General Terms and Conditions of Use for ARIS Websites

1. Initial Provisions

1.1 The Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (hereinafter: ARIS) sets out, in these general terms and conditions, the rules and conditions of use, as well as other rights and obligations relating to the websites it operates, as defined in point 2 of these general terms and conditions.

1.2 By registering on the RRI stičišče (RDI Hub) website, the user confirms that they are aware of these general terms and conditions, that they agree to them, and that they are bound by the provisions of these general terms and conditions.

1.3 An integral part of these general terms and conditions are also the Legal Notice, Cookie Policy and ARIS Privacy Notice.

1.4 These general terms and conditions may form an integral part of a specific agreement; they supplement it and are binding in the same way as the provisions of that specific agreement.

1.5 These general terms and conditions are binding on all users of the ARIS websites from the date of their publication or update.

2. Definition of terms

The terms used in these general terms and conditions have the following meanings:

  • ARIS websites refer to websites managed by ARIS and include websites open to the public, namely the ARIS website (https://www.aris-rs.si), the RDI Hub website (https://www.rri.si) and the Data Portal website (https://dataportal.aris-rs.si), as well as individual ARIS websites that may only be used by registered users. These comprise the RDI Hub registration website (https://www.rri.si) and other restricted-access ARIS portals, which are intended exclusively for internal use within ARIS.
  • The RDI Hub website in these general terms and conditions refers to a website that allows users to register for the purpose of submitting various content and publications (e.g. events, news, funding opportunities, support services) relating to the field of activity of a business entity interested in publishing content and announcements from its field of work that support scientific research and innovation activities.
  • The Data Portal website in these general terms and conditions refers to a website intended for the publication of data, analyses, indicators, news and other content relating to scientific research and innovation activities. The portal provides users with access to data, visualisations, analytical content and other information that supports the monitoring and understanding of developments in science, research and innovation.
  • A user is a natural person who uses the ARIS websites.
  • A registered user is a user who uses the RDI Hub website on behalf of a public or private sector organisation.
  • A user account is the user account created by a registered user upon registration on the RDI Hub website.
  • A business entity is a natural person or legal entity governed by public or private law which, in accordance with its internal rules, appoints and authorises a registered user to publish content on the RDI Hub website (e.g. an employee of the business entity or another person acting under its supervision) or which enters into a specific agreement with ARIS in accordance with these general terms and conditions.
  • The SPIRIT Slovenia Start-up Database is a publicly accessible database of business entities managed by the Public Agency for the Promotion of Investment, Entrepreneurship and Internationalisation (hereinafter: SPIRIT Slovenia).
  • The ARIS e-newsletter refers to ARIS’s occasional online publication service, which users receive at their email address if they have subscribed to the e-newsletter on ARIS websites that are open to the public.
  • Use of the software interface refers to the service of using the application programming interface developed by ARIS or a business entity for the purpose of automatically retrieving or transmitting data and information published on the websites of ARIS or the business entity. The service is provided if ARIS and the business entity agree on the data model and reach an agreement on the collection and transmission of information. The entering into a separate agreement does not preclude the possibility of appointing users of the RDI Hub website and registering them in accordance with these terms and conditions.
  • The editor refers to an ARIS employee who, prior to the publication of a registered user’s publication on the RDI Hub website, checks the proposed post, the completeness of the content submitted by the user and any other information provided. If the proposal is appropriate and the registered user submits all the necessary declarations on the website, the editor will process it, classify it according to its content, approve it, and publish the proposal for publication submitted by the user on the RDI Hub website. The editor may manually add individual publications by business entities that they publish on their websites, provided that no explicit restrictions are set out in the terms and conditions of use of the business entities’ websites and provided that, in accordance with editorial policy, it is assessed that such a publication promotes and supports the achievement of the Republic of Slovenia’s objectives in the fields of scientific research, development, innovation and social development. As part of its editorial policy, ARIS has the discretion to decide whether or not to publish individual items on the RDI Hub website.

3. Management of ARIS websites and the division of responsibilities

3.1 As part of its website management, ARIS strives to:

  • implement the smooth and continuous operation of ARIS websites; however, it shall not be liable for any outage or failure resulting from force majeure or the actions of a third party which could not be avoided or remedied,
  • ensure that ARIS websites are up and running for registered users as soon as possible in the event of an outage or failure,
  • ensure the accurate and timely publication of data on ARIS websites.

3.2 ARIS websites are for information purposes only. The content published on the RDI Hub website is summarised, adapted and/or reproduced from publicly available sources, such as: www.aris.si, www.gov.si, www.spiritslovenia.si, www.podjetniskisklad.si, and other relevant websites in the field of research, development and innovation (RDI). ARIS accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any publications or information it publishes from publicly available sources or websites that are not owned or controlled by it.

