Terms and conditions of participation

1. Scope and contracting parties

These general terms and conditions of participation apply to the International Meat Sensory Program (IMSP) of Meat – Education – Ambition – Travel (M.E.A.T.) GmbH, Lannesstraße 55/140, 1220 Vienna, Austria, commercial register number FN 639707x, represented by managing director Ronny Paulusch. Contact: contact@imsp.pro, telephone: +43 660 548 74 01.

Business bookings (B2B) only: The IMSP core program is offered exclusively to businesses and entrepreneurs booking for business purposes. Private bookings are not offered. Self-employed persons and sole traders may book for their existing business.

The contracting party and person responsible for payment is the business or entrepreneur named in the registration form. Anyone acting for that party must be authorised to conclude the contract. The full name and billing address of the contracting party must be provided. Individually agreed provisions take precedence over these terms.

Employees may be registered by their employer. The employer concludes the contract for business purposes and assumes the payment obligation. Participation alone does not make the participant a contracting party. A business invoice or simple reimbursement of costs does not turn an actually private booking into a business booking. The actual contracting party and booking purpose are decisive; mandatory statutory protections remain unaffected.

2. Binding registration and contract formation

The program description, published schedule and these terms form M.E.A.T. GmbH's offer for a business booking of the IMSP core program 2027. In the registration form, you identify the contracting party, participant and desired training hub available for booking.

Direct, binding registration: By submitting through the “Register with a binding obligation to pay” button, you accept this offer for the named contracting party. The contract is formed when M.E.A.T. GmbH receives the registration. Registration is not a non-binding enquiry. No later separate acceptance of an offer is required.

You receive an email booking confirmation with booking details, agreed services, training hub, schedule, price and payment schedule, and this version of the terms in a form that can be saved. The invoice shows the VAT legally due for your booking. Confirmation documents the contract already formed.

Selecting optional international modules is solely an expression of interest and does not conclude a contract for those modules. Additional services and departures from the booked core program require a separate express agreement.

3. Scope of the core program

The IMSP core program 2027 comprises 24 curriculum modules and 216 core hours: 120 in-person training hours over 16 days, 64 digital learning hours and 32 hours of independently completed Tastingkiosk tastings. In-person blocks take place at the booked training hub. The program description and confirmed dates agreed at contract formation are decisive.

The program includes Sensory-ID access during the course, provision of a Training Device for the course and the IMSP starter kit with cap, polo, shirt and lanyard. After successful completion, the completion certificate and designated graduate insignia, including pin, Professional Badge and personalised Professional Card, are issued.

Travel to and from the venue, accommodation and meals not expressly included are not part of the core price. Additional paid services require a separate agreement.

The agreed educational service is owed. No specific professional, economic or personal success is promised. Issuing the completion certificate depends on fulfilment of the agreed completion requirements.

4. Participation fee, payment and late payment

The fee for a business booking of the core program 2027 is €3,600 net per person. Only the VAT legally due for the specific booking is added. The net price is agreed upon registration and is not subsequently increased unilaterally. Additional paid services require a separate express agreement.

Payment schedule: 50% of the agreed total fee is payable within 14 calendar days after contract formation and receipt of the invoice. The remaining 50% is due no later than 14 calendar days before the agreed start, but not before receipt of the invoice. For bookings less than 14 calendar days before the start, the full fee is due after receipt of the invoice and before participation. Individually confirmed instalment agreements remain possible.

In the event of late payment, you receive a demand with a reasonable additional period, normally 14 calendar days, and notice of possible consequences. If that period expires without payment, M.E.A.T. GmbH may withdraw from the contract where statutory conditions are met. Access to services not yet provided may be restricted only for substantial arrears and proportionately. Statutory rights to withhold payment are not restricted.

Late-payment interest and necessary legal enforcement costs are claimed only to the extent permitted by law. For consumers, only necessary, appropriate collection costs proportionate to the claim are charged. No additional flat administration fee is imposed.

