Rules & regulations
Only medals from wine competitions on the DGCCRF’s list can be shown on wine labels. The Concours International des Produits Biologiques et en conversion is on this list.
ARTICLE 1: PURPOSE
The Concours International des Produits Biologiques et en conversion, hereafter called the "Competition", is organised by Armonia, hereafter called the "Organisation", located at 331 Chemin de la croix de fer - 69400 LIMAS - FRANCE. The Competition is open to all products that comply with applicable French and European regulations, that have obtained a certificate of compliance with organic production methods delivered by a State-approved certifying organisation or are currently in a process of conversion. It is also open to all products in the world that have obtained a certificate of compliance with organic production methods delivered by a certifying organisation in the country of production or are currently in a process of conversion. Each Wine must be in conformity with regulations in force in its country of origin. The goal of the Competition is to showcase organic wines or wines in conversion that are of superior quality, hereinafter referred to as the “Wines” or the “Products”.
ARTICLE 2: WINES AUTHORISED TO COMPETE
The following Wines, from anywhere in the world, whether or not they have a geographical indication, may take part in the Competition: still wines, liqueur wines, sparkling and semi-sparkling wines. All vintages may be entered in the Competition, as long as they are certified organic, or are undergoing conversion, for the vintage presented. Biodynamic Wines are of course authorised. The Participant pledges on his or her honour that the Wines presented are certified organic or are undergoing conversion.
In France the following Wines are authorised: AOP, IGP, VDF, sparkling wines, semi-sparkling wines, liqueur wines, etc. With regard to wines having a protected designation of origin or protected geographical indication, only those wines that have been the object of a declaration of claim (provided for in articles D. 644-5 and D. 646-6 of the Rural Code and the Code of Maritime Fishing) may participate in the Competition. With regard to wines that do not have a protected geographical indication but are presented with an indication of vintage or grape variety, only those wines whose vintage or grape variety has been certified in conformity with the provisions of article R. 665-24 of the Rural Code and the Code of Maritime Fishing may participate in the Competition.
ARTICLE 3: PROFESSIONALS AUTHORISED TO PRESENT WINES
The wine industry professionals, hereafter called the “Participant(s)”, are authorised to participate: winemakers, wine cooperatives, associated wine cooperatives, groups of producers, producers, wine merchants and importers, without this list being exhaustive.
ARTICLE 4: PRESENTATION OF SAMPLES
Samples may be presented by the owner of the lot or any person duly authorised by the owner.
The Wine sample presented at the Competition must come from a “homogenous lot”. The lot is made up of a wine produced for human consumption and stored in individual containers or in bulk. A homogenous lot is defined as a number of sales units of packaged wine or containers of bulk wine that was produced and packaged wine must be packaged under practically identical conditions. The wine in all the sales units or containers must also have similar organoleptic and analytical characteristics.
The homogenous lot from which the wine sample presented at the Competition is taken must have had at least 1000 litres of it produced. In the case of particularly low production, however, the lot may be between 100 and 1000 litres.
Any Product with a name considered sexist, racist, discriminatory, or degrading, the Competition, or the industry concerned will be immediately excluded from the competition, without the possibility of reimbursement of registration fees or compensation from the Organisation. Furthermore, if a distinction has been awarded under another name and the name has been changed after the medal has been awarded, the medal may no longer be used.
The Competition reserves the right to refuse participation or disqualify a sample and/or a Participant in the event of non-compliance with the rules, attempted cheating, and more generally for any behaviour deemed inappropriate and/or wrongful by the Participant.
The fact that a Product meets the eligibility criteria mentioned in Article 2 does not guarantee that it will automatically be entered into the Competition.
The Organisation reserves the right to review each entry and to refuse an entry or exclude a Participant on the basis of objective criteria, relating in particular to the Product's compliance with the rules, spirit, and values of the Competition.
The Participant has a right of appeal against the Organisation's decision under the conditions set out in Article 27.
ARTICLE 5: SENDING AND SAFETY OF SAMPLES
Samples should arrive at the Competition ‘franco domicile’, i.e., with shipping, customs duties and taxes paid by the sender, at the address on the Website https://www.concoursbio.com, hereafter known as the “Website”, as well as on the shipping documents. Bottles shall be sent at the Participant’s expense and at his or her own risk. Where applicable, the Organisation will re-invoice Participants for any taxes or customs duties they may owe. Upon reception, samples become the property of the Competition. If a sample is sent but has not had its shipping paid for, it will be refused. Samples received that do not correspond to registration information or were not previously registered will not be presented for tasting and will remain the property of the Competition. The Organisation shall not be held responsible in case of theft, loss, delay, or damage to samples during shipping.
The Competition will take all necessary measures to ensure that samples are preserved (temperature, hygiene, safety).
Participants are deemed to accept these general conditions of preservation, which apply equally to all Participants.
If a Participant nevertheless believes that specific measures are essential to preserve their Product, they must inform the Organisation within 24 hours after confirmation of their registration at the latest.
Any special request will be examined on a case-by-case basis by the Organisation and, if accepted, implemented exclusively at the Participant's expense, under the supervision of the Organisation.
However, the Organisation reserves the right to refuse any request deemed manifestly excessive, inapplicable, or contrary to the smooth running of the Competition. In this case, the Participant shall have the right to withdraw their application from the Competition, without however being entitled to a refund of their registration fees.
Each sample submitted to the Competition should be representative of the lot to which it belongs. If a wine is stored in bulk in various containers, samples should be taken from each and blended to form the final sample submitted to the Competition, with the volumes taken from each container reflecting the percentage of the total stored in that container. Samples may be taken by a representative of the Competition, a third-party company or any duly authorised person. The person taking the sample may be the wine producer or presenter, as long as he or she pledges on his or her honour that the samples are representative of the lot being presented. For each wine registered, 3 samples of 0.5l or 0.75l shall be submitted. Sales labels in conformity with the regulations of the country of production or sale shall be put on the sample bottles before they are submitted. In any case, the identifying label should provide the same information and details as those appearing on the wine registration form.
All appropriate HACCP measures aimed at maintaining food hygiene and ensuring the safety of Products sent to the Competition, including storage at the correct temperature prior to the Competition receiving the samples, are the responsibility of the Participant.
Any attempt to cheat, commit fraud, enter incorrect data, register under a false identity, or compromise the integrity of the Product presentation, with the aim of harming the Competition, the profession, or the production sector, or for any other reason, may result in penalties imposed by the Organisation under the conditions set out in Article 22.
ARTICLE 6: REGISTRATION RULES
Every Participant must provide all information required to open an account. Any incomplete registration, due to the absence of required information, will be automatically rejected without the possibility of appeal. The Participant must also fill in a registration sheet for each Product presented, known as a form.
This may be done by post or online.
Registration by post: The completed registration form and Wine form should be sent to the following address: Concours International des Produits Biologiques et en conversion, 331 Chemin de la croix de fer - 69400 LIMAS - FRANCE, hereafter known as the "Competition Address". Forms are available on the site, or upon request.
Online registration:
a) The Participant must create an account on the site. He or she will then have a personal account that can be used to present Products. There is no charge for creating an account.
b) A form must be completed on the Website for each Wine submitted. This form is available on the Website from the Participant’s personal account.
Registration fees must be paid in accordance with provisions laid down in Article 7. Payment methods are also described in detail in Article 7.
The information provided on both forms is legally binding for the person who wrote it.