3.3 ARIS accepts no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of the information contained on the RDI Ecosystem Stakeholders webpage, particularly that which is automatically retrieved from external databases (the ARIS database and the SPIRIT Slovenia start-up database). If an individual wishes to have any particular data in such databases corrected, amended or deleted, they must contact the controller of the source database directly.

3.4 ARIS accepts no liability, whether for damages or otherwise, for any errors or omissions in the content of the ARIS websites; at the same time it reserves the right to amend, delete, supplement and update the functionality of any part of the content on ARIS websites.

3.5 The accessibility of individual sections of the ARIS websites and the degree to which they are interactive also depend on the method of access. To access the restricted sections of ARIS websites, users need a valid user account.

3.6 Users of ARIS websites use all services at their own risk. ARIS shall not be liable for any damage arising from any changes to the operation of ARIS websites, permanent or temporary interruptions to the provision of the RDI Hub website or other ARIS websites, any errors or omissions in the content, incorrect data entry, or the fact that the user has failed to safeguard their username, password or other details and maintain their confidentiality. ARIS’s disclaimers of liability apply regardless of whether ARIS was aware of the occurrence of such damages or whether it ought to have been or could have been aware of the possibility of their occurrence. ARIS is also not responsible for the form and content of data obtained via links that do not belong to ARIS.

3.7 ARIS is under no obligation to verify the internal authorisation arrangements within business entities, unless it is evident from the circumstances that the user referred to in point 4 of these general terms and conditions is not authorised to submit content (e.g. a notification from the business entity or other persons regarding published content). ARIS may, at any time, request further verification of identity, the submission of a power of attorney, or confirmation of a registered user’s authorisation to submit content for publication.

3.8 ARIS reserves the right, in the event of detected misuse, attempts at unauthorised access or other unlawful acts, to immediately restrict or block access to the RDI Hub website and to notify the relevant authorities of such abuse.

3.9 ARIS treats all data received upon registration on the RDI Hub website or during its use as confidential and safeguards it in such a way as to prevent its unauthorised or unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction or alteration.

4. User registration, the registered user’s responsibilities and use of the RDI Hub website

4.1 Users wishing to participate in the restricted section of the RDI Hub website are required, prior to participating and submitting content for publication on the RDI Hub website, to register and confirm that they agree to these general terms and conditions and that they have the permission or authorisation of the legal representative of the business entity to register and submit content to the RDI Hub website. Registered users undertake to use the RDI Hub website fairly and in accordance with these general terms and conditions.

4.2 A registered user who submits content, a proposal for publication, a statement, information or any other contribution on behalf of a business entity hereby declares and warrants:

  • that they are authorised to use the RDI Hub website on behalf of that business entity,
  • that they have the appropriate authorisation or other legal basis for registering and publishing content,
  • that they have obtained all the necessary internal consents and approvals,
  • that the information provided is accurate, complete and in accordance with clause 4.4 of these general terms and conditions.
    ARIS may in good faith rely on the statements made by the registered user.

4.3 A registered user is responsible for any content posted via their user account. If a registered user submits content without the appropriate authorisation or in breach of the business entity’s internal rules, they shall be solely liable for such conduct. The registered user undertakes to compensate ARIS for any damages, costs or other consequences that may arise as a result of false statements regarding their authority to act on behalf of others or as a result of the unauthorised submission of content.

4.4 A registered user undertakes:

  • not to use the RDI Hub website for any unlawful, fraudulent or misleading purposes, or for any purposes contrary to these general terms and conditions;
  • not to use the RDI Hub website in any way that could damage, disable, overburden or harm ARIS, other users of ARIS websites or any other persons;
  • not to use the RDI Hub website to disrupt or interfere with the operation of servers, networks or security mechanisms;
  • not to gain unauthorised access to other users’ accounts, data or services;
  • not to use the RDI Hub website to publish advertising content for the purpose of offering or promoting goods or services,
  • not to use the RDI Hub website to publish support services that are not consistent with the purpose of the RDI Hub,
  • when providing any data or information whilst using the RDI Hub website, to guarantee that such data and information are true and accurate, and that, where information is provided in the form of documents (e.g. photographs), the business entity on whose behalf it submits a proposal for publication is the holder of the relevant rights or licences, on the basis of which it may lawfully dispose of them,
  • that they will use the RDI website forum respectfully and will not post offensive, discriminatory or hateful content,
  • that they will publish on the RDI Hub website only content intended for the public and approved by the business entity on whose behalf it operates,
  • that publications shall not infringe on individuals’ privacy or disclose their personal data, unless a suitable legal basis has been established in advance,
  • that they will not exercise their rights in a manner that could harm the reputation and security of the ARIS services as set out in these general terms and conditions.