5. Dates, delivery requirements and changes

The booking covers the core program 2027 at the selected training hub based on the schedule published at registration. The in-person days marked provisional in September, October and November are agreed with the contracting party and expressly confirmed. Already binding published dates are agreed through registration. Program start means the first agreed mandatory in-person or digital component.

Cancellation for insufficient participant numbers is permitted only if a specific minimum number and cancellation deadline were expressly agreed before registration. Notice must be received within that deadline and no later than 30 calendar days before program start. Without such an agreement or if the deadline is missed, there is no contractual right to cancel solely for insufficient numbers. A minimum number cannot be introduced unilaterally later. On permitted cancellation, paid course fees are refunded in full within 14 calendar days; further statutory claims remain unaffected.

Objectively necessary changes to individual instructors, samples or the order of content are possible if scope and educational goal are preserved and the change is reasonable. A change of country, substantial relocation of the hub or significant change of dates or services requires your consent. An alternative is communicated; silence is not consent. If you do not accept a significant change, statutory rights of withdrawal and refund remain.

6. Cancellation, non-attendance and substitute participants

Voluntary cancellation must be declared in text form, for example by email to contact@imsp.pro. Receipt by M.E.A.T. GmbH and the calendar days until the agreed course start are decisive. Course start means the first agreed mandatory in-person or digital component.

Calculation: Percentages refer to the agreed net course fee. VAT applies only where legally due on the relevant amount. Payments already made are credited; any excess is refunded. No additional administration fee is charged.

Lower loss: Saved expenses and creditable revenue from a replacement booking are taken into account. The contracting party may prove that no economic loss or a lower loss occurred; the charge is then removed or reduced accordingly. Statutory crediting rules, burden-of-proof rules and any applicable judicial power to reduce the charge remain unaffected. The same service or loss is not charged twice.

Substitute participant: A professionally suitable substitute may be named before the course starts. The change is confirmed if participation requirements are met and no objective organisational reasons prevent it. A successful change incurs no cancellation charge. Actual additional change costs are charged only after prior express agreement. The original contracting party remains responsible for payment unless a change of contracting party is agreed.

The schedule applies to voluntary cancellation and non-participation for reasons attributable to the contracting party. Statutory withdrawal, rescission and termination rights and claims for defective performance or cancellation by M.E.A.T. GmbH remain unaffected. No cancellation charge applies to an effective statutory withdrawal.

7. Withdrawal for consumer and business bookings

Business bookings (B2B): Bookings concluded by a business or entrepreneur as contracting party for business purposes do not have a statutory consumer right of withdrawal under the Austrian Distance and Off-Premises Contracts Act (FAGG). Voluntary cancellation is governed by section 6.

Mandatory statutory protections: The program is offered exclusively for business bookings. If a consumer contract subject to the FAGG nevertheless exists in an individual case, its statutory protections remain. In that case, you may withdraw within 14 days of contract formation without giving reasons.

To exercise your right of withdrawal, inform M.E.A.T. GmbH, Lannesstraße 55/140, 1220 Vienna, Austria, telephone +43 660 548 74 01, email contact@imsp.pro, of your decision through an unambiguous declaration. No specific form is required. Sending it before the deadline is sufficient. The example in section 8 and the “Withdraw from contract” online function are available; their use is optional. When using the online function, you receive an immediate email acknowledgement containing your declaration and the date and time of receipt.

Consequences of withdrawal: On effective withdrawal, all payments received for the withdrawn contract are refunded without delay and no later than 14 days after receipt of the declaration. The original payment method is normally used unless expressly agreed otherwise. No refund fee is charged.

Starting services during the withdrawal period: For consumers, paid services normally start only after the withdrawal period. Earlier commencement requires your separate express request and the necessary information. If you subsequently withdraw, a proportionate fee for services already provided is due only where statutory requirements are met. Loss of withdrawal rights after full service delivery requires the separate declarations prescribed by law. Access to individual learning content does not automatically remove the withdrawal right for the entire core program. Accepting these terms does not replace a separate declaration requesting early commencement.

Section 6 charges do not apply to an effective statutory withdrawal. Mandatory protections for cross-border consumer bookings remain unaffected.