The following documents must be sent to the address given above in order to register for the Competition:
• an analysis report done in the last year should include information to help identify the sample, along with the following analytical information:
- the actual and potential alcoholic strength by volume at 20° as % vol;
- sugars (glucose + fructose) in g/l;
- total acidity in mEq/l;
- volatile acidity in mEq/l;
- total sulphur dioxide content in mg/l;
• an analysis report done in the last year should include information to help identify the sample, along with the following analytical information:
- the actual and potential alcoholic strength by volume at 20° as % vol;
- sugars (glucose + fructose) in g/l;
- total acidity in mEq/l;
- volatile acidity in mEq/l;
- total sulphur dioxide content in mg/l;
- excess pressure from carbon dioxide for sparkling wine in bar;
For France:
•
the declaration of claim for wines with a protected designation of origin or a protected geographical indication,
• the request for certification for wines that do not have a protected geographical indication but are presented with an indication of vintage or grape variety.
Exceptionally, the Competition may accept the harvest declaration for PDOs and PGIs or a bottling declaration mentioning the wine concerned or invoices for the purchase of wine or grapes, if the Participant is unable to provide one of the two documents listed above.
The Participant undertakes to provide accurate, complete and truthful information when registering, thereby assuming full responsibility for its content.
The Organisation cannot be held liable in the event of inaccuracy or concealment of information by the Participant.
The Participant is bound by an obligation of sincerity, good faith and loyalty, especially including the obligation to declare any direct or indirect link with a member of the jury.
Any breach of this obligation may result in the Organisation applying the penalties provided for in Article 22.
The Competition will keep a sample of each award-winning wine produced in France and its analysis report for one year and will make it available to the control services. The Participant is required to do the same under their own responsibility. The information sheet and analysis report shall be kept available for inspection by the authorities for a period of five years from the date of the Competition.
The Competition and/or the Organisation cannot be held responsible for the non-receipt of samples, forms, documents to be provided or payment of a Participant's registration fees within the prescribed time limit.
ARTICLE 7: REGISTRATION FEES
The registration fees are included on the participant form and on the Website. They are given in euros, include all taxes and are the same for all countries.
- For France, payment can be made by cheque to Armonia - Concours International des Produits Biologiques et en conversion, or by bank transfer or credit card.
- For all other countries, in Europe and elsewhere, payment can be made by bank transfer or credit card.
- For France, payment can be made by cheque to Armonia - Concours International des Produits Biologiques et en conversion, or by bank transfer or credit card.
- For all other countries, in Europe and elsewhere, payment can be made by bank transfer or credit card.
In accordance with European legislation, services provided in France
must include French VAT for 1) Participants located in France, and 2)
Participants outside the European Union. Participants from all European
Union countries except France will be billed without tax if they have a
VAT number.
The choice of payment method for the registration fees is made online on the Participant’s account, after completing the sample registration process. Credit card payments are made on a secure online payment system (Visa, Mastercard).
Payment should be made to Armonia - Concours International des Produits Biologiques et en conversion.
If registration fees for a product have not been paid, the product will not be allowed to take part in the Competition.
The Competition is not responsible for paying bank fees. Credit cards are charged, and cheques are sent to the bank on the day the registration is done.
Participants shall receive an invoice by email. If the Participant does not have an email account, the invoice will be sent by post, as requested.
Registration fees are definitively acquired by the Organisation upon validation of registration and are non-refundable. In particular, and without limitation, no refund will be made if samples or files arrive after the deadline set by the Competition, if the Product submitted is disqualified, or if the Participant does not receive a prize.
This rule also applies in the event of cancellation of registration for reasons not attributable to the Organisation, including in cases of force majeure as defined in Article 10 of the rules.
ARTICLE 8: CALENDAR
Opening and closing dates for registration, as well as the deadline for receiving samples and other key dates are available, can be obtained from the Competition Address by simple request. This information is also available on the Website.
The Organisation reserves the right to make changes to the location and/or schedule of the Competition, as indicated on the Website or in official documents.
These changes may only be made if unforeseen circumstances or logistical requirements dictate as such so that the Competition may run smoothly.
In the event of any changes, the Organisation undertakes to inform Participants by any means and as soon as possible. Tastings, where applicable, may be postponed or rescheduled to other dates, depending on the needs of the organisation.
ARTICLE 9: ORGANISATION OF THE COMPETITION
Wines are classified by cru, appellation, department, zone, production region, or country for foreign wines, and by category. A category groups together Wines that share common characteristics and are therefore comparable. These characteristics may relate to colour, vintage, type of vinification, grape variety or varieties, and type of aging (wood or other).
To ensure the tasting runs smoothly, the samples are categorised by juries. Within a jury, the samples are grouped into one or more sub-juries.
The Competition appoints the members of each jury and ensures the smooth running of the tastings by preparing the samples and organising and conducting the tasting. It ensures the control, evaluation, and publication of the results using an appropriate judging form given to the members of each jury.
If there are fewer than three competitors in a category at the time of registration, the Organisation reserves the right to remove the category or group it with another to ensure the Competition runs smoothly.
If a Product has an organoleptic defect during tasting, the judges will not be provided with a second sample.
ARTICLE 10: FORCE MAJEURE
In the event of force majeure, i.e., any unforeseeable, external, and unavoidable event, such as, without limitation, exceptional events such as natural disasters, pandemics, strikes, armed conflicts, acts of terrorism, economic blockades, service interruptions, or any other circumstance beyond the Organisation's control that prevents the Competition from taking place, the Organisation reserves the right to modify or cancel, in whole or in part, the Competition, its dates, location, or terms and conditions.
In such a case, the Organisation shall not be held liable for the consequences for the Participants, and the registration fees and samples already sent shall remain the property of the Competition.
The Organisation may, if necessary, ask Participants to return their samples at the Participant's expense in the event of a modification or resumption of the selection process.
ARTICLE 11: ANONYMITY OF SAMPLES
Bottles are numbered, uncapped and uncorked, then recorked anonymously and covered with opaque wine socks. The Organisation will take all the necessary measures to ensure that submitted samples for tasting remain entirely anonymous. He or she may proceed to transfer the wine to another container, change or mask the packaging, or perform any other operation required to ensure the anonymity of samples.
ARTICLE 12: JUDGING MODALITIES
Products are entered in the Competition in the hope of obtaining an award. Products are judged on the basis of their organoleptic qualities, which are evaluated by the jury using a marking scale provided by the Competition. The Organisation alone determines how samples shall be tasted, and shall not be held responsible if a sample does not receive an award. Marks are confidential.
ARTICLE 13: COMPOSITION OF JURIES
Juries are composed of judges who are designated and called directly by the Organisation from a list of judges who have voluntarily registered on the Competition’s Website.
For each Wine category the jury will be composed of at least 3 people. At least two-thirds of the total number of judges shall be competent tasters.
‘Competent taster’ is defined as a professional in the wine-making sector (oenologists, cellar owners, wine merchants, producers, cellar managers) or distribution (brokers, wholesalers, sommeliers, restaurant owners, importers, retailers) or consumers who are members of wine clubs or have taken courses in wine-tasting.
If one or more members of the jury are absent on the day of the tasting, the Organisation may designate substitute judges.
Judges’ names are confidential. Their personal data is not communicated to any third parties.
The Organisation cannot be held liable for the selection of its judges, who are professionals or knowledgeable consumers whose skills have been independently assessed and verified by the Organisation.
The judges are then themselves independent in awarding their scores, which are assigned in accordance with the scoring grid provided and the applicable scoring guidelines.
The Organisation is in no way liable to a Participant in the event that a prize is not awarded.
However, the Participant has a right of appeal in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in Article 27 of these rules.
