/registration.

Pricing and payment terms

  1. Payment of registrations

The costs of group or individual training and certification are set out in a price list which is included in all the Alliance française Brussels-Europe’s communication materials (website, brochures, online purchasing platform, etc.). The amounts indicated are all-inclusive and do not include the cost of teaching materials. It is possible to purchase them at the AFBE reception desk, no postal delivery will be made. Our services are exempt from VAT in accordance with article 44§2.4° of the VAT code.

The total amount due for the group or individual training (i.e. the training costs and the cost of the teaching material if any) or certification, must be paid before the start of the training or at the latest on the closing date for registrations. Bank transfer costs are at the expense of the customer.

All transactions made on the Ingenico payment platform, with a credit or debit card, are debited at the time of purchase and are at the customer’s expense.

  1. Payments in instalments with ALMA

Thanks to a partnership with the company ALMA, AFBE offers its customers the possibility to pay their order in several payments, only for payments by credit card accepted by the provider ALMA listed on its website. This payment facility is only possible for amounts over 600€ per basket. The customer who chooses this facility undertakes to respect his/her commitment to pay in instalments. In the event of non-compliance with this commitment, or in the event of the credit card being blocked for any reason whatsoever, ALMA will recover the amounts incurred with, if necessary, additional administrative costs according to the terms and conditions indicated at the time of purchase.

  1. Late payment

The amount is due and payable from the due date of payment indicated on the invoice issued by AFBE. In the event of non-payment or incomplete payment of the amount due on the indicated date, interest on arrears at the legal rate shall be due by operation of law and without prior notice. In addition, the suspension of the course or the withdrawal of the customer from the course will be automatically carried out in the event of non-payment within 48 hours of the first payment reminder sent.

Non-payment or incomplete payment of the invoice on the due date will first result in a free notice of default on the due date and then, 5 days later, in a notice of default for which a reminder fee of 10 EUR will be charged in addition to the amount due. If payment is not made in full within 10 days of this reminder, a further reminder will follow, for which an additional reminder fee of 20 EUR will be charged, i.e. a total of 30 EUR of reminder fees in addition to the amount due.

If, after the second reminder with an additional reminder fee, the balance due is not paid in full, the AFBE may entrust the collection of the debt to a collection agency/houseman, applying a flat-rate penalty of 10% of the invoice amount, with a minimum of 80 EUR. In addition, any delay in payment of the amount of an unpaid invoice shall automatically and without prior notice entail interest equal to the legal interest rate from the due date until the date of full payment.

 

Right of withdrawal

  1. Request for withdrawal

As defined by the European Directive 2011/83, the consumer, a natural person, has a right of withdrawal of 14 days following online or distance purchases. This period runs from the day after the conclusion of the contract for the provision of services or digital content.

This right of withdrawal applies only to private individuals. Companies and other legal persons are not included. Moreover, this right of withdrawal does not apply to a registration made in the premises of the AFBE.

The customer has the right to obtain a refund or a credit note corresponding to the training course for which he/she has validly registered. The credit note can be used within 6 months from the date of application of the right of withdrawal.

This right of withdrawal is valid until the

The credit note or the reimbursement of the course is authorised provided that the request is (i) made in writing: via the cancellation form specially provided for this purpose, which will be completed and sent by e-mail to info@alliancefr.be with the necessary bank details in the event of a refund,

or

by e-mail via an clear and unambiguous statement, setting out the decision to withdraw, clearly indicating the following: “I/We (*) hereby notify you of my/our (*) withdrawal from the contract for the sale of the following goods (*) / provision of services (*) (*) , ordered on (*) / received on (*) Date (*) ” and signature. It must be identified (name of the withdrawing consumer), dated and signed.

This request for withdrawal must be made within 14 days following the day after the date of receipt or receipt of the order confirmation e-mail from the Alliance Française Brussels-Europe and on condition that the training has not yet begun. The Alliance Française Brussels-Europe will reimburse the sums already paid or provide a credit note corresponding to them at the latest within 14 days following the date on which it was informed in writing of the decision to withdraw.