8. Withdrawal declaration and statutory model form

Where a statutory consumer withdrawal right exists, you receive the statutory model form and withdrawal information before contract formation. It is also available in Annex I, Part B of the FAGG . You may also use the following free-form declaration or the online withdrawal function .

Giving a reason or invoice number is not required for effective withdrawal. The declaration only needs to identify the contract sufficiently.

9. Participation, absences, examination and completion

The professional focus and participation requirements in the program description agreed at registration are decisive. Participants complete mandatory assignments, document their tastings and take part in agreed training and examinations. Safety and hygiene requirements must be followed.

Completion requires mandatory program components and passed assessments: a 90-minute written professional examination, practical visual and sensory assessment including calibration, and an 8–10-page sensory research assignment with documented Sensory-ID data. Payment does not confer a right to a positive examination result.

Attendance requirement: Admission to the final examination requires documented attendance at no less than 70% of scheduled in-person hours. For 120 hours, this means at least 84 hours. Attendance is recorded by hours actually completed. Digital assignments and independent Tastingkiosk tastings must also be completed and documented.

Pass mark: 70%. The written examination, practical assessment including calibration and sensory research assignment are each passed at a minimum of 70% of the available points for that component. Failure in one cannot be offset by a better result in another. The assessment approach follows the CONEXXUS Framework / Didaktik im Handwerk.

Assessment criteria, point allocation, submission deadlines, permitted aids and resit options are communicated in a form that can be saved in good time before program start. They must match the assessments and educational goals described at registration. Agreed attendance and pass thresholds are not increased unilaterally later. New completion requirements or detrimental changes to agreed rules require express agreement.

Absences should be reported as early as possible. If minimum attendance is not met, admission is possible only after suitable documented catch-up work. Its form and availability are agreed individually. Professionally necessary catch-up may be required even within permitted absences, particularly for missed safety briefings. A missed session does not automatically forfeit all course services. Additional charges for catch-up or resits are expressly agreed before booking them.

For serious or repeated breaches of safety, hygiene or conduct rules, M.E.A.T. GmbH may end further participation after a warning and where statutory requirements are met. Immediate protective measures are possible in an acute danger. Charges are settled under the legal conditions of the specific case; exclusion does not automatically forfeit all payments.

10. Sensory-ID access and Training Device

Personal Sensory-ID access is available during the agreed actual course duration. Login details must be protected and not shared with third parties. A paid extension or annual subscription requires a separate booking.

During loan use, the provided Training Device remains the property of M.E.A.T. GmbH or the owner named in the handover agreement. Handover, accessories, condition and return are documented. Normal wear does not create a claim for compensation. Damage or loss must be reported immediately; liability depends on fault and statutory rules.

After the course, the options described on the program page are available: return without a device price, purchase the course device for the stated €295, or keep it at no additional device price with a separately concluded 12-month Sensory-ID subscription. The binding total price, scope and terms are provided before purchase or subscription. Without a separate purchase agreement, the device must be returned.

Without a separate purchase agreement, the Training Device and accessories must be returned within 14 calendar days after course end following the provided instructions. Failure to return does not automatically create a purchase, subscription or extension. Compensation for culpable damage or loss is based on actual damage considering device age and condition; the new price is not charged automatically regardless of these factors.

11. International modules and network

Spain, Argentina and Japan are optional specialisation modules. They are not required for the IMSP qualification and are not included in the core fee. Selection in the registration form is solely a non-binding expression of interest.

International modules are professionally guided specialist excursions for continuing education, company visits and networking. M.E.A.T. GmbH handles professional design, preparation and leadership. Transport, accommodation and transfers are booked independently by participants or commissioning businesses with the respective providers and are not part of the IMSP service.

Specialist excursions are offered and booked separately. Under M.E.A.T. terms, they are exclusively for businesses and entrepreneurs and their professional staff; the booking entrepreneur is the contracting party. Scope, dates, fee and payment terms are set out in the relevant offer.