If a judge has given a score which is obviously an anomaly, whether intentional or not, the Organisation is entitled to reject his/her scores. In this exceptional case, the jury's scoring will be validated even if it has fewer than three judges.
The Participant may not claim damages from the Organisation in the event of a proven scoring anomaly that has been rectified by the Organisation under the conditions set out in the previous paragraph.
In these rules and on the Website, the terms “taster”, "judge" and “jury member” refer indiscriminately to members of the juries.
ARTICLE 14: OBLIGATIONS OF JUDGES
Registering as a judge in the Competition constitutes a commitment and express acceptance of the following:
- Being a juror is done on a voluntary basis
and jurors do not receive any compensation or remuneration.
- Access to the Competition is only authorised to the recipient of the invitation sent by email, text message, or given as a paper document. As the selected judge has been appointed intuitu personae, the invitation is nominative and cannot be transferred without the agreement of the General Commissioner.
- By registering and upon arrival at the event site, the judge agrees to read and comply with the safety instructions.
- No accompanying persons, adults or minors, will be allowed in the Competition room. The Organisation reserves the right to refuse access to any judge who does not comply with this rule.
- Judges are strongly advised not to ingest the alcoholic beverages they taste. In accordance with customary practice, spittoons are provided for this purpose, as well as water to rinse the mouth between tastings.
Any failure to comply with this recommendation will result in the judge being held personally liable in the event of an incident or damage caused to themselves or to third parties, without the Competition and/or the Organisation being held liable.
In addition, judges are advised to plan their travel arrangements in advance to avoid driving under the influence of alcohol. To this end, the Organisation may provide breathalysers to judges who wish to use them.
- A judge may not judge his or her own products.
The Organisation collects a sworn statement from jury members mentioning their direct or indirect links with companies, establishments, professional organisations, or associations whose activities, products, or interests may relate to the Products presented in the Competition. Failure to comply with this provision will be considered fraud. The Organisation may reject any judge in order to prevent a competitor who is a member of the jury from judging their own Products.
Any breach of this obligation will be considered fraud and may result in penalties, including the immediate exclusion of the judge and the invalidation of his or her scores. The Organisation reserves the right to reject a judge at any time in order to guarantee the impartiality of the Competition.
- The Competition reserves the right to refuse the participation of a judge, in particular in the event of repeated absences or late cancellations, inappropriate behaviour, failure to comply with these rules, or for any other reason without having to justify its decision.
- The Competition recommends that judges take out cancellation insurance for any travel reservations (hotel, transport, etc.). In the event of outright cancellation of an edition of the Competition for a reason not attributable to the Organisation or due to a case of force majeure within the meaning of Article 10 of the rules, the Competition cannot be held liable in any way whatsoever to the judge for the costs incurred in traveling to the Competition. These costs will not be reimbursed.
- Participating in the tasting may require the use of sharp objects, in particular knives. Judges are strongly advised to use these objects with caution. Under no circumstances can the Competition be held liable for any injury resulting from the use of these objects.
- Participation is not recommended in the event of allergies, intolerances, food hypersensitivity or immunodeficiency. The Competition cannot guarantee the absence of allergens and cannot compose the juries taking into account food allergies, intolerances, or hypersensitivities. Some products may be tasted before they are commercially available. Consequently, their stability cannot be guaranteed (fermentation not complete, germs present, unfiltered product, traces of allergens, microbiological risks, etc.). In the event of an allergic reaction, indigestion, poisoning, or infection following the tasting of a product, the Competition cannot be held liable in any way whatsoever towards the judge.
- It is forbidden to take samples away, even if they have been opened.
- As part of the Competition, the judge expressly authorises the Organisation to photograph or film them free of charge. These images may be used exclusively for promotion and communication related to the Competition, on any type of media, including advertising, in France and abroad, and without any time limit.
ARTICLE 15: PRESIDENCY OF JURIES
The commissioner general presides over juries. The jury president, with the help of one or more assessors, makes sure the tasting is carried out properly, and in particular that all samples remain anonymous. He or she shall make sure the marking sheet is used when samples are judged. The president of the juries, in this case the commissioner general, supervises the collection of marking sheets. Juries are placed under his or her responsibility.
ARTICLE 16: AWARDING MEDALS
The Competition grants the following awards:
- Gold Medal
- Silver Medal
The score for a sample is determined by calculating the mathematical average of the scores awarded by the judges who evaluated it. Scores are rounded to the nearest whole number, with 5 being rounded up to the next whole number.
Awarding by sub-juries: A sample may be awarded a medal if and only if it cumulatively meets all of the following conditions:
1. Its score is greater than or equal to the minimum score required to qualify for a Gold (85/100) or Silver (75/100) medal;
2. The sample must be in the top third of the highest scores awarded by its sub-jury.
Awarding by juries: Once the medals have been awarded in each sub-jury, and if the number of medals does not reach one-third of the number of samples in the jury, samples may be awarded medals if and only if they meet condition “1” above and if their score is the highest among the non-medallists in the jury. This award is only permitted if the final percentage of samples awarded medals in the Competition does not reach 33%.
In the event of a tie for the award of a medal, the sample with the lowest standard deviation among all the scores awarded by the jury will be selected to receive the medal.
The standard deviation is an indicator that measures the consistency of the scores awarded by the judges. It allows us to assess whether the scores are consistent or scattered. The lower the standard deviation, the more unanimous the judges are in their evaluation of the product.
The number of awards must not surpass one-third of the number of submitted samples to the Competition. The number of distinctions given for a category must not surpass one-third of the number of submitted samples.
The Organisation is the sole judge of how medals are awarded and cannot be held responsible if a sample is not given an award.
The distinction is awarded to the batch entered by the Participant. As a result, the brand name may be changed, provided that it is the same batch that was initially entered. If a brand name was not declared at the time of entry, only the owner of the batch may request that it be added to the Competition. The new brand name may only be used after confirmation by email from the Competition.
A second jury may grant an honorary distinction to a wine selected from amongst the best in the Competition. In the event of a tie, the sample with the lowest standard deviation will receive the distinction. This distinction may not appear on the label of the award-winning wines.
ARTICLE 17: PUBLICATION OF RESULTS
Participants will be notified of the results by email at a later date if their Products are selected. This email will be the official document of the Competition, specifying the name of the Competition, the nature of the award, the identity of the Product, the category in which it competed, the volume declared, and the name and address of the holder.
Information relating to the Product and provided by the Participant during registration (category, certification, etc.) may be published (in print or digital online) and communicated to the public. In the event of an error in the publication, no financial compensation will be granted to the Participant.
Participants with at least one medal-winning sample, hereinafter referred to as the “Winners,” authorise the Competition to publish their results, names, contact details, and information about their medal-winning sample(s).
ARTICLE 18: USING AWARDS
Medals representing the awards may be put on the bottle or its packaging and will only be available for award-winning Wines. The number of medals will be provided based on the volume declared at the time of registration, to which a maximum tolerance of 5% may be added to compensate for any losses or damage that may occur during labelling.
The adhesive material used to manufacture the medals may contain metal compounds as well as non-food compounds. When placing an order, the Participant must inform the Competition of any manufacturing constraints relating to its packaging lines.
In the event of a problem when using adhesive medals delivered by the Competition or the service provider, the latter cannot be held liable for any loss of productivity or commercial damage, given the many parameters involved in packaging and putting the medals on products.
However, the Competition or the service provider will take all necessary steps to replace any rolls of medals with manufacturing defects.
