Rules & regulations
ARTICLE 1: PURPOSE
‘Le Mondial du fromage et des produits laitiers de TOURS’ is a brand of the Société Publique Locale [SPL] Tours événements. As part of this event, the ‘Tours International Cheese and Dairy Products Competition’, hereinafter referred to as the Competition, is organised.
Under a contract specially concluded for this purpose, SPL Tours événements has entrusted the organisation of this Competition to ARMONIA, hereafter called the Organiser, located at 331 chemin de la Croix de Fer, 69400 Limas, France. The goal of the Competition is to showcase high-quality products. The term “product” indifferently designates cheese or dairy products.
ARTICLE 2: PRODUCTS AUTHORISED TO COMPETE
All cheeses and dairy products from across the world are authorised to compete. Cheese and dairy products are defined as products prepared with all or part of the milk from cows, goats, sheep, buffalo or other animals. Cream desserts, rice puddings and other desserts must be made primarily from dairy products. The final composition of the product must be at least 50% milk or dairy products.
ARTICLE 3: PROFESSIONALS AUTHORISED TO PRESENT PRODUCTS
All professionals in the dairy sector, hereafter called the Participant(s), are eligible to participate: producers, groups of producers, cooperatives, dairies, refiners, cheese makers, processors, importers, sales offices…
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:
- be identifiable
- have a sales label.
- comply with the regulations in force in their country of production.
- must be safe for human consumption.
- For samples from countries outside the European Union, certain specific conditions may apply. In particular, documentation may be required, together with a veterinary certificate attesting that the samples have undergone a minimum heat treatment. In the event of non-conformity of the documents or refusal of entry of the products into France by the French authorities, the samples concerned will automatically be disqualified.
A Product with a name considered sexist, racist, discriminatory, or degrading for human beings, the Competition or the industry concerned, shall not be allowed to compete and shall not be allowed to use an award even if it was obtained under a different name.
The Competition reserves the right to refuse participation or to disqualify a sample and/or a Participant in the event of non-compliance with the rules, attempted cheating or inappropriate behaviour.
ARTICLE 5: SENDING SAMPLES AND SAFETY
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://concoursproduits.mondialdufromage.com, hereafter known as the "Website", as well as on the shipping documents. Samples shall be sent at the Participant’s expense and at his or her own risk. Where applicable, the Organiser will re-invoice participants for any taxes or customs duties they may owe. Upon reception, samples become the property of the Competition. Any sample sent shipping due 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 Organiser shall not be held responsible in case of theft, loss, delay, or damage during shipping of samples.
No Products may be deposited at the Parc des Expositions de Tours.
The Competition will take all necessary steps to preserve the samples (temperature, hygiene, security).
Reception and cold storage (+2/6°C) of samples will be provided from the time registration begins. Samples may be sent as packages and/or by transporter if the cold chain is not broken.
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 guaranteeing the safety of the products sent to the Competition, including storage conditions at the correct temperature before the samples are received by the Competition, are the responsibility of the Participant.
Any attempt to cheat, forge or misrepresent the way the products are presented or to bring the competition, profession or production sector into disrepute, for any reason whatsoever, will be prosecuted in the competent courts.
ARTICLE 6: REGISTRATION RULES
The Participant must provide the information required to open an account. He or she must also complete a registration form, called a product form, for each product submitted.
Products may only be registered via the Website:
a) The Participant must create an account on the Website. 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 Organiser may not be held liable for any inaccuracy in the information provided by the Participant in the forms and/or documents to be supplied.
Participants must indicate if they have any direct or indirect links with a taster on a jury so that the Organiser can take measures to ensure that this taster does not judge the Participant’s products.
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 Produits Tours, 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 Produits Tours.
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 cannot be reimbursed if, for example, samples or forms arrive after the deadline set by the Competition and indicated during registration, if the Product presented is disqualified, if the product does not receive a prize, or if the registration is cancelled for any reason that cannot be attributed to the Competition
ARTICLE 8: CALENDAR
Opening and closing dates for registration, as well as the deadline for receiving samples, and other key dates can be obtained from the competition's address by simple request. This information is also available on the Website.
The Competition cannot be held responsible for the non-receipt of samples, forms, documents to be provided and/or registration fees by a Participant within the prescribed time limit.
The Organiser reserves the right to make one or more changes to the venue and/or timetable displayed on the Website or in the documents. To ensure the proper running of the Competition, the tastings may be scheduled on other dates.
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. The participant registers the product in the appropriate category and is considered to be acting in good faith. The competition shall not be held responsible for any actual or supposed error in the choice of category, and such a situation shall not change the results of the competition.
