General terms and conditions for membership of composites belgium

1. Purpose and character of the community

Composites Belgium is unincorporated association (feitelijke vereniging) under Belgian law and serves as an open community for companies, knowledge institutions and other organisations active throughout the composite materials value chain. It aims to:

• knowledge exchange;
• stimulate innovation and collaboration on composite materials;
• share information on technological, economic and regulatory developments;
• organising training, workshops, networking activities and working groups;
• facilitate contacts between companies, research institutions and other stakeholders.

The coordination of the community is done by Sirris in collaboration with Agoria.
 

2. Conditions of accession

The following organisations can become members: companies; universities; research centres; technology federations; professional associations; government institutions; other organisations that have a demonstrable link with the composites sector or are interested in starting up composites activities.

An application for membership is submitted through the registration process provided for this purpose via compositesbelgium.be

Sirris and/or Agoria may refuse an application if:

• the activities or possible future activities do not align with the purpose of the community;
• the candidate may damage the reputation or proper functioning of the community;
• the candidate has previously committed serious breaches of these terms and conditions and/or for Agoria or Sirris members of the Agoria or Sirris terms and conditions.

A refusal does not have to be motivated.
 

3. Categories of members and point of contact (Primary Contact)
 

3.1 Sirris members

Companies that are members of Sirris at the time of their accession and during their membership.
 

4.2 Agoria members

Companies that are members of Agoria at the time of their membership and during their membership.
 

4.3 Associate members

Organisations that are not members of Agoria or Sirris at the time of their accession, but which are members of Composites Belgium.
 

4.4. Point of contact (Primary Contact)

There is one point of contact (Primary Contact) for Composites Belgium per organisation. This person manages the membership for the organization in question. In addition, an unlimited number of people from the organization can participate. The participants will be registered by the Primary Contact.
 

5. Benefits of Membership

Sirris members

Sirris members enjoy:

• free access to Composites Belgium events;
• participation in working groups and community meetings;
• access to Sirris training courses subject to member conditions.

Agoria members

Agoria members enjoy:

• free access to the Composites Belgium events;
• participation in working groups and community meetings;
• access to Sirris training courses subject to member conditions;
• continued access to Agoria services in accordance with their Agoria membership.

Affiliate members

Affiliate members enjoy:

• access to the activities of Composites Belgium;
• participation in networking events and working groups;
• Access to community information.

Affiliated members do not acquire any rights to services that are exclusively linked to an Agoria or Sirris membership.

5. Annual contributions

The annual membership fee is:

All amounts are exclusive of VAT if VAT is legally due.

Sirris and Agoria reserve the right to index or adjust these contributions annually.

The adjusted rates will be communicated before the start of the new membership year.

6. Invoicing and payment

Invoices are payable within thirty (30) calendar days of invoice date. The annual invoicing takes place in January.

For 2026, an organisation joining the association will be invoiced only for the last quarter of 2026. As from 2027, membership fees shall not be prorated. Consequently, any organisation joining during a given calendar year shall be liable for the full annual membership fee applicable to that year. By way of example, an organisation joining in November 2027 will be invoiced for the full annual membership fee for 2027.

In the event of non-payment, Sirris reserves the right:

• deny access to activities;
• suspend access to information channels;
• terminate the membership.

Contributions already paid will not be refunded.

9. Term and termination of membership

Membership is entered into for a period of one year.

Membership will automatically renew for a subsequent period of one year unless the member cancels the membership no later than August 31 of the current year. The cancellation must be done in writing by sending an email to compositesbelgium@sirris.be. The termination will then take effect on 31 December of that current year.

Sirris or Agoria can terminate a membership with immediate effect if:

• the candidate damages or may damage the reputation or proper functioning of the community;
• the candidate committed serious breaches of these terms and conditions and/or for Agoria or Sirris members of the Agoria or Sirris terms and conditions.

Termination does not give rise to any refund of contributions paid.

8. Events, training and participation

Community events are only open to members of Composites Belgium.

However, Sirris and Agoria may decide to exceptionally open certain activities to non-members.

"Crash courses" may be accessible to non-members against the payment of a fee.

Extensive training courses from Sirris, Agoria or third parties are not covered by the membership and can be invoiced separately.

Sirris reserves the right to change programmes, locations, speakers or dates.

10. Competition law and code of conduct

The members recognise that all activities of Composites Belgium must take place in full compliance with the Belgian, European and other applicable competition and competition law regulations and undertake to strictly comply with the Belgian and European competition rules.

