REFUND AND
CANCELLATION POLICY.
Applicable to donations, membership contributions, and Event or programme fees
1. Introduction
This Refund and Cancellation Policy (“Policy”) explains how the Human Development Research Initiative (“HDRI”, “we”, “us” or “our”), a non-profit association (association loi 1901) registered under SIREN number 103 531 935 and RNA number W751275674, handles refunds and cancellations relating to donations, membership contributions, and fees charged for Events, trainings, mobility activities and publications.
This Policy forms part of, and should be read together with, our Terms & Conditions and our Privacy Policy. It applies to payments made through the Website (www.hdevri.org ), by bank transfer, or through any payment facility HDRI makes available.
As a non-profit organisation, HDRI does not sell goods for commercial gain. Fees and contributions covered by this Policy are used exclusively to fund HDRI's statutory, non-profit activities.
2. Donations
Donations to HDRI are voluntary contributions made in support of our mission and are, as a general rule, final and non-refundable once processed, in accordance with standard practice for charitable and non-profit giving.
Notwithstanding the above, HDRI will refund a donation where:
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The donation resulted from a proven technical error (for example, a duplicate transaction or an incorrect amount charged);
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The donation was made fraudulently, without the donor's authorisation, using a payment instrument that was not theirs;
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A refund is required by applicable law or by the terms of the payment platform used to process the donation.
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Requests for a refund of a donation on the grounds above must be sent to info@hdevri.org within thirty (30) calendar days of the transaction, together with proof of payment. HDRI will assess each request in good faith and respond within a reasonable time, generally within fourteen (14) business days.
3. Membership Contributions
Where HDRI's governing bodies set an annual membership contribution, that contribution is payable in accordance with HDRI's Statutes and internal Rules of Procedure and is, as a general rule, non-refundable once the corresponding membership period has begun, reflecting the association's immediate use of contributions to fund its activities for that period.
By way of exception, a membership contribution will be refunded, in whole or in a pro-rata part corresponding to the unused period, where:
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The applicant's membership is not approved by HDRI following payment
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The payment was made in error or duplicated;
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A member resigns in writing within fourteen (14) calendar days of first payment and has not yet made use of member benefits or participated in any HDRI activity reserved for Members.
4. Event, Training, and Mobility Activity Fees
4.1 Cancellation by the participant
Where an Event, training, workshop, or mobility activity (each an “Event”) may carries a participation fee, deposit, or contribution towards costs, the following cancellation schedule applies unless a more specific schedule is communicated for that Event:
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More than 30 calendar days before the Event: full refund, less any non-recoverable third-party costs already committed on the participant's behalf (for example, non-refundable transport or accommodation bookings);
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Between 30 and 14 calendar days before the Event: 50% refund of the participation fee;
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Less than 14 calendar days before the Event: no refund, save in the circumstances described in Section 4.3 below.
Where an Event is funded, in whole or in part, by a public programme such as Erasmus+ or the Council of Europe, refunds relating to travel, accommodation or subsistence support are additionally subject to the specific rules of that programme, which will be communicated to selected participants and which prevail over the general schedule above in the event of conflict.
4.2 Cancellation, postponement, or material change by HDRI
If HDRI cancels an Event, participants who have paid a fee are entitled to a full refund of that fee. If HDRI postpones or materially changes an Event (for example, a change of dates, venue, or format), participants may choose between transferring their payment to the rescheduled Event or receiving a full refund.
4.3 Force majeure and exceptional circumstances
Where a participant is unable to attend an Event due to circumstances beyond their reasonable control (including documented illness, bereavement, denied visa or travel document, or a public-health or safety measure preventing travel), HDRI will consider a full or partial refund on a discretionary, case-by-case basis, upon presentation of appropriate supporting evidence within a reasonable time of the Event.
4.4 Removal from an Event
Where a participant is removed from an Event for a serious breach of HDRI's Code of Conduct, safeguarding rules, or applicable law, no refund will be due for the unused portion of the Event, without prejudice to any rights the participant may have under mandatory consumer-protection law.
5. Publications and Any Paid Materials
Where HDRI makes a priced publication, report, or other material available for purchase, orders may be cancelled and refunded in full prior to dispatch or delivery of digital access. Once a digital publication has been delivered (for example, by download or emailed link) or a physical item has been dispatched, refunds are handled in accordance with Section 6 (Right of Withdrawal) and Section 7 below, save where the item is defective or was not as described, in which case HDRI will offer a replacement or a full refund.
6. Statutory Right of Withdrawal (EU Consumers)
If you are a consumer resident in the European Union and you make a payment to HDRI at a distance (for example, through the Website), you may benefit from a statutory right of withdrawal of fourteen (14) calendar days from the date of payment, in accordance with Directive 2011/83/EU on consumer rights and Articles L221-18 et seq. of the French Consumer Code, without needing to give a reason and without penalty, save for any non-recoverable third-party costs already incurred.
This statutory right of withdrawal does not apply to:
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Donations, which are gratuitous and not a contract for the supply of goods or services for consideration;
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Services relating to leisure activities, such as Events, if the contract provides for a specific date or period of performance, in accordance with Article L221-28(12) of the French Consumer Code and the corresponding exception in Directive 2011/83/EU;
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Digital content delivered immediately, once performance has begun with the consumer's prior express consent and acknowledgment that the right of withdrawal is thereby lost.
Where the statutory right of withdrawal applies, HDRI will reimburse all payments received, including any delivery costs, within fourteen (14) calendar days of being informed of the withdrawal decision, using the same means of payment used for the initial transaction, unless otherwise agreed.
7. How to Request a Refund
To request a refund under this Policy, please contact us at info@hdevri.org , indicating:
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Your full name and the email address used to make the payment;
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The date, amount, and nature of the payment (donation, membership, Event fee, or publication);
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The reason for your request and any relevant supporting documents;
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Proof of payment (receipt, confirmation email, or bank statement extract), where available.
We aim to acknowledge refund requests within five (5) business days and to provide a substantive response, including our decision, within fourteen (14) business days of receiving all necessary information.
8. Processing of Approved Refunds
Approved refunds will be made, wherever possible, using the same payment method used for the original transaction, and will normally be processed within fourteen (14) business days of approval. Depending on your bank or payment provider, it may take a number of additional business days for the refunded amount to appear in your account; HDRI is not responsible for such processing delays once the refund has been initiated on our side.
9. Circumstances in which Refunds Are Not Available
Save as expressly provided in this Policy or required by mandatory law, refunds are not available where:
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The request is made after the applicable deadline set out in this Policy;
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The payment relates to a donation made outside the exceptional circumstances described in Section 2;
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The participant simply changes their mind about attending an Event within the no-refund window described in Section 4.1, absent force majeure;
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The participant was removed from an Event for a serious breach of conduct rules, as described in Section 4.4.
10. Changes to this Policy
We may update this Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our activities, applicable law, or good governance practice. The updated Policy will be posted on the Website with a revised effective date and, where changes are material, we will use reasonable efforts to notify affected participants or donors in advance of any Event or payment to which the change applies.
11. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Policy or wish to request a refund, please contact us at info@hdevri.org or write to us at 50 Rue des Tournelles, 75003 Paris, France.
This Refund and Cancellation Policy was last updated on 10 July 2026.