ARTICLE 19: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Any reproduction or representation, in whole or in part, of the medal, logo, name Concours International des Produits Biologiques et en conversion, or any other element present on the Website or on any other medium distributed by the Competition is strictly prohibited without the prior authorisation of the Organisation.
To this end, Winners must submit a final proof at least 48 hours before production to the Competition's email address. Any use must strictly comply with the graphic charter provided by the Organisation, without modification or addition, unless expressly authorised in writing by the latter.
The Winner may purchase advertising materials offered by the Competition. The Winner may create their own advertising materials, provided they have obtained the written consent of the Competition and the approval of the final proof prior to any production.
The use of the medal and logo is strictly regulated. It is authorised exclusively:
- By affixing self-adhesive medals purchased from the Organisation.
- By printing the medals on the packaging of the award-winning Product (label, collar, bottle, primary packaging, secondary packaging, cardboard box), after first acquiring the corresponding printing rights from the Organisation.
The reproduction rights and self-adhesive medals acquired are not transferable to other products. Failure to pay the printing rights excludes any right to use the brand or logo.
Any printing of the medal on packaging must be carried out exclusively by printers approved by the Organisation. Any printing or use outside the conditions defined by these regulations, the graphic charter, or any other applicable document will be considered fraud.
Finally, any unauthorised use of the medal, logo, or “Concours International des Produits Biologiques et en conversion” trademark constitutes an act of counterfeiting for which the perpetrator will be held liable. The Organisation reserves the right to take any necessary measures, including legal action, to stop any violation of this article.
The producer(s) of the award-winning Product(s) also undertake to inform the Organisation of any fraudulent use of the Medal by a third party of which they become aware.
Participants undertake to inform the Organisation of any infringement proceedings brought against them or any infringements against them in relation to their award-winning samples.
In any event, any breach of any of the provisions of this article by the Winner or a Participant shall result in the penalties provided for in Article 22 of these rules, as imposed by the Organisation.
ARTICLE 20: AUDITS
The Organisation shall establish an internal auditing system under its responsibility to ensure strict compliance with these regulations.
As such, it shall ensure, without this list being exhaustive, the conformity of the documents provided at the time of registration, the anonymity of the Products during the tasting, the selection of judges in accordance with the criteria defined in Article 13, and the awarding of distinctions in accordance with the provisions of Article 16.
Depending on the findings of the audit, the Organisation reserves the right to cancel any entry that is incomplete or contains incorrect information, to eliminate any sample that does not comply with the rules, the submitted analysis report and/or the entry details, and/or to temporarily or permanently exclude a Participant from the Competition, and more generally to implement the penalties provided for in Article 22 of these Rules.
In addition, the Organisation reserves the right to have analytical checks carried out on the submitted samples by an independent analysis laboratory of its choice. It may take random samples at the points of sale of the Products and verify that the samples tasted correspond to those marketed or offered for sale at the property.
To this end, all Winners/Participants undertake to provide the Organisation with any information required to exercise its right to audit without delay.
If a sample is eliminated for breaching the rules, the Participant must collect it at their own expense from the Organisation's headquarters within one week of notification of non-compliance. After this period, the Organisation may destroy the samples, without the Participant being entitled to any compensation.
ARTICLE 21: OBLIGATION OF PARTICIPANTS AND AVAILABILITY OF THE REGULATIONS
Participants in the Competition must fully and completely accept these Rules and Regulations, legal information and the policy for managing personal data that can be obtained from the Competition Address by simple request.
ARTICLE 22: PENALTIES
Any breach by a Participant or Winner of the provisions of these Rules, and in particular any reproduction and/or use of the Medal or any other distinctive sign belonging to the Competition in violation of the conditions set out in these Rules or in any other document to which they refer, will result the following penalties being applied, as defined below.
These penalties may be imposed by the Organisation, regardless of the reason for the infringement (whether intentional or not, and regardless of its severity), as soon as it occurs and without prior notice.
If there is any breach, the Organisation may impose, cumulatively or separately, the following penalties:
- Immediate payment of fees: full payment of the fees due for the use of the Medal on the entire lot concerned.
- A fine: a fixed penalty of €5,000 paid as a penalty clause. The Organisation reserves the right to request a reassessment of this penalty by the judge if it proves to be manifestly underestimated. The offender will also bear all costs incurred by the Organisation in this regard (attorney's fees, bailiff's fees, etc.).
- Immediate suspension of use of the Medal: prohibition to use the Medal until proof of total destruction of stocks of self-adhesive Medals and/or any other infringing material not yet affixed to the Product(s) concerned.
- Withdrawing the infringing Products: obligation to immediately withdraw, at the sole expense of the offender, all products bearing the infringing Medal, regardless of the point of sale or distribution channel.
- Temporary ban from participating in the Competition: exclusion of the Participant from the Competition for a period of between 1 and 10 years.
- Prohibition on referring to past awards: where applicable, prohibition on mentioning the award of a Medal in previous editions of the Competition.
- Penalty for non-compliance: in the event of a breach of the provisions of these rules, a penalty of €200 per day of delay will be applied from the date of notification by the Organisation demanding the cessation of the breach.
Any penalty imposed pursuant to this article shall in no case give rise to compensation for the Participant or Winner concerned, regardless of the reasons leading to the infringement, and even if it is subsequently cancelled.
The application of the penalty clause and the sanctions set out above does not deprive the Organisation of the right to take legal action to obtain compensation for direct or indirect damage suffered, in particular in the event of infringement of its rights to the Logo and the Competition Brand as a result of acts of counterfeiting committed by the Participant or Winner.
ARTICLE 23: INFORMATION AND REPORTING TO DREETS
The Competition Organisation shall communicate the date and place of the Competition, along with these Rules and Regulations, to the Direction régionale de l’économie, de l’emploi, du travail et des solidarités (Regional department for the economy, employment, labour and solidarity), or DREETS, of the place where the Competition is held, two months before the competition takes place. A report signed by the commissioner general attesting that the Competition took place in accordance with the provisions of these Rules and Regulations shall be sent to the Direction régionale de l’économie, de l’emploi, du travail et des solidarités (Regional department for the economy, employment, labour and solidarity), or DREETS. This report shall indicate: the number of wines presented to the Competition overall and by category, number of wines given an award overall and by category, list of award-winning wines and, for each, the name of the wine and its owner, percentage of award-winning wines with respect to the number of wines presented, number of distinctions awarded and their distribution by type of distinction.
ARTICLE 24: GDPR
The personal data management charter is available in the legal notices section of the Website.
ARTICLE 25: AMENDMENTS TO THE REGULATIONS
The Organisation reserves the right to amend these Regulations if unforeseen circumstances, including force majeure as defined in Article 10, or regulatory changes require compliance with applicable legislation.
Participants will be informed of any amendments by any appropriate means, including publication on the Competition Website.
The Organisation shall not be held liable for the consequences of such amendments, provided that they are made in accordance with the conditions set out in this article.
ARTICLE 26: LIABILITY
The liability of the Organisation, as well as that of its employees, agents, and operators, regardless of the legal basis, is governed by the following provisions:
a) The Organisation shall be liable without limitation only in the event of intentional misconduct and particularly serious misconduct, and in particular in the event of a breach of essential contractual obligations, i.e., obligations whose performance is essential to the proper conduct of the Competition.
b) In all other cases, the Organisation's liability is strictly limited to direct and foreseeable damages at the time of acceptance of these rules, in particular in the event of breaches resulting from minor negligence. Under no circumstances shall the Organisation be held liable for indirect, immaterial, or consequential damages, such as loss of opportunity, revenue, profits, image, or any other economic consequence suffered by the Participant.
c) The Organisation shall not be held liable for the non-performance or poor performance of its obligations when this results from a case of force majeure, as defined in Article 10, or any other circumstance beyond its control.
d) The Organisation shall not be held liable for any faults, omissions, or breaches attributable to third parties, in particular service providers, subcontractors, or partners involved in the organisation of the Competition.
e) The above limitations of liability shall not apply in the event of a claim for damages resulting from injury to life, physical integrity, or health.
