ANTI CORRUPTION POLICY

Purpose

The laws and regulations of countries make the payment or offer of payment or even receipt of a bribe, kickback or other corrupt payment a criminal offence. These anti-corrupt laws applied in each individual country make it a crime, for the purpose of influencing the acts or decisions of local or foreign governmental or political candidates, officials or foreign offices or embassy’s, to pay, offer or give anything of value.

The purpose to include this anti-corruption policy in our agreement is to ensure all employees, officers and director of your company and office are informed in relation to the anti-corruption policy of the Atlas International Network in this respect.

Scope

The anti-corruption policy of the Atlas International Network is applicable to all employees, management, BOD and owners of the company that is enrolled.

Policy

It is the policy of the Atlas International Network that all employees, management, BOD and owners and all persons that act as a representative, sub-contractor, agent, consultant or advisor of the company enrolled must comply fully with the applicable anti-corruption laws from their respective countries. Employees of the company enrolled are prohibited from directly or indirectly offering, soliciting or receiving any form of bribe, kickback or other corrupt payment, or anything of value, to or from any person, organisation or company, including governmental staff, agencies of authorities, private or public companies or employees thereof or any individual persons whatsoever.

Application

The anti-corruption policy of the Atlas International Network is applied worldwide without any exception.

Any direct or indirect payment of any type of anti-corruption, bribe, kickback or any other corrupt handling or payment that may be carried by third parties as subscribed under the section ‘policy’ is prohibited.

Any local anti-corruption policy in the country of the company enrolled or any international anti-corruption policy applicable by International laws, rules and regulations by the ruling Governmental Ministry or the International Chambre of Commerce will be applied in full by the Atlas International Network.

WHATSAPP GROUP

  • This group is exclusively for discussions related to logistics and the network. Please keep all conversations relevant to the logistics industry.
  • No Politics or Sensitive Topics: To maintain focus and harmony within the group, refrain from discussing politics, religion, or other sensitive issues that may lead to conflicts or distractions.
  • Respectful Communication: Treat all group members with respect. No use of offensive language, harassment, or derogatory comments will be tolerated. Respect differing opinions and engage constructively.
  • No Spam: Avoid spamming the group with off-topic messages, excessive advertisements, or promotional content not related to logistics. If you must advertise, please ensure it is relevant to logistics and seek permission from the group admins first.
  • Confidentiality and Privacy: Do not share confidential information. Be mindful of the privacy and data protection rights of individuals and companies. Any unauthorized sharing of sensitive information will lead to immediate removal from the group.
  • Sharing of Resources: Feel free to share useful articles, news links, and resources pertinent to logistics. Ensure that the content shared is accurate and from credible sources.
  • Group Etiquette: Keep your messages clear and concise. Use proper grammar and avoid excessive use of emojis or text shorthand. Do not send greetings (e.g., Good Morning) or personal messages in the group; direct such messages to individuals privately.
  • Problem Resolution: If you encounter any issues within the group, such as disagreements with other members or inappropriate content, contact the group admins privately to resolve the matter.

MEMBERSHIP TERMINATION

Membership will be terminated in the case of the following:

  • A member voluntarily withdraws.
  • Payment is not made within the specified time interval.
  • Annual fees are not paid within the same month as the renewal date.
  • The death of a member who is a sole proprietor.
  • Abusive or unethical remarks directed towards headquarters or other members.
  • Dissolution of a company, or sale or transfer of more than 50% of its stock shares or assets.
  • Failure to respond to emails and phone calls from headquarters.
  • Violation of our code of ethics.
  • Holding any responsible position within the network.
  • A member establishes their own competing logistics network.

Upon termination, both the Atlas International Network and the member will agree to disassociate from the network and remove any related publications.

Members that are expelled from the network for not applying to our code of conduct lose the right to:

  • Become a member of any of the networks in the Atlas International Network group.
  • A refund of their membership fee.
  • Any reductions or incentives that might have applied during their membership.

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

Members must refrain from posting messages on social media that can potentially tarnish the reputation of the Atlas International Network, or infringe on the rights of fellow members.
Moreover, members can never reveal network information on social media, not even after leaving the network.

EXCLUSIVITY RULES

The network the member is applying for: Does not apply regional exclusivity.

OR

Applies regional exclusivity with membership protection. Generally, we only accept a limited amount of 2 members per country or region, one for sea and one for air.

For major economies, we might occasionally make the exception to allow a third member.

In the case of small countries or regions, the number of members will be restricted to one.