To ensure that the tasting runs smoothly, the samples are classified by jury. Within a jury, the samples are grouped into sub-juries.
The Competition shall designate the members of each jury and do all in their power (prepare samples, organise the event, etc.) to make sure tastings are carried out properly. With the help of a suitable judging form, the Competition shall guarantee the control, processing, and publication of results.
If the number of competitors in a category is less than three when registration has been completed, the category may either be eliminated or combined with another, at the discretion of the Organiser. The samples involved may also be re-registered in a general category.
ARTICLE 10: FORCE MAJEURE
Force majeure is defined as: an epidemic, fire, natural catastrophe, strike, terrorist act or exceptional circumstances that the Organiser’s cannot control that prevents the Competition from happening as planned.
In such a case the Competition reserves the right to cancel the selection, change the place or dates initially planned, shorten or lengthen the Competition and modify its conditions or execution.
If an edition of the Competition is cancelled for a reason that cannot be attributed to the Organiser, or in the case of a force majeure as defined by the case-law of the French Court of Cassation, the Participant shall not hold the Competition responsible in any way, and registration fees and samples that have already been sent shall remain the property of the Competition.
The Competition may have to ask for samples to be sent again in such cases.
ARTICLE 11: ANONYMITY OF SAMPLES
Samples are numbered upon reception, to make them anonymous. The Organiser takes all the necessary measures to ensure that samples submitted for tasting remain strictly anonymous. He or she may decide on any cutting, transferred, change of packaging, masking or other operation required to ensure the anonymity of samples.
ARTICLE 12: MEANS OF JUDGING
Products are entered in 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 Organiser alone determines how samples shall be tasted, and shall not be held responsible if a product does not receive an award. Marks are confidential.
Products must not undergo any transformation before evaluation by jurors: no cooking, reheating, mixing or preparation other than cutting the product or opening the packaging.
ARTICLE 13: COMPOSITION OF JURIES
Juries are composed of jurors (industry professionals and/or informed consumers) who are designated and called directly by the commissioner general from a list of jurors who have voluntarily registered on the Website.
Each jury is made up of three to five members per table.
If one or more members of the jury are absent on the day of the tasting, the commissioner general may designate substitute jurors.
Jurors’ names are confidential. Their personal data is not communicated to any third parties.
Legal proceedings may not be brought against Organiser as a result of the choice of tasters. Tasters have sovereignty. Their marks cannot be contested. If an anomaly in marking results from a taster intentionally or non-intentionally giving a very poor mark to a product, the commissioner general shall be authorised to disqualify his or her marks.
In these rules and on the Site, the terms ‘taster’ and ‘juror’ refer indiscriminately to the members of the juries.
ARTICLE 14: OBLIGATIONS OF JURORS
Registration as a taster at the Concours International de Lyon implies acceptance of the following:
- Jury duty is voluntary and is not subject to compensation or remuneration.
- Only the person to whom the invitation was addressed (by email, SMS or letter) shall be authorised to enter the premises where the competition is being held. The invitation is strictly for the person named therein and shall not be given to another person without the authorisation of the competition commissioner.
- By signing up and coming to the event, participants agree to respect all safety instructions.
- No accompanying persons, whether minors or adults, shall be admitted to the room where the competition is taking place. Competition organisers reserve the right to refuse entry to any juror who does not follow this rule.
- Jurors are not allowed to judge their own products. The Organiser gets jury members to make a solemn declaration indicating any direct or indirect ties they may have with any companies, establishments, professional organisations or associations whose activities, products or interests may be related to Products presented in the competition. Disregard for this provision will be considered a fraudulent act. The Organiser has the right to disqualify any juror, if necessary, to avoid having a competitor judge his or her own products.
- The Competition reserves the right to refuse the participation of a juror, 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 give reasons.
- The competition recommends that participants in the tasting take out cancellation insurance for all travel-related reservations (hotel, transportation, etc.). If an edition of the Competition is cancelled for a reason that cannot be attributed to the Organiser, in the case of a force majeure as defined by the case-law of the French Court of Cassation, or for any other reason, the tasting participant cannot in any way hold the Competition responsible for any expenses incurred in view of participation in the Competition. Such expenses cannot be reimbursed.
- Tasting participants may need to use sharp objects such as knives. Participants are strongly advised to use these objects with care. Under no circumstances may the competition be held responsible for any injury resulting from the use of these objects.
- It is not advisable to take part if you have a food allergy, intolerance, hypersensitivity or immunodeficiency. The competition cannot guarantee the absence of allergens and cannot make up the juries taking into account food allergies, intolerances or hypersensitivities. Some products may be tasted before they are marketed. As a result, their stability cannot be guaranteed (unfinished fermentation, germs present, unfiltered product, traces of allergens, microbiological risks, etc.). In the event of an allergic reaction, indigestion, intoxication or infection following the tasting of a product, the Competition cannot be held liable in any way whatsoever to the juror.