4.5 A registered user receives confirmation of their registration at the email address provided during registration, on the RDI Hub website, and, following approval by the editor, will also receive a notification regarding the publication of the content or any other notification in accordance with these general terms and conditions.

4.6 As part of its editorial activities, ARIS checks whether a registered user has submitted all the content required for publication on the RDI Hub website. ARIS reserves the right to make minor non-substantive corrections and to classify content at its own discretion without the prior approval of the registered user, particularly where content is automatically transferred from the registered user’s website. It also reserves the right to contact a registered user where necessary to seek clarification regarding a submitted proposal for public publication or the use of the RDI Hub website, or to reject a proposal for publication should it contravene these general terms and conditions.

4.7 When logging in to the RDI Hub website in future, registered users should use their username and password.

4.8 Registered users are required to keep their username and password for accessing the RDI Hub website secure and must not disclose them to unauthorised persons. The user shall be liable to ARIS for any misuse of the user account, the use of the user account by unauthorised users or third parties, and any use of the user account in breach of these general terms and conditions.

4.9 If a registered user becomes aware of any misuse or of circumstances suggesting that their user account may be subject to misuse, they are obliged to change their password immediately and to notify ARIS. ARIS accepts no liability for any damage or loss of data arising from the unauthorised use of a user account if the registered user has not adequately protected their login details or has not notified ARIS in good time of any suspected misuse.

5. Changes to details relating to the user and/or the user account on the RDI Hub website

5.1 A registered user can edit the details in their profile (e.g. username and/or password).

5.2 A registered user is obliged to notify ARIS of any change that could affect the use of their user account. In the event of a failure to fulfil the duty to provide information, ARIS shall fulfil its obligations correctly and validly on the basis of the information at its disposal.

6. Cessation of use of the RDI Hub website and closure of a user account on the RDI Hub

6.1 A registered user ceases to use the RDI Hub website upon deletion of their user account.

6.2 A business entity may also request the closure of a registered user’s account.

6.3 ARIS reserves the right, in the event of repeated submissions of proposals for the publication of unacceptable content, under clause 4 of these general terms and conditions, and failure to comply with ARIS’s warnings, based on a substantiated notification from another user of the ARIS website or the competent authorities, the registered user and the business entity that authorised the registered user shall first be requested to provide an explanation. In the event of a lack of response, the registered user’s access to the website shall be temporarily restricted; in the event of a breach of the regulations, the user account on the RDI Hub online portal shall be terminated and the legal representative of the business entity in which the user is employed or acts within the scope of the business entity’s authorisation is notified.

6.4 ARIS reserves the right to delete a registered user’s account if they have been inactive for more than one year following registration or their last activity on the account.

6.5 User account data on the RDI Hub website is automatically and permanently deleted from the active ARIS systems if a registered user deletes their user account or at the request of the business entity which has appointed or authorised the registered user, except where the data is required for the purposes of an internal or external audit or to safeguard ARIS’s legal interests.

7. Processing of personal data

7.1 In connection with visits to ARIS websites, ARIS, as the data controller, processes the data set out in the Cookie Policy. Further information on the processing and protection of personal data at ARIS, contact details of the data protection officer and information on individuals’ rights regarding the processing of personal data are available here.

7.2 For the purposes of carrying out the registration process, verifying access and implementing these general terms and conditions, ARIS collects and processes the following personal data of the registered user or the legal representative of the business entity:

  • full name,
  • contact email address,
  • contact telephone number,
  • details of the business entity on whose behalf the registered user submits proposals for the publication of content (name of the business entity, or full name, if the business entity is a natural person),
  • the time and date of use of the user account,
  • communications archive,
  • other personal data that a business entity or user voluntarily provides to ARIS.

7.3 The legal basis for the processing of personal data referred to in clause 7.2 of these general terms and conditions is the performance of the tasks or the exercise of public authority by ARIS, which may process personal data in accordance with Article 55 of the Scientific Research and Innovation Activities Act for the purposes of promoting scientific research and innovation work and for demonstrating the scientific research, development and innovation potential of the Republic of Slovenia, and the associated support in achieving the objectives of scientific research, development and innovation, as well as the social development of the Republic of Slovenia. To this end, ARIS manages the RDI Hub website to keep the public informed about news and events relating to scientific research and innovation, and to bring together stakeholders from the public and private sectors who wish to share this information with the interested public.