Within the activities of Composites Belgium, no information may be shared and no agreements may be made about: prices; pricing mechanisms; market sharing; customer distribution; production restrictions; boycotts; other anti-competitive practices and no other acts or practices in breach of the applicable competition rules shall take place.

Each participant remains independently responsible for his own actions, decisions, statements and behaviour during the activities within Compositions Belgium.

If a discussion is potentially contrary to competition law, Sirris or Agoria can immediately stop this discussion and, if necessary, ask the member or members in question to leave the activity.

If a member commits acts or participates in practices that are contrary to the applicable competition law, neither Sirris nor Agoria can be held liable in any way.

The members concerned fully indemnify Sirris and Agoria against all claims, fines, sanctions, damages, costs and expenses arising directly or indirectly from such infringements of competition law.

The foregoing applies without prejudice to the right of Sirris and Agoria to immediately suspend or exclude the member concerned from the community.

11. Confidentiality

All information shared during community activities and marked as confidential should be kept confidential by members.

Members shall not disseminate, publish or pass on such information to third parties without the prior consent of the party concerned.

This obligation continues for five years after the termination of membership.

If Sirris or Agoria deems it necessary in the context of a specific activity, working group, training, presentation, project or exchange of confidential information, the member undertakes to sign a separate confidentiality agreement upon first request.

If a member refuses to sign such a confidentiality agreement, Sirris has the right to exclude this member in whole or in part from participation in the activity, working group, training, presentation or project in question, without the member being entitled to any compensation, reimbursement or other compensation.

Such a refusal does not constitute a shortcoming on the part of Sirris or Agoria and does not entitle the member concerned to termination of membership or reimbursement of contributions already paid.

12. Intellectual property

No property rights, such as but not limited to intellectual property rights, are transferred between the members, unless prior written agreement.

All intellectual property rights to presentations, studies, reports, training materials, tools, methodologies, software, documentation remain the property of the respective rights holders.

Reproduction, distribution, commercial exploitation or disclosure is prohibited without the prior written consent of the copyright holder.

13. Use of name and logo

Members may only use the name, logos or logos of Composites Belgium, Sirris or Agoria with prior written permission.

Membership does not confer commercial partner status, certification or endorsement.

14. Liability

The activities of Composites Belgium are organised on the basis of an obligation of means.

Except in the case of intent, gross negligence or to the extent that liability cannot be excluded or limited under mandatory law, Sirris, Agoria, their directors, employees, appointees and representatives cannot be held liable for any damage arising from or in connection with:

• membership of Composites Belgium;
• the organisation of events, training courses, working groups or other activities;
• the content of presentations, documents, studies, advice or information shared within the community;
• decisions or actions that members take based on information obtained within the community;
• the acts or omissions of other members or third parties.

To the extent permitted by law, Sirris and Agoria are not liable for: indirect damage; loss of profit; loss of turnover; loss of opportunities; decisions taken by a member on the basis of shared information and the total liability of Sirris and Agoria is limited to the amount of the community contribution paid by the member concerned during the current membership year.

Nothing in these terms and conditions shall exclude or limit the liability of Sirris or Agoria in cases where such exclusion or limitation is not permitted under mandatory law, nor in the event of fraud, intent or gross negligence on the part of Sirris or Agoria.

15. Protection of personal data

Personal data is processed in accordance with the applicable privacy legislation.

The data can be used for:

• member management;
• communication;
• organisation of events;
• statistical reporting;
• follow-up of participation in activities.

Personal data may be exchanged between Sirris and Agoria for purposes related to the management of Composites Belgium.

16. Suspension and Exclusion

Sirris may temporarily suspend or permanently exclude a member if the member:

• violates these terms and conditions;
• disseminates confidential information;
• damages the reputation of the community;
• infringement of competition rules;
• fails to meet its payment obligations.

A suspended or excluded member is not entitled to any refund.

17. Force majeure

Sirris and Agoria are not liable if an activity cannot take place due to circumstances beyond their reasonable control, including, among others:

• strikes;
• pandemics;
• government measures;
• cyber incidents;
• technical failures;
• fire;
• natural disasters.

18. Applicable law and jurisdiction

These terms and conditions are governed by Belgian law.

Disputes concerning membership of Composites Belgium fall exclusively to the jurisdiction of the courts of Brussels.