- Leaving with samples, even open ones, is prohibited.
- Photos and videos: the juror grants competition organisers, freely and without any financial compensation, the right to photograph and/or film him or her if they wish to do so, and to use these images on any supports, including advertisements, in France or abroad for any length of time.
ARTICLE 15: PRESIDENCY OF JURIES
The President and the Commissioners General presides over juries. The jury presidents make sure the tasting is carried out properly, that all samples remain anonymous and organise the jurors’ marking.
ARTICLE 16: AWARD OF DISTINCTIONS
The Competition grants the following awards:
- Gold Medal
- Silver Medal
- Bronze Medal
The mark for a sample is determined by calculating the arithmetic mean of the marks awarded by the Jurors who assessed it. Rounding is to the nearest whole number, with 5 being the highest.
A sample is awarded a medal if its score is greater than or equal to the minimum score required to qualify for the Gold (90/100), Silver (85/100) or Bronze (80/100) medal.
In the event of a tie for a medal, the sample with the lowest standard deviation between all the marks awarded by the jury will be selected for the award of this medal.
A sample that does not comply with the entry conditions defined in these rules will not be awarded a medal.
The Organiser is the sole judge of the method of awarding medals, and cannot be held responsible if a sample is not awarded a medal.
A second panel of judges may award the honorary distinction of ‘World Champion’ among the 12 samples with the 12 highest scores in the Competition.
This judging will take place during a second tasting in the presence of the professional public and will be organised by Tours Evénements.
The 12 best samples from the first day of competition will be judged a second time by a panel of 12 international judges, who will award a final mark to each of them and the title of ‘World Champion’ to the best of them.
ARTICLE 17: PUBLICATION OF RESULTS
Participants will be informed of results by email if and only if their Products are selected for an award. This mail will be the official document for the Competition. As such, it will indicate the name of the Competition, type of distinction awarded, identity of the Product, and the name and address of the Participant.
If a brand was not declared upon registration, only the owner of the lot can request that it be added to the Competition. The new brand name can be used only after the Competition has confirmed its agreement by email.
Information relating to the product and communicated by the Participant at the time of registration (category, certification, etc.) may be published (print or digital) and communicated to the public. In the event of an error in publication, no financial compensation will be awarded to the Participant.
Participants with at least one medal-winning sample, hereinafter referred to as the Winner(s), authorise the Competition to publish their results, name, contact details and information about their medal-winning sample(s).
During the Mondial des Fromages, the results will be published on a notice board. The cockades will be available on the day from Tours Evénements.
ARTICLE 18: USE OF DISTINCTIONS
Medals representing distinctions may only be placed on the bottles or packages of award-winning Products, whose characteristics correspond entirely to those of the product for which the distinction was awarded. Medals may be affixed to products for a period of 2 years from the date on which the results are announced.
Prior authorisation must be obtained, and fees paid, before completely or partially reproducing or representing the medal or logo. (See article 21).
The adhesive material used to produce medals can contain metal and non-food compounds. When ordering medals, the participant must inform the Competition of any production constraints stemming from packaging chains.
If there is a problem with using of the adhesive medals issued by the Competition or the printer, the Competition shall not be held responsible for any losses in productivity, given the numerous parameters involved in packaging and in affixing medals.
The Competition or the printer shall, however, do all in its power to replace the rolls of medals with a manufacturing defect.
ARTICLE 19: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Any total or partial reproduction or representation of the medal, logo, name or all or part of the elements found on the Website is strictly forbidden unless authorisation has been previously requested and granted. The medal may be reproduced only with prior authorisation, and it may not be modified, changed, or adapted in any way.
In general, company names, brands and distinctive signs reproduced on the Website or on other supports diffused and developed by the Competition are protected by copyright.
Any unauthorised use of the medal, logo, name or all or part of the elements found on the Site by a Participant or a Winner constitutes an act of counterfeiting for which the person responsible will be held liable.
Winners must obtain prior authorisation from the Organiser for any proposed use of the logo and/or medal before distribution, by sending the Organiser a print order at least 48 hours before production to the Competition email address. The Winners expressly undertake to respect the graphic charter communicated by the Competition without making any changes or additions to it, unless prior written dispensation is given by the Organiser and the Organiser alone.
The Organiser reserves the right to take all necessary measures, including legal action, to put an end to any disturbance resulting or that may result from a Winner's failure to comply with the provisions of this Article.