The Alliance Française Brussels-Europe may exceptionally accept a request for withdrawal if the course has already started, and only in the case of illness duly justified by a medical certificate or in case of situation of “force majeure” duly justified by official documents, translated into French and specifying that the entire course cannot be followed. A credit note valid for 6 months will then be issued to the customer’s account after deduction of the previous classes and the administrative fee of 60.00 (sixty) EUR.

Exception for digital products: Global Exam Licence, Flexcoaching.

In the case of the purchase of digital products such as the various e-learning platforms, the customer expressly waives his/her right of withdrawal upon receipt of his/her access codes allowing him/her to access his/her digital services or course content.

Examinations

A customer who has validly registered for an examination has the right to obtain a credit note or a refund of the total amount of the examination fee without deduction, if the request is (i) made in writing using the cancellation form specially provided for this purpose, which must be completed and sent by e-mail to info@alliancefr.be no later than the last day of the registration deadline.

After the closing date for registrations, examination fees are not refundable, regardless of the reason for absence, change of level, withdrawal or inability to attend the test (except in the case of illness duly justified by a medical certificate in French).

In the latter case and upon presentation of an official justification within 48 hours of the exam at the latest, a credit-note worth 50% of the examination fee may be created and made available on the candidate’s Alliance Française Brussels-Europe online personal account. This credit note is non-refundable and will be valid for a period of six months on all AFBE products on sale. The request must be made via the cancellation form available on the Alliance Française Brussels-Europe website.

 

  1. Cancellation of a group course by the Alliance française Brussels-Europe

 

The Alliance française Brussels-Europe reserves the right to cancel a training course, even if it has been registered, if the number of participants is insufficient or if the course cannot be run in optimal conditions of safety, comfort, supervision and/or learning, and in the event of force majeure or exceptional circumstances.

In the event of cancellation of a training course, each customer who has validly enrolled will be personally informed by e-mail and will be offered the possibility of requesting enrolment in a subsequent training course insofar as the Alliance française Brussels-Europe is able to offer, or of being reimbursed in full for their enrolment in the cancelled training course.

The customer must inform Alliance Française Brussels-Europe of his decision to follow a subsequent course or to be reimbursed within 6 months of receiving the e-mail informing him/her of the cancellation of the course. After this period, the costs of the cancelled course will be definitively acquired by the Alliance française Brussels-Europe.

 

In the event of a course cancelled by the AFBE during the session and after the course started, if  the customer opts for the cancellation  of his/her  registration, the refund  of registration fees and costs will only be made on a pro rata basis for the courses that could not be given – regardless of whether the customer attended or not the courses that were provided before cancellation.

 

  1. Designation of teachers and premises

The Alliance française Brussels-Europe has the sole right to designate the teacher who will give the courses and the premises in which the courses will take place. There is no right given to the customer to be taught by a specific teacher or to be provided with specific premises.

The Alliance française Brussels-Europe cannot guarantee the same teacher for a whole course or session. No cancellation by a customer can be validated on this basis.

As far as possible, in the event of a teacher’s absence, the Alliance française Brussels-Europe undertakes to guarantee continuity of services. If circumstances do not allow the replacement of the absent teacher, the course will be moved to another time and/or day.

The Alliance française Brussels-Europe declines all responsibility in the event of cancellation or rescheduling of a course which is the result of the behaviour of the customer or a third party.

 

  1. Public holidays

The Alliance française Brussels-Europe is closed on Belgian public holidays. Consequently, courses that may take place on these days are cancelled by right without the Alliance française Brussels-Europe being liable to pay any compensation or having to move the course(s).  Courses are made up for public holidays.

 

  1. No responsibility of the Alliance française Brussels-Europe in case of failure

The Alliance française Brussels-Europe declines all responsibility in the event of non-achievement of the learning objectives by the learner or the candidate for certification. The Alliance française Brussels-Europe is only bound by an obligation of means in this respect. The learner undertakes to follow the training courses assiduously and diligently.

Specific conditions for certifications

  1. Registration for examinations

All registrations are personal and non-transferable. Postage costs for sending diplomas or certificates are not included in the examination fee.