Members can lose their exclusive status when:

  • They are listed on the credit listing either “credit alert” or “credit stop”
  • They have not participated for 2 consecutive Annual Conferences organized by Atlas.
  • They have failed to pay their invoices within 30 days after issuing date.
  • They do not pay the full membership fee but are entitled to an annual incentive
  • They have refused Arbitration between members
  • They have refused to implement the decision taken by the Arbitration committee as per rules and regulations applicable and published by the Atlas.
  • They do not comply with Atlas’ code of ethics.

If the member is already a member of CLN, JCtrans or RW Solutions, we might occasionally reserve the option to nominate an extra member for their particular area.

BILL OF LADINGS/NVOCC

AGSL bills of lading can only be used and signed by the member when it has signed a separate agreement in this respect with usage of the NVOCC AGSL and if he is authorized by AGSL as carrier to sign bills of lading on their behalf. Under no circumstances may any AGSL bills of lading be used or signed by any member and/or agent without having signed an agency agreement with AGSL in this respect.

OR

Atlas Line bills of lading can only be used and signed by the member when it has signed a separate agreement in this respect with usage of the NVOCC Atlas Line and if he is authorized by Atlas Line as carrier to sign bills of lading on their behalf. Under no circumstances may any Atlas Line bills of lading be used or signed by any member and/or agent without having signed an agency agreement with Atlas Line in this respect.

ANNUAL GLOBAL CONFERENCE

01. Definitions

The terms indicated by an initial capital letter below shall have the following meaning in these General Terms and Conditions:

a. Account: the account created by the Buyer on www.atlas-network-group.com;
b. General Terms and Conditions: these General Terms and Conditions of Atlas International Network;
c. Event: the organised event, such as our Annual Global Conferences, for which Atlas International Network sells Tickets;
d. Buyer: the natural or legal person who buys a Ticket;
e. Organiser: the natural or legal person who produces or organises an Event and is responsible for it;
f. Ticket: the document obtained via official channels that serves as admission ticket for an Event, including a regular Ticket
g. Atlas International Network: the company Atlas International Network, having its registered office in Antwerp, Belgium;

02. Scope of the General Terms and Conditions

a. These General Terms and Conditions shall apply to all offers of, orders with, legal relationships and agreements in connection with which Atlas International Network delivers products or services of any kind to the Buyer, even if these products or services are not described (in detail) in these General Terms and Conditions. The Buyer will also be bound by (i) any special terms and conditions stated to be applicable to a Ticket and/or Event; (ii) other terms and conditions of the Organiser and/or Event; and (iii) any venue terms and conditions (including conditions of entry).
b. The applicability of other terms and conditions of the Buyer is expressly rejected by Atlas International Network.
c. The parties can only agree amendments with regard to the General Terms and Conditions in writing.
d. Atlas International Network is entitled to amend the General Terms and Conditions and to declare amended General Terms and Conditions applicable to Agreements. The amended General Terms and Conditions can be viewed on the website of Atlas International Network.
e. The General Terms and Conditions of the Organiser of the Event shall be applicable to the agreement between the Buyer and the Organiser. If they are not yet in the Buyer’s possession, the Organiser shall send the General Terms and Conditions of the Organiser to the Buyer at the latter’s request.

03. Formation of the agreement with Atlas International Network

a. The service that is provided by Atlas International Network consists of the distribution of Tickets. A Ticket is no more than a right to admission, in this case admission to an Event of the Organiser. The purchase of a Ticket gives rise to the formation of two agreements: an agreement between the Buyer and Atlas International Network and an agreement between the Buyer and the Organiser of the Event for which the Buyer has purchased a right to admission.
b. Tickets are sent to the email address or other address that the Buyer has stated in his or her account. Atlas International Network will continue to deem the e-mail address or other address stated by the Buyer to be correct.
c. Delivery dates stated by Atlas International Network are indicative only and shall not be considered binding unless expressly agreed in writing. Late delivery does not entitle the Buyer to compensation or cancellation, and the Buyer may only terminate the agreement if the delay is so substantial that continuation of the contract cannot reasonably be expected, after written notice of default has been given.