ARTICLE 20: AUDITS
The Competition reserves the right to cancel any incomplete or erroneous registration and to eliminate any sample that does not comply with the rules and regulations or registration procedures. The Competition reserves the right to have a certified laboratory of its choice perform an analytical verification of samples provided and to take any subsequent steps it deems necessary. The Competition reserves the right to take samples at sales points to verify that samples found for sale in stores or on Website correspond to award-winning samples.
The Organiser shall set up an internal control system to guarantee that these rules and regulations are applied. The system shall be placed under the responsibility of the Organiser. The Organiser shall verify that the following are respected: conformity of registration documents, anonymity of Products during tasting, selection of jurors according to criteria set out in article 13, attribution of distinctions in conformity with article 16.
The Winners undertake to provide the Organiser without delay with any information required to exercise its right of control.
If samples are eliminated because of non-conformity with rules and regulations, Participants must recover them at the Organiser’s headquarters, at their own expense and in the week following notification of their non-conformity. At the end of this one-week period the Organiser shall have the right to destroy the samples.
ARTICLE 21: USE OF THE « Le Mondial du fromage et des produits laitiers de TOURS » BRAND NAME
Use of the ‘Le Mondial du fromage et des produits laitiers de TOURS’ name or logo of the award may be indicated only by affixing self-sticking medals acquired from the Organiser, or by printing medals on Product packaging (labels, collars, bottles, primary or secondary packaging, cartons) after having obtained the corresponding printing rights from the Organiser. Rights to print medals and affix self-sticking medals are acquired for a specific Product and may not be transferred to other products.
If printing rights are not paid for then brands or logos are not allowed to be used.
Only printers authorised to do so by the Competition may print medals on product packaging. Any use of the brand name or logo outside the conditions defined in these rules and regulations, the graphics charter, or any other document to which it may refer, shall be considered fraudulent.
Penalties provided for in article 20 of these Rules and Regulations shall apply to any printer who prints self-sticking medals or medals with a permit number without authorisation from the Competition, any awarded producer or third-party who uses medals from a printer that is not authorised by the Organiser or that does not follow the rules of use described in these Rules and Regulations.
For a fee, the Winner may obtain advertising materials made available by the Competition. The Winner may also create its own advertising materials after getting written permission from the Competition. In this case, final proofs must be validated by the Competition before the supports are produced.
ARTICLE 22: OBLIGATION OF PARTICIPANTS AND AVAILABILITY OF THE RULES & REGULATIONS
Participants in the Competition must accept these rules and regulations, legal information, and the policy for managing personal data that can be obtained from the competition's address by simple request.
ARTICLE 23: PENALTIES
If the medal or any other distinctive sign belonging to the Competition is reproduced and/or used in ways that do not meet the conditions stipulated in these Rules and Regulations, or in any other document or rules to which it refers, the Organiser may apply the following penalties, no matter what the reasons leading up to the infraction noted and without eliminating the possibility of any other appropriate legal steps--particularly if the Participant has acted in bad faith--in order to put a stop to the problem(s) and obtain compensation for the direct or indirect damages suffered:
- immediate payment of all fees due for use of the medal for the entire yearly volume, with an additional financial penalty of 50% of the sum due, a €5.000 fine and payment of all fees (lawyer and independent inspector in particular) incurred by the Organiser,
- immediate suspension of use of the medal until it can be proven that all self-sticking medals and/or medals with permit numbers not yet placed on Product(s) have been destroyed,
- immediate removal of all Product(s) bearing the medal from all stores and other points where they are sold, at the sole expense of the user who has not applied these Rules and Regulations,
- being banned from the Competition, for up to 10 years,
- being unable to refer to a medal obtained in a preceding edition of the Competition.
Any penalty applied under the conditions of this article cannot in any case lead to compensation of the Participant, no matter what motives led to the infraction and even if the penalty is later revoked.
In addition, should Winners learn that a third-party has used the medal fraudulently, they solemnly agree to inform the Organiser of such use.
The Winners undertake to inform the Organiser of any infringement proceedings brought against them or of any infringement against them with regard to their medal-winning samples.
ARTICLE 24: GDPR
The charter on how personal data is managed is available on the Website's legal information.
ARTICLE 25: APPLICABLE LAW - DISPUTES
These rules and regulations are subject to French law. The language of the rules and regulations is French.
Any disputed interpretation of these rules, any claim concerning the prize list and any other dispute must be made in writing no later than six working days after the results are announced by the Organiser, who undertakes to take them into account immediately.
In the case of any dispute or legal action taken against the Competition or the Organiser, the Tribunaux de Lyon (France) shall be the only competent authority regardless of the nationalities of the parties to the conflict.