  1. Taking the examinations

Candidates must make the necessary arrangements to respect the dates and times of the tests mentioned on the convocation. In the event of lateness on the day of the examination, candidates will not be allowed to sit for the examination and refunds will not be provided.

Candidates are required to notify the invigilators or jury on the day of the examination of any corrections to their civil status. Any correction postponed after this date, and which will therefore imply the reissuing of their diploma, will be invoiced to them at the price of 20 € (excluding postal charges for sending the diploma).

During the test, it is forbidden for candidates to communicate with each other or with the outside world and to exchange material (pens, rulers, etc.). Any attempt to cheat will be penalised and the candidate will not be refunded.

  1. Postage for sending diplomas and certificates

Postage for the dispatch of diplomas or certificates is not included in the examination fee.

Candidates wishing to have their certificates sent by registered mail to their address must request so in accordance with the procedure indicated in the e-mail sent to them. Candidates are responsible for the validity of the address indicated in the candidate’s Alliance française personal space to which the registered mail will be sent. If the registered mail is returned to the AFBE, the certificate will be archived. The cost of a new mailing will be charged to the candidate.

 

Special conditions: Companies and Institutions

All requests for training/registration will be invoiced for the full amount of the order. Upon receipt of the invoice, the customer will have 48 working hours to make changes to the initial order. After this period, the registration is considered final. No retraction will therefore be accepted, and the fees will be considered as due.

Any sum remaining unpaid on its due date will be subject to the regulations of article 13 and this by right.

 

Specific conditions for private lessons and tutoring

– Any delay on the part of the learner will not have the effect of modifying the end time of the course involved unless the teacher expressly agrees. This rule applies regardless of the reason for the student’s lateness.

– The customer may request the cancellation or postponement of a lesson or tutoring session by sending a written request directly to the teacher at least 24 working hours before the start of the lesson/session, failing which it will be counted and invoiced.

– This deadline is extended to 48 working hours if the course/seminar for which cancellation is requested is scheduled on a Monday or the day after a day on which the Alliance française Brussels-Europe is closed.

– The Alliance française Brussels-Europe has the right to cancel and postpone a course when the course cannot be held in optimal conditions.

– It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that the duration of the course indicated on the quote is respected. Failure to do so will result in the loss of the hours ordered.

 

Miscellaneous

  1. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

In order to guarantee the protection of the personal data of its customers, prospects and employees, AFBE undertakes to comply with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (RGPD), which came into force on 25 May 2018, and to ensure that it is complied with by subcontractors carrying out data processing operations on its behalf.

  1. Interpretation in accordance with the French version of these general conditions

If any ambiguity or contradiction should arise between the different translations of these general terms and conditions, the terminology used in the French version shall prevail.

  1. Image rights

Unless otherwise agreed in writing to AFBE by the customer before the beginning of the training, testimonies, films, recordings or photos concerning, mentioning or presenting the customer in the context of the training/certification, may be used for promotional purposes, regardless of the form and medium of such actions.

  1. Intellectual property and copyright

The paper or digital materials given during the training/examination or accessible online as part of the training are the property of AFBE. They may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express agreement of the AFBE. All texts, comments, works, illustrations and images reproduced on these materials are protected by copyright and worldwide. Any other use than the one provided for the purposes of the training is subject to prior authorisation from the AFBE under penalty of legal proceedings. The Customer also undertakes not to compete directly or indirectly with AFBE by transferring or communicating these documents. AFBE is authorised to use the company name, trade name or trademarks of the Customer on any communication medium without prior authorisation of the Customer.

  1. Insurance

Insurance is the responsibility of the customer (civil liability, etc.). The objects, effects, furniture, vehicles and values of the customer are not guaranteed against theft, loss or damage within the AFBE, whatever the cause. The parties therefore agree that AFBE can never be held liable in this respect.

The customer is not insured for the various cultural outings or other activities organised by AFBE.

  1. Dispute

The present general conditions are subject to Belgian law. In case of dispute, only the French-speaking courts of the judicial district of Brussels will be competent.