The limitations and exclusions of liability provided for in this article also apply to:
- the Organisation's affiliates or partners,
- the members of its management bodies,
- its employees, agents, representatives, and auxiliary personnel,
- as well as service providers acting on its behalf in connection with the Competition.
ARTICLE 27: APPLICABLE LAW – LEGAL DISPUTES
Any Participant wishing to competition a decision of the jury, a change of category initiated by the Organisation or, more generally, any decision taken by the Organisation in connection with the Competition, must submit a detailed written request.
This request must be sent by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt to the Organisation at the Competition Address within four (4) business days of the announcement of the results or notification of the decision contested by the Organisation, under penalty of forfeiture of the claim.
The Organisation undertakes to examine any request made in good faith. If no response is received within one (1) month of receipt of the complaint, the Participant's appeal will be considered rejected.
In the event of any dispute relating to these Regulations, and in particular if a Participant's appeal initiated under the above conditions has been – explicitly or implicitly – rejected, the parties undertake to attempt amicable conciliation, which is a mandatory prerequisite for any legal action.
To this end, the Participant and the Organisation undertake to exchange written correspondence and, if necessary, to organise a meeting (in person or remotely) within fifteen (15) days of receipt of the request for conciliation by the other party. If no amicable agreement is reached within one (1) month of the initiation of the conciliation procedure, each party shall regain its freedom of action and may then refer the matter to the competent court.
If no amicable agreement can be reached, any dispute relating to the Competition shall be submitted to the competent courts of Lyon.
These rules are subject to French law. They are written in French, which is the only language that shall be considered authentic in the event of a dispute over their interpretation.
ARTICLE 1: PURPOSE
The Concours International des Produits Biologiques et en conversion, hereafter called the "Competition", is organised by Armonia, hereafter called the "Organisation", located at 331 Chemin de la croix de fer - 69400 LIMAS - FRANCE. The Competition is open to all products that comply with applicable French and European regulations, that have obtained a certificate of compliance with organic production methods delivered by a State-approved certifying organisation or are currently in a process of conversion. It is also open to all products in the world that have obtained a certificate of compliance with organic production methods delivered by a certifying organisation in the country of production or are currently in a process of conversion. Each product must be in conformity with regulations in force in its country of origin.The goal of the Competition is to showcase organic products or products in conversion that are of superior quality. The term “Product” indifferently designates beer or spirits.
ARTICLE 2: PRODUCTS AUTHORISED TO COMPETE
The Products may take part in the Competition, as long as they are certified organic, or are undergoing conversion. Biodynamic products are of course authorised. The participant pledges on his or her honour that the Products presented are certified organic or are undergoing conversion.
BEER COMPETITION: all drinks in the world sold as “beer” are authorised to compete.
SPIRITS COMPETITION: all spirits, brandies and liqueurs from across the world are authorised to compete.
ARTICLE 3: PROFESSIONALS AUTHORISED TO PRESENT PRODUCTS
The following professionals are eligible to
participate, and this list is not necessarily exhaustive, and they are hereinafter
referred to as the ‘Participant(s)’:
BEER COMPETITION: all professionals in the
brewing sector: commercial agencies, brewers, manufacturers, importers.
SPIRITS COMPETITION: all professionals in
the spirits sector: producers, producer groups, distillers, manufacturers,
importers, commercial agencies.
ARTICLE 4: PRESENTATION OF SAMPLES
Samples may be presented by the owner of the lot or any person duly authorised by the owner.
Each sample submitted must fulfil the following conditions:
- come from a uniform batch
- be identifiable
- have a sales label. Sales labels should conform to EU regulations for countries that are members of the European Union, to regulations in force in the country where made, and to importing regulations for third countries.
- comply with current health legislation.
Regardless of the Product being submitted,
Participants guarantee that their Product is safe to consume. If ever a Product
is found to be in breach of current regulations and/or health and safety rules,
the Participant who submitted the Product shall be solely liable for any
consequences that may arise, in addition to any penalties that the Organisation
reserves the right to impose (see Article 22).
Any Product with a name considered sexist, racist, discriminatory, or degrading, the Competition, or the industry concerned will be immediately excluded from the competition, without the possibility of reimbursement of registration fees or compensation from the Organisation. Furthermore, if a distinction has been awarded under another name and the name has been changed after the medal has been awarded, the medal may no longer be used.
The Competition reserves the right to refuse participation or disqualify a sample and/or a Participant in the event of non-compliance with the rules, attempted cheating, and more generally for any behaviour deemed inappropriate and/or wrongful by the Participant.
The fact that a Product meets the eligibility criteria mentioned in Article 2 does not guarantee that it will automatically be entered into the Competition.
The Organisation reserves the right to review each entry and to refuse an entry or exclude a Participant on the basis of objective criteria, relating in particular to the Product's compliance with the rules, spirit, and values of the Competition.
The Participant has a right of appeal against the Organisation's decision under the conditions set out in Article 26.
ARTICLE 5: SENDING AND SAFETY OF SAMPLES
Samples should arrive at the Competition ‘franco domicile’, i.e., with shipping, customs duties and taxes paid by the sender, at the address on the Website https://www.concoursbio.com, hereafter known as the “Website”, as well as on the shipping documents. Bottles shall be sent at the Participant’s expense and at his or her own risk. Where applicable, the Organisation will re-invoice Participants for any taxes or customs duties they may owe. Upon reception, samples become the property of the Competition. If a sample is sent but has not had its shipping paid for, it will be refused. Samples received that do not correspond to registration information or were not previously registered will not be presented for tasting and will remain the property of the Competition. The Organisation shall not be held responsible in case of theft, loss, delay, or damage to samples during shipping.
The Competition will take all necessary measures to ensure that samples are preserved (temperature, hygiene, safety).
Participants are deemed to accept these general conditions of preservation, which apply equally to all Participants.
If a Participant nevertheless believes that specific measures are essential to preserve their Product, they must inform the Organisation within 24 hours after confirmation of their registration at the latest.
Any special request will be examined on a case-by-case basis by the Organisation and, if accepted, implemented exclusively at the Participant's expense, under the supervision of the Organisation.
However, the Organisation reserves the right to refuse any request deemed manifestly excessive, inapplicable, or contrary to the smooth running of the Competition. In this case, the Participant shall have the right to withdraw their application from the Competition, without however being entitled to a refund of their registration fees.
The number of samples requested depends on the product category. It is indicated on the Website.
All appropriate HACCP measures aimed at maintaining food hygiene and ensuring the safety of Products sent to the Competition, including storage at the correct temperature prior to the Competition receiving the samples, are the responsibility of the Participant.
Any attempt to cheat, commit fraud, enter incorrect data, register under a false identity, or compromise the integrity of the Product presentation, with the aim of harming the Competition, the profession, or the production sector, or for any other reason, may result in penalties imposed by the Organisation under the conditions set out in Article 22.
ARTICLE 6: REGISTRATION RULES
Every Participant must provide all information required to open an account. Any incomplete registration, due to the absence of required information, will be automatically rejected without the possibility of appeal. The Participant must also fill in a registration sheet for each Product presented, known as a form.