‘Le Mondial du fromage et des produits laitiers de TOURS’ is a brand of the Société Publique Locale [SPL] Tours événements. As part of this event, the ‘Tours International Cheese and Dairy Products Competition’, hereinafter referred to as the Competition, is organised.
Under a contract specially concluded for this purpose, SPL Tours événements has entrusted the organisation of this Competition to ARMONIA, hereafter called the Organiser, located at 331 chemin de la Croix de Fer, 69400 Limas, France. The goal of the Competition is to showcase high-quality products. The term “product” indifferently designates cheese or dairy products.
ARTICLE 2: PRODUCTS AUTHORISED TO COMPETE
All cheeses and dairy products from across the world are authorised to compete. Cheese and dairy products are defined as products prepared with all or part of the milk from cows, goats, sheep, buffalo or other animals. Cream desserts, rice puddings and other desserts must be made primarily from dairy products. The final composition of the product must be at least 50% milk or dairy products.
ARTICLE 3: PROFESSIONALS AUTHORISED TO PRESENT PRODUCTS
All professionals in the dairy sector, hereafter called the Participant(s), are eligible to participate: producers, groups of producers, cooperatives, dairies, refiners, cheese makers, processors, importers, sales offices…
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:
- be identifiable
- have a sales label.
- comply with the regulations in force in their country of production.
- must be safe for human consumption.
- For samples from countries outside the European Union, certain specific conditions may apply. In particular, documentation may be required, together with a veterinary certificate attesting that the samples have undergone a minimum heat treatment. In the event of non-conformity of the documents or refusal of entry of the products into France by the French authorities, the samples concerned will automatically be disqualified.
A Product with a name considered sexist, racist, discriminatory, or degrading for human beings, the Competition or the industry concerned, shall not be allowed to compete and shall not be allowed to use an award even if it was obtained under a different name.
The Competition reserves the right to refuse participation or to disqualify a sample and/or a Participant in the event of non-compliance with the rules, attempted cheating or inappropriate behaviour.
ARTICLE 5: SENDING SAMPLES AND SAFETY
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://concoursproduits.mondialdufromage.com, hereafter known as the "Website", as well as on the shipping documents. Samples shall be sent at the Participant’s expense and at his or her own risk. Where applicable, the Organiser will re-invoice participants for any taxes or customs duties they may owe. Upon reception, samples become the property of the Competition. Any sample sent shipping due 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 Organiser shall not be held responsible in case of theft, loss, delay, or damage during shipping of samples.
No Products may be deposited at the Parc des Expositions de Tours.
The Competition will take all necessary steps to preserve the samples (temperature, hygiene, security).
Reception and cold storage (+2/6°C) of samples will be provided from the time registration begins. Samples may be sent as packages and/or by transporter if the cold chain is not broken.
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 guaranteeing the safety of the products sent to the Competition, including storage conditions at the correct temperature before the samples are received by the Competition, are the responsibility of the Participant.
Any attempt to cheat, forge or misrepresent the way the products are presented or to bring the competition, profession or production sector into disrepute, for any reason whatsoever, will be prosecuted in the competent courts.
ARTICLE 6: REGISTRATION RULES
The Participant must provide the information required to open an account. He or she must also complete a registration form, called a product form, for each product submitted.
Products may only be registered via the Website:
a) The Participant must create an account on the Website. 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 Organiser may not be held liable for any inaccuracy in the information provided by the Participant in the forms and/or documents to be supplied.
Participants must indicate if they have any direct or indirect links with a taster on a jury so that the Organiser can take measures to ensure that this taster does not judge the Participant’s products.
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 Produits Tours, 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 Produits Tours.
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 cannot be reimbursed if, for example, samples or forms arrive after the deadline set by the Competition and indicated during registration, if the Product presented is disqualified, if the product does not receive a prize, or if the registration is cancelled for any reason that cannot be attributed to the Competition
ARTICLE 8: CALENDAR
Opening and closing dates for registration, as well as the deadline for receiving samples, and other key dates can be obtained from the competition's address by simple request. This information is also available on the Website.
The Competition cannot be held responsible for the non-receipt of samples, forms, documents to be provided and/or registration fees by a Participant within the prescribed time limit.
The Organiser reserves the right to make one or more changes to the venue and/or timetable displayed on the Website or in the documents. To ensure the proper running of the Competition, the tastings may be scheduled on other dates.
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. The participant registers the product in the appropriate category and is considered to be acting in good faith. The competition shall not be held responsible for any actual or supposed error in the choice of category, and such a situation shall not change the results of the competition.