7.4 ARIS ensures, on the RDI Hub website, the public disclosure of personal data or contact details of an individual associated with a business entity, provided that the individual provides such information during the registration process for the purposes of cooperation and networking between business entities in the field of scientific research and innovation, and in cases where contact details constituting personal data are published by the business entity for the aforementioned purpose. An individual has the right to request that ARIS correct or delete any contact details that have been published, or to amend or delete such details via their user account on the RDI Hub website.

7.5 ARIS processes personal data on the basis of legitimate interest for the purposes of improving, maintaining and upgrading ARIS websites, monitoring the performance and analytics of ARIS websites, and notifying users of planned major maintenance and other important information that may affect the availability and smooth operation of ARIS websites, in particular the restricted sections of the ARIS websites, which are used directly by registered users. These notifications are important for keeping users informed in a timely manner about changes that may affect their user experience, to gather feedback on the satisfaction of registered users, and to ensure the security and stability of the ARIS systems.

7.6 Personal data from the services governed by these general terms and conditions may also be processed on behalf of and for the account of ARIS, and in accordance with its written instructions, by ARIS’s contractors, provided that they ensure appropriate security measures and that ARIS enters into personal data processing agreements with them. Personal data from the services set out in these general terms and conditions may also be disclosed to supervisory authorities in the context of a specific procedure they are conducting, and to other persons who can demonstrate a legitimate legal basis for such disclosure.

7.7 Data relating to the use of the RDI Hub website may be accessed until the user account is closed in accordance with clause 6 of these general terms and conditions.

7.8 Under these general terms and conditions, ARIS does not make decisions based solely on automated data processing, including profiling, which would have legal or similarly significant effects on users.

 

8. Subscribing to the ARIS e-newsletter

The ARIS e-newsletter service is provided to users of ARIS websites who subscribe to the newsletter on the ARIS websites, provide their email address, and agree to the terms and conditions for receiving the ARIS e-newsletter. Users of the ARIS e-newsletter service may unsubscribe at any time by clicking the button provided for this purpose or by sending an email to info@aris-rs.si.

9. Use and integration of the application programming interface

9.1 Should a business entity wish to use the ARIS software interface on a website that it owns or operates for the purpose of informing the interested public, to use the ARIS software interface for the purpose of publishing its content and information, it may follow the instructions for retrieval and integration, which it will receive upon confirmation of its user account.

9.2 In the event that a business entity has developed its own software interface for the free provision of content to ARIS, ARIS and the business entity shall, where necessary, agree separately on the method of obtaining and transmitting information, as well as the rights and obligations of both parties to such an agreement.

10. Reporting illegal and controversial content on the RDI Hub website

If a user or any other person discovers that there are inaccuracies in the data, images, audio or video material on the ARIS websites, or that content has been published in breach of clause 4.4 of these general terms and conditions, they may notify ARIS of this by email at: info@aris-rs.si.

11. Protection of intellectual property rights

11.1 The content of these web pages, which does not constitute information of public interest within the meaning of the Public Information Access Act, is protected by copyright and other related rights, as well as all forms of intellectual property, and is the property of ARIS or other persons who have granted ARIS a limited right to use it. This content is made available to users solely for their own use and may not be used for commercial or any other profit-making purposes. When using the material, the user must cite the source and must not alter any notices regarding copyright, other intellectual property rights or other proprietary rights.

11.2 Any business entity or user that permits a third party to make unauthorised use of works or elements protected by intellectual property rights shall be liable to ARIS for any damage arising therefrom.

12. Resolving user issues and contacting the editor of the RDI Hub website

In the event of any difficulties relating to the registration process, the conclusion and performance of the agreement, provided that it has been concluded in accordance with clause 9 of these general terms and conditions, the submission of contributions for publication, or in relation to these general terms and conditions, the user may send an email to the following address: info@aris-rs.si or contact ARIS by telephone: (01) 400 5910

13. Dispute resolution

ARIS shall resolve any disputes arising from breaches of these general terms and conditions through amicable means. Should the parties fail to reach an agreement, the competent court in Ljubljana shall resolve the dispute.

14. Final provisions

14.1 The current general terms and conditions are published on the ARIS websites.

14.2 By registering a user account in accordance with these general terms and conditions and by using the RDI Hub website as an authorised registered user, the registered user confirms that they have read, understood and fully agree to the contents of these general terms and conditions.

14.3 ARIS reserves the right to amend these general terms and conditions at any time without prior notice to users. The obligation to notify of any changes is fulfilled by publishing the general terms and conditions on the ARIS websites. Any amendment to the general terms and conditions shall take effect on the date of their publication, unless otherwise provided for by the applicable regulations.