This may be done by post or online.
Registration by post: The completed
registration form and Product form (beer or spirits) should be sent to the following address:
Concours International des Produits Biologiques et en conversion, 331 Chemin de la croix de fer - 69400 LIMAS - FRANCE, hereafter known as the "Competition Address". Forms are available on the site, or upon request.
Online registration:
a) The Participant must create an account on the site. He or she will then have a personal account that can be used to present Products. There is no charge for creating an account.
b) A form must be completed on the Website for each product submitted. This form is available on the Website from the Participant’s personal account.
Registration fees must be paid in accordance with provisions laid down in Article 7. Payment methods are also described in detail in Article 7.
The information provided on both forms is legally binding for the person who wrote it.
The Participant undertakes to provide accurate, complete and truthful information when registering, thereby assuming full responsibility for its content.
The Organisation cannot be held liable in the event of inaccuracy or concealment of information by the Participant.
The Participant is bound by an obligation of sincerity, good faith and loyalty, especially including the obligation to declare any direct or indirect link with a member of the jury.
Any breach of this obligation may result in the Organisation applying the penalties provided for in Article 22.
The Competition and/or the Organisation cannot be held responsible for the non-receipt of samples, forms, documents to be provided or payment of a Participant's registration fees within the prescribed time limit.
ARTICLE 7: REGISTRATION FEES
The registration fees are included on the participant form and on the Website. They are given in euros, include all taxes and are the same for all countries.
- For France, payment can be made by cheque to Armonia - Concours International des Produits Biologiques et en conversion, or by bank transfer or credit card.
- For all other countries, in Europe and elsewhere, payment can be made by bank transfer or credit card.
- For France, payment can be made by cheque to Armonia - Concours International des Produits Biologiques et en conversion, or by bank transfer or credit card.
- For all other countries, in Europe and elsewhere, payment can be made by bank transfer or credit card.
In accordance with European legislation, services provided in France
must include French VAT for 1) Participants located in France, and 2)
Participants outside the European Union. Participants from all European
Union countries except France will be billed without tax if they have a
VAT number.
The choice of payment method for the registration fees is made online on the Participant’s account, after completing the sample registration process. Credit card payments are made on a secure online payment system (Visa, Mastercard).
Payment should be made to Armonia - Concours International des Produits Biologiques et en conversion.
If registration fees for a product have not been paid, the product will not be allowed to take part in the Competition.
The Competition is not responsible for paying bank fees. Credit cards are charged, and cheques are sent to the bank on the day the registration is done.
Participants shall receive an invoice by email. If the Participant does not have an email account, the invoice will be sent by post, as requested.
Registration fees are definitively acquired by the Organisation upon validation of registration and are non-refundable. In particular, and without limitation, no refund will be made if samples or files arrive after the deadline set by the Competition, if the Product submitted is disqualified, or if the Participant does not receive a prize.
This rule also applies in the event of cancellation of registration for reasons not attributable to the Organisation, including in cases of force majeure as defined in Article 10 of the rules.
ARTICLE 8: CALENDAR
Opening and closing dates for registration, as well as the deadline for receiving samples and other key dates are available, can be obtained from the Competition Address by simple request. This information is also available on the Website.
The Organisation reserves the right to make changes to the location and/or schedule of the Competition, as indicated on the Website or in official documents.
These changes may only be made if unforeseen circumstances or logistical requirements dictate as such so that the Competition may run smoothly.
In the event of any changes, the Organisation undertakes to inform Participants by any means and as soon as possible. Tastings, where applicable, may be postponed or rescheduled to other dates, depending on the needs of the organisation.
ARTICLE 9: ORGANISATION OF THE COMPETITION
Products are placed in categories. A category includes Products that have the same characteristics and are thus comparable. Categories can be viewed on the Website. It is Participants’ responsibility to
ensure that their Products are entered into the most suitable category and that
they do so in good faith.
To ensure the tasting runs smoothly, the samples are categorised by juries. Within a jury, the samples are grouped into one or more sub-juries.
The Competition appoints the members of each jury and ensures the smooth running of the tastings by preparing the samples and organising and conducting the tasting. It ensures the control, evaluation, and publication of the results using an appropriate judging form given to the members of each jury.
If there are fewer than three competitors in a category at the time of registration, the Organisation reserves the right to remove the category or group it with another to ensure the Competition runs smoothly.
If a Product has an organoleptic defect during tasting, the judges will not be provided with a second sample.
ARTICLE 10: FORCE MAJEURE
In the event of force majeure, i.e., any unforeseeable, external, and unavoidable event, such as, without limitation, exceptional events such as natural disasters, pandemics, strikes, armed conflicts, acts of terrorism, economic blockades, service interruptions, or any other circumstance beyond the Organisation's control that prevents the Competition from taking place, the Organisation reserves the right to modify or cancel, in whole or in part, the Competition, its dates, location, or terms and conditions.
In such a case, the Organisation shall not be held liable for the consequences for the Participants, and the registration fees and samples already sent shall remain the property of the Competition.
The Organisation may, if necessary, ask Participants to return their samples at the Participant's expense in the event of a modification or resumption of the selection process.
ARTICLE 11: ANONYMITY OF SAMPLES
Samples are numbered upon reception, to make them anonymous. The Organisation will take all the necessary measures to ensure that submitted samples for tasting remain entirely anonymous. He or she may decide on any cutting, transfer, change of packaging, masking or other operation required to ensure the anonymity of samples.
ARTICLE 12: JUDGING MODALITIES
Products are entered in the Competition in the hope of obtaining an award. Products are judged on the basis of their organoleptic qualities, which are evaluated by the jury using a marking scale provided by the Competition. The Organisation alone determines how samples shall be tasted, and shall not be held responsible if a sample does not receive an award. Marks are confidential.
ARTICLE 13: COMPOSITION OF JURIES
Juries are composed of judges who are designated and called directly by the Organisation from a list of judges who have voluntarily registered on the Competition’s Website.
For each Product category the jury will be composed of professionals in the sector and/or knowledgeable consumers.
If one or more members of the jury are absent on the day of the tasting, the Organisation may designate substitute judges.
Judges’ names are confidential. Their personal data is not communicated to any third parties.
The Organisation cannot be held liable for the selection of its judges, who are professionals or knowledgeable consumers whose skills have been independently assessed and verified by the Organisation.
The judges are then themselves independent in awarding their scores, which are assigned in accordance with the scoring grid provided and the applicable scoring guidelines.
The Organisation is in no way liable to a Participant in the event that a prize is not awarded.
However, the Participant has a right of appeal in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in Article 26 of these rules.
If a judge has given a score which is obviously an anomaly, whether intentional or not, the Organisation is entitled to reject his/her scores.
The Participant may not claim damages from the Organisation in the event of a proven scoring anomaly that has been rectified by the Organisation under the conditions set out in the previous paragraph.
In these rules and on the Website, the terms “taster”, "judge" and “jury member” refer indiscriminately to members of the juries.
ARTICLE 14: OBLIGATIONS OF JUDGES
Registering as a judge in the Competition constitutes a commitment and express acceptance of the following:
- Being a juror is done on a voluntary basis
and jurors do not receive any compensation or remuneration.
- Access to the Competition is only authorised to the recipient of the invitation sent by email, text message, or given as a paper document. As the selected judge has been appointed intuitu personae, the invitation is nominative and cannot be transferred without the agreement of the General Commissioner.
- By registering and upon arrival at the event site, the judge agrees to read and comply with the safety instructions.