To ensure that the tasting runs smoothly, the samples are classified by jury. Within a jury, the samples are grouped into sub-juries.
The Competition shall designate the members of each jury and do all in their power (prepare samples, organise the event, etc.) to make sure tastings are carried out properly. With the help of a suitable judging form, the Competition shall guarantee the control, processing, and publication of results.
If the number of competitors in a category is less than three when registration has been completed, the category may either be eliminated or combined with another, at the discretion of the Organiser. The samples involved may also be re-registered in a general category.
ARTICLE 10: FORCE MAJEURE
Force majeure is defined as: an epidemic, fire, natural catastrophe, strike, terrorist act or exceptional circumstances that the Organiser’s cannot control that prevents the Competition from happening as planned.
In such a case the Competition reserves the right to cancel the selection, change the place or dates initially planned, shorten or lengthen the Competition and modify its conditions or execution.
If an edition of the Competition is cancelled for a reason that cannot be attributed to the Organiser, or in the case of a force majeure as defined by the case-law of the French Court of Cassation, the Participant shall not hold the Competition responsible in any way, and registration fees and samples that have already been sent shall remain the property of the Competition.
The Competition may have to ask for samples to be sent again in such cases.
ARTICLE 11: ANONYMITY OF SAMPLES
Samples are numbered upon reception, to make them anonymous. The Organiser takes all the necessary measures to ensure that samples submitted for tasting remain strictly anonymous. He or she may decide on any cutting, transferred, change of packaging, masking or other operation required to ensure the anonymity of samples.
ARTICLE 12: MEANS OF JUDGING
Products are entered in 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 Organiser alone determines how samples shall be tasted, and shall not be held responsible if a product does not receive an award. Marks are confidential.
Products must not undergo any transformation before evaluation by jurors: no cooking, reheating, mixing or preparation other than cutting the product or opening the packaging.
ARTICLE 13: COMPOSITION OF JURIES
Juries are composed of jurors (industry professionals and/or informed consumers) who are designated and called directly by the commissioner general from a list of jurors who have voluntarily registered on the Website.
Each jury is made up of three to five members per table.
If one or more members of the jury are absent on the day of the tasting, the commissioner general may designate substitute jurors.
Jurors’ names are confidential. Their personal data is not communicated to any third parties.
Legal proceedings may not be brought against Organiser as a result of the choice of tasters. Tasters have sovereignty. Their marks cannot be contested. If an anomaly in marking results from a taster intentionally or non-intentionally giving a very poor mark to a product, the commissioner general shall be authorised to disqualify his or her marks.
In these rules and on the Site, the terms ‘taster’ and ‘juror’ refer indiscriminately to the members of the juries.
ARTICLE 14: OBLIGATIONS OF JURORS
Registration as a taster at the Concours International de Lyon implies acceptance of the following:
- Jury duty is voluntary and is not subject to compensation or remuneration.
- Only the person to whom the invitation was addressed (by email, SMS or letter) shall be authorised to enter the premises where the competition is being held. The invitation is strictly for the person named therein and shall not be given to another person without the authorisation of the competition commissioner.
- By signing up and coming to the event, participants agree to respect all safety instructions.
- No accompanying persons, whether minors or adults, shall be admitted to the room where the competition is taking place. Competition organisers reserve the right to refuse entry to any juror who does not follow this rule.
- Jurors are not allowed to judge their own products. The Organiser gets jury members to make a solemn declaration indicating any direct or indirect ties they may have with any companies, establishments, professional organisations or associations whose activities, products or interests may be related to Products presented in the competition. Disregard for this provision will be considered a fraudulent act. The Organiser has the right to disqualify any juror, if necessary, to avoid having a competitor judge his or her own products.
- The Competition reserves the right to refuse the participation of a juror, 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 give reasons.
- The competition recommends that participants in the tasting take out cancellation insurance for all travel-related reservations (hotel, transportation, etc.). If an edition of the Competition is cancelled for a reason that cannot be attributed to the Organiser, in the case of a force majeure as defined by the case-law of the French Court of Cassation, or for any other reason, the tasting participant cannot in any way hold the Competition responsible for any expenses incurred in view of participation in the Competition. Such expenses cannot be reimbursed.
- Tasting participants may need to use sharp objects such as knives. Participants are strongly advised to use these objects with care. Under no circumstances may the competition be held responsible for any injury resulting from the use of these objects.
- It is not advisable to take part if you have a food allergy, intolerance, hypersensitivity or immunodeficiency. The competition cannot guarantee the absence of allergens and cannot make up the juries taking into account food allergies, intolerances or hypersensitivities. Some products may be tasted before they are marketed. As a result, their stability cannot be guaranteed (unfinished fermentation, germs present, unfiltered product, traces of allergens, microbiological risks, etc.). In the event of an allergic reaction, indigestion, intoxication or infection following the tasting of a product, the Competition cannot be held liable in any way whatsoever to the juror.