For a separately booked specialist excursion, the incorporated M.E.A.T. terms – excursions & specialist travel (PDF) apply in addition to the General part of the M.E.A.T. terms (PDF). You receive the relevant version before booking. The core program cancellation rules in section 6 do not apply to these separate bookings. For M.E.A.T. GmbH's professional services, the liability rules in section 14 take precedence over conflicting liability rules in the linked excursion terms.

IMLN access during training does not automatically convert to a paid follow-on membership. A later paid membership requires a separate agreement.

12. Materials, recordings and personal content

Course materials, videos, digital content and assessment materials are copyright-protected. They may be used personally within the agreed scope. Publication, sharing access or copying for your own paid training requires the relevant rights holder's consent. Professional application of acquired knowledge and legally permitted uses remain unaffected.

Recording courses or other participants requires the necessary prior consent. Publishing participant names, photos, videos or personal profiles requires a suitable separate basis and is not authorised solely by accepting these terms. Personal data processing is described in the privacy notice.

13. In-person days, training hubs and venue partners

In-person sessions may take place on premises of external landlords, operators or cooperation partners. Course information identifies the hub, contact persons and main local safety rules.

Venue operation: Landlords, operators and venue partners bear the duties allocated to them by law or contract for rooms, facilities and equipment. Depending on responsibility, these include building condition, maintenance, safe access routes, escape routes, fire protection and operation of provided equipment. They are liable under law for breaches within their responsibilities. Using the premises does not mean M.E.A.T. GmbH gives a general guarantee for all activities of the external venue operator.

Course delivery: M.E.A.T. GmbH remains responsible for its contractual course services, careful organisation and safety of exercises it leads. Its own selection, organisational and supervisory duties and statutory liability for persons used to fulfil obligations are not excluded by involving a venue partner. Task allocation does not restrict mandatory participant claims.

Safety and cooperation: House, hygiene and safety rules and instructions for equipment and work areas must be followed. Restricted areas must not be entered and equipment must be used only as instructed. Hazards, damage and accidents should be reported to course management and the local contact as soon as possible. Health limitations, allergies or intolerances relevant to safe participation may be reported confidentially. Reporting does not replace necessary professional safety measures. Statutory claims are neither excluded nor reduced by this provision.

14. Performance issues, warranty and liability

Organisational or technical problems may be reported to course management or contact@imsp.pro so they can be remedied. Reporting is not an additional exclusion deadline for statutory claims. Warranty rights remain unaffected.

M.E.A.T. GmbH is liable under statutory rules for its own fault and the fault of persons for whom it is responsible. Liability for personal injury, intent or gross negligence is neither excluded nor limited. Mandatory statutory liability, particularly product liability, remains unaffected. For consumers, these terms do not restrict statutory liability.

Business bookings: Only for slightly negligent breaches of ancillary contractual duties is liability for property damage and financial loss limited to damage typically foreseeable for such a contract at its formation. This does not apply to personal injury, intent, gross negligence, essential contractual duties or mandatory statutory liability. Essential duties are those enabling proper delivery of the program and whose fulfilment the contracting party may normally rely on.

Unforeseeable obstacles to performance: For events beyond M.E.A.T. GmbH's reasonable control, such as official prohibitions or natural events, you are informed promptly of the effects. Reasonable alternatives are examined; significant changes require consent. If a service definitively cannot be provided or the contract effectively ends, fees and refunds are settled according to law. Keeping the entire fee for unprovided services as a blanket rule is excluded. Further statutory claims remain.

15. Applicable law, jurisdiction and complaints

Austrian law applies. For consumer bookings, mandatory protections of the state whose law would apply without this choice are not excluded. Consumer jurisdiction is governed by applicable statutory rules.

Business bookings (B2B): The court in Vienna with subject-matter jurisdiction is agreed as the exclusive forum for disputes under the specific course contract, unless mandatory jurisdiction rules prevent this. The agreement forms part of the terms available before registration and is expressly accepted with them at registration. It is documented with booking details and the accepted terms in a form that can be saved and sent by email.

Complaints may be sent to contact@imsp.pro . Statutory rights and any statutory duty to participate in consumer dispute resolution remain unaffected.