- No accompanying persons, adults or minors, will be allowed in the Competition room. The Organisation reserves the right to refuse access to any judge who does not comply with this rule.
- Judges are strongly advised not to ingest the alcoholic beverages they taste. In accordance with customary practice, spittoons are provided for this purpose, as well as water to rinse the mouth between tastings.
Any failure to comply with this recommendation will result in the judge being held personally liable in the event of an incident or damage caused to themselves or to third parties, without the Competition and/or the Organisation being held liable.
In addition, judges are advised to plan their travel arrangements in advance to avoid driving under the influence of alcohol. To this end, the Organisation may provide breathalysers to judges who wish to use them.
- A judge may not judge his or her own products.
The Organisation collects a sworn statement from jury members mentioning their direct or indirect links with companies, establishments, professional organisations, or associations whose activities, products, or interests may relate to the Products presented in the Competition. Failure to comply with this provision will be considered fraud. The Organisation may reject any judge in order to prevent a competitor who is a member of the jury from judging their own Products.
Any breach of this obligation will be considered fraud and may result in penalties, including the immediate exclusion of the judge and the invalidation of his or her scores. The Organisation reserves the right to reject a judge at any time in order to guarantee the impartiality of the Competition.
- The Competition reserves the right to refuse the participation of a judge, in particular in the event of repeated absences or late cancellations, inappropriate behaviour, failure to comply with these rules, or for any other reason without having to justify its decision.
- The Competition recommends that judges take out cancellation insurance for any travel reservations (hotel, transport, etc.). In the event of outright cancellation of an edition of the Competition for a reason not attributable to the Organisation or due to a case of force majeure within the meaning of Article 10 of the rules, the Competition cannot be held liable in any way whatsoever to the judge for the costs incurred in traveling to the Competition. These costs will not be reimbursed.
- Participating in the tasting may require the use of sharp objects, in particular knives. Judges are strongly advised to use these objects with caution. Under no circumstances can the Competition be held liable for any injury resulting from the use of these objects.
- Participation is not recommended in the event of allergies, intolerances, food hypersensitivity or immunodeficiency. The Competition cannot guarantee the absence of allergens and cannot compose the juries taking into account food allergies, intolerances, or hypersensitivities. Some products may be tasted before they are commercially available. Consequently, their stability cannot be guaranteed (fermentation not complete, germs present, unfiltered product, traces of allergens, microbiological risks, etc.). In the event of an allergic reaction, indigestion, poisoning, or infection following the tasting of a product, the Competition cannot be held liable in any way whatsoever towards the judge.
- It is forbidden to take samples away, even if they have been opened.
- As part of the Competition, the judge expressly authorises the Organisation to photograph or film them free of charge. These images may be used exclusively for promotion and communication related to the Competition, on any type of media, including advertising, in France and abroad, and without any time limit.
ARTICLE 15: PRESIDENCY OF JURIES
The commissioner general presides over juries. The jury president, with the help of one or more assessors, makes sure the tasting is carried out properly, and in particular that all samples remain anonymous. He or she shall make sure the marking sheet is used when samples are judged. The president of the juries, in this case the commissioner general, supervises the collection of marking sheets. Juries are placed under his or her responsibility.
ARTICLE 16: AWARDING MEDALS
The Competition grants the following awards:
- Gold Medal
- Silver Medal
The score for a sample is determined by calculating the mathematical average of the scores awarded by the judges who evaluated it. Scores are rounded to the nearest whole number, with 5 being rounded up to the next whole number.
Awarding by sub-juries: A sample may be awarded a medal if and only if it cumulatively meets all of the following conditions:
1. Its score is greater than or equal to the minimum score required to qualify for a Gold (85/100) or Silver (75/100) medal;
2. The sample must be in the top third of the highest scores awarded by its sub-jury.
Awarding by juries: Once the medals have been awarded in each sub-jury, and if the number of medals does not reach one-third of the number of samples in the jury, samples may be awarded medals if and only if they meet condition “1” above and if their score is the highest among the non-medallists in the jury. This award is only permitted if the final percentage of samples awarded medals in the Competition does not reach 33%.
In the event of a tie for the award of a medal, the sample with the lowest standard deviation among all the scores awarded by the jury will be selected to receive the medal.
The standard deviation is an indicator that measures the consistency of the scores awarded by the judges. It allows us to assess whether the scores are consistent or scattered. The lower the standard deviation, the more unanimous the judges are in their evaluation of the product.
The number of awards must not surpass one-third of the number of submitted samples to the Competition.
The Organisation is the sole judge of how medals are awarded and cannot be held responsible if a sample is not given an award.
If a brand name was not declared at the time of entry, only the owner of the batch may request that it be added to the Competition. The new brand name may only be used after confirmation by email from the Competition.
An honorary distinction may be awarded to
Gold medal-winning products that have received the highest score among the
samples from their category. In the event of a tie, the sample with the lowest standard deviation will receive the distinction.
ARTICLE 17: PUBLICATION OF RESULTS
Participants will be notified of the results by email at a later date if their Products are selected.
Participants will be notified of the results by email at a later date if their Products are selected. This email will be the official document of the Competition, specifying the name of the Competition, the nature of the award, the identity of the Product, and the name and address of the Participant.
Information relating to the Product and provided by the Participant during registration (category, certification, etc.) may be published (in print or digital online) and communicated to the public. In the event of an error in the publication, no financial compensation will be granted to the Participant.
Participants with at least one medal-winning sample, hereinafter referred to as the “Winners,” authorise the Competition to publish their results, names, contact details, and information about their medal-winning sample(s).
ARTICLE 18: USING AWARDS
Medals representing the awards may be put on the bottle or its packaging and will only be available for award-winning Products, whose characteristics correspond entirely to those of the product for which the distinction was awarded. Medals may be displayed on Products for two
years from the date of the announcement of the results.
The adhesive material used to manufacture the medals may contain metal compounds as well as non-food compounds. When placing an order, the Participant must inform the Competition of any manufacturing constraints relating to its packaging lines.
In the event of a problem when using adhesive medals delivered by the Competition or the service provider, the latter cannot be held liable for any loss of productivity or commercial damage, given the many parameters involved in packaging and putting the medals on products.
However, the Competition or the service provider will take all necessary steps to replace any rolls of medals with manufacturing defects.
ARTICLE 19: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Any reproduction or representation, in whole or in part, of the medal, logo, name Concours International des Produits Biologiques et en conversion, or any other element present on the Website or on any other medium distributed by the Competition is strictly prohibited without the prior authorisation of the Organisation.
To this end, Winners must submit a final proof at least 48 hours before production to the Competition's email address. Any use must strictly comply with the graphic charter provided by the Organisation, without modification or addition, unless expressly authorised in writing by the latter.
The Winner may purchase advertising materials offered by the Competition. The Winner may create their own advertising materials, provided they have obtained the written consent of the Competition and the approval of the final proof prior to any production.
The use of the medal and logo is strictly regulated. It is authorised exclusively:
- By affixing self-adhesive medals purchased from the Organisation.
- By printing the medals on the packaging of the award-winning Product (label, collar, bottle, primary packaging, secondary packaging, cardboard box), after first acquiring the corresponding printing rights from the Organisation.
The reproduction rights and self-adhesive medals acquired are not transferable to other products. Failure to pay the printing rights excludes any right to use the brand or logo.
Any printing of the medal on packaging must be carried out exclusively by printers approved by the Organisation. Any printing or use outside the conditions defined by these regulations, the graphic charter, or any other applicable document will be considered fraud.