- Leaving with samples, even open ones, is prohibited.
- Photos and videos: the juror grants competition organisers, freely and without any financial compensation, the right to photograph and/or film him or her if they wish to do so, and to use these images on any supports, including advertisements, in France or abroad for any length of time.
ARTICLE 15: PRESIDENCY OF JURIES
The President and the Commissioners General presides over juries. The jury presidents make sure the tasting is carried out properly, that all samples remain anonymous and organise the jurors’ marking.
ARTICLE 16: AWARD OF DISTINCTIONS
The Competition grants the following awards:
- Gold Medal
- Silver Medal
- Bronze Medal
The mark for a sample is determined by calculating the arithmetic mean of the marks awarded by the Jurors who assessed it. Rounding is to the nearest whole number, with 5 being the highest.
A sample is awarded a medal if its score is greater than or equal to the minimum score required to qualify for the Gold (90/100), Silver (85/100) or Bronze (80/100) medal.
In the event of a tie for a medal, the sample with the lowest standard deviation between all the marks awarded by the jury will be selected for the award of this medal.
A sample that does not comply with the entry conditions defined in these rules will not be awarded a medal.
The Organiser is the sole judge of the method of awarding medals, and cannot be held responsible if a sample is not awarded a medal.
A second panel of judges may award the honorary distinction of ‘World Champion’ among the 12 samples with the 12 highest scores in the Competition.
This judging will take place during a second tasting in the presence of the professional public and will be organised by Tours Evénements.
The 12 best samples from the first day of competition will be judged a second time by a panel of 12 international judges, who will award a final mark to each of them and the title of ‘World Champion’ to the best of them.
ARTICLE 17: PUBLICATION OF RESULTS
Participants will be informed of results by email if and only if their Products are selected for an award. This mail will be the official document for the Competition. As such, it will indicate the name of the Competition, type of distinction awarded, identity of the Product, and the name and address of the Participant.
If a brand was not declared upon registration, only the owner of the lot can request that it be added to the Competition. The new brand name can be used only after the Competition has confirmed its agreement by email.
Information relating to the product and communicated by the Participant at the time of registration (category, certification, etc.) may be published (print or digital) and communicated to the public. In the event of an error in publication, no financial compensation will be awarded to the Participant.
Participants with at least one medal-winning sample, hereinafter referred to as the Winner(s), authorise the Competition to publish their results, name, contact details and information about their medal-winning sample(s).
During the Mondial des Fromages, the results will be published on a notice board. The cockades will be available on the day from Tours Evénements.
ARTICLE 18: USE OF DISTINCTIONS
Medals representing distinctions may only be placed on the bottles or packages of award-winning Products, whose characteristics correspond entirely to those of the product for which the distinction was awarded. Medals may be affixed to products for a period of 2 years from the date on which the results are announced.
Prior authorisation must be obtained, and fees paid, before completely or partially reproducing or representing the medal or logo. (See article 21).
The adhesive material used to produce medals can contain metal and non-food compounds. When ordering medals, the participant must inform the Competition of any production constraints stemming from packaging chains.
If there is a problem with using of the adhesive medals issued by the Competition or the printer, the Competition shall not be held responsible for any losses in productivity, given the numerous parameters involved in packaging and in affixing medals.
The Competition or the printer shall, however, do all in its power to replace the rolls of medals with a manufacturing defect.
ARTICLE 19: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Any total or partial reproduction or representation of the medal, logo, name or all or part of the elements found on the Website is strictly forbidden unless authorisation has been previously requested and granted. The medal may be reproduced only with prior authorisation, and it may not be modified, changed, or adapted in any way.
In general, company names, brands and distinctive signs reproduced on the Website or on other supports diffused and developed by the Competition are protected by copyright.
Any unauthorised use of the medal, logo, name or all or part of the elements found on the Site by a Participant or a Winner constitutes an act of counterfeiting for which the person responsible will be held liable.
Winners must obtain prior authorisation from the Organiser for any proposed use of the logo and/or medal before distribution, by sending the Organiser a print order at least 48 hours before production to the Competition email address. The Winners expressly undertake to respect the graphic charter communicated by the Competition without making any changes or additions to it, unless prior written dispensation is given by the Organiser and the Organiser alone.
The Organiser reserves the right to take all necessary measures, including legal action, to put an end to any disturbance resulting or that may result from a Winner's failure to comply with the provisions of this Article.
