General Terms and Conditions of Sale – HCCH Printed Publications
Last updated: July 2025
1. Scope of Application
These General Terms and Conditions of Sale (“Terms”) apply exclusively to all sales of printed publications by:
Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH)
Office: Churchillplein 6b, 2517 JW The Hague, Netherlands
Contact: [email protected]
The following are expressly excluded:
- the purchase of publications issued by external publishers, which are governed by the terms and conditions of the respective publisher;
- the download of publications made freely available by the Permanent Bureau.
2. Orders
Printed publications may be ordered directly from the Permanent Bureau by completing the order form (available here).
3. Prices
All prices are stated in euros (€) and are exclusive of shipping and handling charges.
- Shipping costs vary depending on the destination.
- Handling fee: flat rate of €10.00.
These additional charges will be included in the invoice, which will reflect the total amount due by the purchaser.
4. Payment
Full payment of the invoiced amount must be made within 14 days from the invoice date.
- Payment method: by bank transfer only (bank details provided in the invoice).
- All charges related to the bank transfer, including transaction fees and currency conversion costs, shall be borne by the customer.
- Partial or installment payments are not accepted.
5. Delivery
Orders will only be processed and shipped after full payment has been received.
- Delivery typically takes 3 to 4 weeks.
- Any additional charges related to delivery, including customs duties or other applicable taxes, are the sole responsibility of the customer.
6. Returns and Defects
- Returns are accepted within 14 days for defective or misprinted publications.
- Customers must notify the Permanent Bureau, in writing, of defects within 7 days of delivery.
- Customers must return the printed publication within 21 days of notifying the Permanent Bureau of the return.
- Return shipping costs are to be borne by the customer.
Upon receipt of the returned item, the Permanent Bureau will issue a full refund of the purchase price. No cancellation fee will be applied.
7. Claims
Customers may submit claims related to the purchase of printed publications in writing to the Permanent Bureau, providing a clear description of the issue.
| Subject of complaint | Complaint period | Start of period |
|---|---|---|
| Shortages or incorrect delivery | 30 days | Upon delivery of the publication |
| Damaged or defective publications | 30 days | Upon delivery of the publication |
| Payments | 60 days | From the invoice date |
| Non-receipt of order | 60 days | From the invoice date |
The Permanent Bureau will endeavor to resolve any claims in good faith and in an amicable manner.
8. Contact
All correspondence regarding orders, returns, or complaints should be addressed to:
Permanent Bureau of the HCCH
E-mail: [email protected]
Address: Churchillplein 6b
2517 JW THE HAGUE
The Netherlands
9. Intellectual Property
All HCCH publications, whether in digital or printed format, are protected by copyright. No part of a printed publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the HCCH, except as permitted under applicable copyright law.
10. Personal Data
Personal data collected during the purchase process is processed in accordance with the HCCH Privacy Policy.
11. Limitation of liability
All HCCH publications, along with any accompanying materials, are provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. The HCCH does not warrant, guarantee or make any representations (implied or expressed) regarding the use, or the results of use, of HCCH publications, in terms of completeness, correctness, accuracy, adequacy, reliability, merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The HCCH expressly disclaims any liability for errors or omissions in the content of HCCH publications, and shall not be held liable for any direct, indirect, consequential or incidental damages arising out of the use of or inability to use a purchased HCCH publication.
12. Preservation of Immunities
The HCCH is an intergovernmental entity. Transactions relating to HCCH publications do not form a part of any commercial activity. Nothing herein shall constitute or be considered to be a limitation upon or a waiver of the privileges and immunities of the HCCH, which are specifically reserved.
13. Changes to the Terms
The HCCH reserves the right to amend these Terms at any time. The version applicable to the sale is the one in force at the time of the order.