Finally, any unauthorised use of the medal, logo, or “Concours International des Produits Biologiques et en conversion” trademark constitutes an act of counterfeiting for which the perpetrator will be held liable. The Organisation reserves the right to take any necessary measures, including legal action, to stop any violation of this article.
The producer(s) of the award-winning Product(s) also undertake to inform the Organisation of any fraudulent use of the Medal by a third party of which they become aware.
Participants undertake to inform the Organisation of any infringement proceedings brought against them or any infringements against them in relation to their award-winning samples.
In any event, any breach of any of the provisions of this article by the Winner or a Participant shall result in the penalties provided for in Article 22 of these rules, as imposed by the Organisation.
ARTICLE 20: AUDITS
The Organisation shall establish an internal auditing system under its responsibility to ensure strict compliance with these regulations.
As such, it shall ensure, without this list being exhaustive, the conformity of the documents provided at the time of registration, the anonymity of the Products during the tasting, the selection of judges in accordance with the criteria defined in Article 13, and the awarding of distinctions in accordance with the provisions of Article 16.
Depending on the findings of the audit, the Organisation reserves the right to cancel any entry that is incomplete or contains incorrect information, to eliminate any sample that does not comply with the rules and/or the entry details, and/or to temporarily or permanently exclude a Participant from the Competition, and more generally to implement the penalties provided for in Article 22 of these Rules.
In addition, the Organisation reserves the right to have analytical checks carried out on the submitted samples by an independent analysis laboratory of its choice. It may take random samples at the points of sale of the Products and verify that the samples tasted correspond to those marketed or offered for sale at the property.
To this end, all Winners/Participants undertake to provide the Organisation with any information required to exercise its right to audit without delay.
If a sample is eliminated for breaching the rules, the Participant must collect it at their own expense from the Organisation's headquarters within one week of notification of non-compliance. After this period, the Organisation may destroy the samples, without the Participant being entitled to any compensation.
ARTICLE 21: OBLIGATION OF PARTICIPANTS AND AVAILABILITY OF THE REGULATIONS
Participants in the Competition must fully and completely accept these Rules and Regulations, legal information and the policy for managing personal data that can be obtained from the Competition Address by simple request.
ARTICLE 22: PENALTIES
Any breach by a Participant or Winner of the provisions of these Rules, and in particular any reproduction and/or use of the Medal or any other distinctive sign belonging to the Competition in violation of the conditions set out in these Rules or in any other document to which they refer, will result the following penalties being applied, as defined below.
These penalties may be imposed by the Organisation, regardless of the reason for the infringement (whether intentional or not, and regardless of its severity), as soon as it occurs and without prior notice.
If there is any breach, the Organisation may impose, cumulatively or separately, the following penalties:
- Immediate payment of fees: full payment of the fees due for the use of the Medal on the entire lot concerned.
- A fine: a fixed penalty of €5,000 paid as a penalty clause. The Organisation reserves the right to request a reassessment of this penalty by the judge if it proves to be manifestly underestimated. The offender will also bear all costs incurred by the Organisation in this regard (attorney's fees, bailiff's fees, etc.).
- Immediate suspension of use of the Medal: prohibition to use the Medal until proof of total destruction of stocks of self-adhesive Medals and/or any other infringing material not yet affixed to the Product(s) concerned.
- Withdrawing the infringing Products: obligation to immediately withdraw, at the sole expense of the offender, all products bearing the infringing Medal, regardless of the point of sale or distribution channel.
- Temporary ban from participating in the Competition: exclusion of the Participant from the Competition for a period of between 1 and 10 years.
- Prohibition on referring to past awards: where applicable, prohibition on mentioning the award of a Medal in previous editions of the Competition.
- Penalty for non-compliance: in the event of a breach of the provisions of these rules, a penalty of €200 per day of delay will be applied from the date of notification by the Organisation demanding the cessation of the breach.
Any penalty imposed pursuant to this article shall in no case give rise to compensation for the Participant or Winner concerned, regardless of the reasons leading to the infringement, and even if it is subsequently cancelled.
The application of the penalty clause and the sanctions set out above does not deprive the Organisation of the right to take legal action to obtain compensation for direct or indirect damage suffered, in particular in the event of infringement of its rights to the Logo and the Competition Brand as a result of acts of counterfeiting committed by the Participant or Winner.
ARTICLE 23: GDPR
The personal data management charter is available in the legal notices section of the Website.
ARTICLE 24: AMENDMENTS TO THE REGULATIONS
The Organisation reserves the right to amend these Regulations if unforeseen circumstances, including force majeure as defined in Article 10, or regulatory changes require compliance with applicable legislation.
Participants will be informed of any amendments by any appropriate means, including publication on the Competition Website.
The Organisation shall not be held liable for the consequences of such amendments, provided that they are made in accordance with the conditions set out in this article.
ARTICLE 25: LIABILITY
The liability of the Organisation, as well as that of its employees, agents, and operators, regardless of the legal basis, is governed by the following provisions:
a) The Organisation shall be liable without limitation only in the event of intentional misconduct and particularly serious misconduct, and in particular in the event of a breach of essential contractual obligations, i.e., obligations whose performance is essential to the proper conduct of the Competition.
b) In all other cases, the Organisation's liability is strictly limited to direct and foreseeable damages at the time of acceptance of these rules, in particular in the event of breaches resulting from minor negligence. Under no circumstances shall the Organisation be held liable for indirect, immaterial, or consequential damages, such as loss of opportunity, revenue, profits, image, or any other economic consequence suffered by the Participant.
c) The Organisation shall not be held liable for the non-performance or poor performance of its obligations when this results from a case of force majeure, as defined in Article 10, or any other circumstance beyond its control.
d) The Organisation shall not be held liable for any faults, omissions, or breaches attributable to third parties, in particular service providers, subcontractors, or partners involved in the organisation of the Competition.
e) The above limitations of liability shall not apply in the event of a claim for damages resulting from injury to life, physical integrity, or health.
The limitations and exclusions of liability provided for in this article also apply to:
- the Organisation's affiliates or partners,
- the members of its management bodies,
- its employees, agents, representatives, and auxiliary personnel,
- as well as service providers acting on its behalf in connection with the Competition.
ARTICLE 26: APPLICABLE LAW – LEGAL DISPUTES
Any Participant wishing to competition a decision of the jury, a change of category initiated by the Organisation or, more generally, any decision taken by the Organisation in connection with the Competition, must submit a detailed written request.
This request must be sent by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt to the Organisation at the Competition Address within four (4) business days of the announcement of the results or notification of the decision contested by the Organisation, under penalty of forfeiture of the claim.
The Organisation undertakes to examine any request made in good faith. If no response is received within one (1) month of receipt of the complaint, the Participant's appeal will be considered rejected.
In the event of any dispute relating to these Regulations, and in particular if a Participant's appeal initiated under the above conditions has been – explicitly or implicitly – rejected, the parties undertake to attempt amicable conciliation, which is a mandatory prerequisite for any legal action.
To this end, the Participant and the Organisation undertake to exchange written correspondence and, if necessary, to organise a meeting (in person or remotely) within fifteen (15) days of receipt of the request for conciliation by the other party. If no amicable agreement is reached within one (1) month of the initiation of the conciliation procedure, each party shall regain its freedom of action and may then refer the matter to the competent court.
If no amicable agreement can be reached, any dispute relating to the Competition shall be submitted to the competent courts of Lyon.
These rules are subject to French law. They are written in French, which is the only language that shall be considered authentic in the event of a dispute over their interpretation.