ARTICLE 20: AUDITS
The Competition reserves the right to cancel any incomplete or erroneous registration and to eliminate any sample that does not comply with the rules and regulations or registration procedures. The Competition reserves the right to have a certified laboratory of its choice perform an analytical verification of samples provided and to take any subsequent steps it deems necessary. The Competition reserves the right to take samples at sales points to verify that samples found for sale in stores or on Website correspond to award-winning samples.
The Organiser shall set up an internal control system to guarantee that these rules and regulations are applied. The system shall be placed under the responsibility of the Organiser. The Organiser shall verify that the following are respected: conformity of registration documents, anonymity of Products during tasting, selection of jurors according to criteria set out in article 13, attribution of distinctions in conformity with article 16.
The Winners undertake to provide the Organiser without delay with any information required to exercise its right of control.
If samples are eliminated because of non-conformity with rules and regulations, Participants must recover them at the Organiser’s headquarters, at their own expense and in the week following notification of their non-conformity. At the end of this one-week period the Organiser shall have the right to destroy the samples.
ARTICLE 21: USE OF THE « Le Mondial du fromage et des produits laitiers de TOURS » BRAND NAME
Use of the ‘Le Mondial du fromage et des produits laitiers de TOURS’ name or logo of the award may be indicated only by affixing self-sticking medals acquired from the Organiser, or by printing medals on Product packaging (labels, collars, bottles, primary or secondary packaging, cartons) after having obtained the corresponding printing rights from the Organiser. Rights to print medals and affix self-sticking medals are acquired for a specific Product and may not be transferred to other products.
If printing rights are not paid for then brands or logos are not allowed to be used.
Only printers authorised to do so by the Competition may print medals on product packaging. Any use of the brand name or logo outside the conditions defined in these rules and regulations, the graphics charter, or any other document to which it may refer, shall be considered fraudulent.
Penalties provided for in article 20 of these Rules and Regulations shall apply to any printer who prints self-sticking medals or medals with a permit number without authorisation from the Competition, any awarded producer or third-party who uses medals from a printer that is not authorised by the Organiser or that does not follow the rules of use described in these Rules and Regulations.
For a fee, the Winner may obtain advertising materials made available by the Competition. The Winner may also create its own advertising materials after getting written permission from the Competition. In this case, final proofs must be validated by the Competition before the supports are produced.
ARTICLE 22: OBLIGATION OF PARTICIPANTS AND AVAILABILITY OF THE RULES & REGULATIONS
Participants in the Competition must accept these rules and regulations, legal information, and the policy for managing personal data that can be obtained from the competition's address by simple request.
ARTICLE 23: PENALTIES
If the medal or any other distinctive sign belonging to the Competition is reproduced and/or used in ways that do not meet the conditions stipulated in these Rules and Regulations, or in any other document or rules to which it refers, the Organiser may apply the following penalties, no matter what the reasons leading up to the infraction noted and without eliminating the possibility of any other appropriate legal steps--particularly if the Participant has acted in bad faith--in order to put a stop to the problem(s) and obtain compensation for the direct or indirect damages suffered:
- immediate payment of all fees due for use of the medal for the entire yearly volume, with an additional financial penalty of 50% of the sum due, a €5.000 fine and payment of all fees (lawyer and independent inspector in particular) incurred by the Organiser,
- immediate suspension of use of the medal until it can be proven that all self-sticking medals and/or medals with permit numbers not yet placed on Product(s) have been destroyed,
- immediate removal of all Product(s) bearing the medal from all stores and other points where they are sold, at the sole expense of the user who has not applied these Rules and Regulations,
- being banned from the Competition, for up to 10 years,
- being unable to refer to a medal obtained in a preceding edition of the Competition.
Any penalty applied under the conditions of this article cannot in any case lead to compensation of the Participant, no matter what motives led to the infraction and even if the penalty is later revoked.
In addition, should Winners learn that a third-party has used the medal fraudulently, they solemnly agree to inform the Organiser of such use.
The Winners undertake to inform the Organiser of any infringement proceedings brought against them or of any infringement against them with regard to their medal-winning samples.
ARTICLE 24: GDPR
The charter on how personal data is managed is available on the Website's legal information.
ARTICLE 25: APPLICABLE LAW - DISPUTES
These rules and regulations are subject to French law. The language of the rules and regulations is French.
Any disputed interpretation of these rules, any claim concerning the prize list and any other dispute must be made in writing no later than six working days after the results are announced by the Organiser, who undertakes to take them into account immediately.
In the case of any dispute or legal action taken against the Competition or the Organiser, the Tribunaux de Lyon (France) shall be the only competent authority regardless of the nationalities of the parties to the conflict.