04. Formation of the agreement between the Buyer and the Organiser

a. The agreement between the Buyer and the Organiser is formed after the Buyer has purchased one or more Tickets via Atlas International Network.
b. Unless agreed otherwise in writing, all offers, including adverts and price lists as stated on the website of Atlas International Network, shall be non-binding.
c. Before confirming his reservation, the Buyer must always check carefully whether the correct Tickets have been reserved. When making the reservation, the Buyer must always use a correct address (email or otherwise). If the Buyer opts to receive Tickets by electronic means, the risk of loss, theft or misuse of the Ticket shall rest with the Buyer from the moment that the Tickets have reached the Buyer. In the case of doubt concerning the correctness of the data that the Buyer entered when placing the order, Atlas International Network can contact the Buyer using the data that the Buyer entered. If Atlas International Network is unable to reach the Buyer and therefore is unable to verify the data, Atlas International Network can proceed to cancel the reservation and sell the Tickets to another Buyer. All agreements are entered into subject to the condition precedent of sufficient availability of the products or services concerned.
d. Atlas International Network is entitled to set, independently and/or at the request of the Organiser, a maximum for the number of Tickets that can be reserved or purchased. In the case of specific grounds for suspecting misuse with regard to a circumvention of the set maximum, Atlas International Network shall be entitled to cancel, independently and/or at the request of the Organiser, the reservation of the Tickets or to invalidate the Tickets concerned in order to prevent the large-scale buying up of Tickets.

05. Prices and payment

a. Atlas International Network sells Tickets on behalf of the Organiser, which determines the price and the number of available places. Information on prices and availability is provided on a non-binding basis and may be subject to change.
b. The Buyer shall pay the price stated on the website for the products or services ordered by means of the website. Additional conditions concerning payment or ordering may be applied to the order.
c. All prices as stated on the Atlas International Network website are in euros including VAT, unless expressly stated otherwise.
d. Service charges are charged for each ticket and in some cases transaction charges and delivery charges will be charged for each order.
e. If the Buyer fails to pay the amounts due or fails to do so on time, the Buyer shall owe statutory interest on the outstanding amount without any demand for payment or notice of default being required. If the Buyer fails to pay the amount due after a demand for payment or a notice of default has been issued, Atlas International Network shall be entitled to refer the debt for collection, in which case the Buyer must pay all judicial and extrajudicial costs, including costs charged by external experts, in addition to any costs determined at law.

06. Cancelled or rescheduled Events

a. It is the Buyers’ responsibility to check whether an Event has been cancelled or rescheduled and what the new time or location will be. Although Atlas International Network will try to inform the Buyer of the cancellation after Atlas International Network has received the required information from the Organiser, Atlas International Network cannot guarantee that the Buyer will be informed of the cancellation before the date of the Event. Atlas International Network cannot be held liable nor is responsible for any costs incurred by the Buyer.
b. The additional conditions of the Atlas International Network cancellation insurance shall apply to the agreement, if the Buyer has taken out cancellation insurance.
c. Tickets of rescheduled Events will as a rule also be valid for the replacement Event. If an Event is rescheduled for a different location or date, the Organiser can set conditions for repayment of the ticket price.
d. If an Event is cancelled or rescheduled, the Buyer can hand back the Tickets for this Event in accordance with the regulations determined by the Organiser. For the relevant terms and conditions, please see the General Terms and Conditions of the Organiser of the Event. If the Organiser requests Atlas International Network to refund the ticket price (in full or in part) to the Buyer, Atlas International Network will do so after it has received the amounts concerned from the Organiser. In case the ticket price is refunded by the Organiser, Atlas International Network will also refund service charges. Refunds will only be made through an online credit transfer.

07. Tickets

a. Depending on the type of Event, Atlas International Network offers the Buyer a regular Ticket.
b. The Buyer is not permitted to resell a Ticket
c. The Tickets distributed by Atlas International Network will remain the property of the Organiser. The Buyer should check this in the general terms and conditions of the Organiser, which are referred to on the Ticket (and during the ordering process). In the case of any (attempt at) reselling or commercial use in violation of the law or the terms and conditions of the Organiser, the Organiser shall be entitled to invalidate the Ticket concerned and/or to impose a fine on the Buyer. Holders of invalid admission tickets will be barred from entering the Event, without any right to compensation.
d. Immediately after receipt, the Buyer is required to check the correctness of the Tickets. After purchase, Tickets can no longer be exchanged or reimbursed.
e. Special requirements, such as reservations for wheelchair seating locations, must be expressly notified in a timely manner. Atlas International Network cannot guarantee that special requirements can be met. For more information on this, the Buyer can contact Atlas International Network.

08. Intellectual Property Rights

a. The intellectual property rights vested in the Ticket of Atlas International Network belong to Atlas International Network or its licensor. The Buyer shall refrain from conduct by which rights or other pertinent interests of Atlas International Network or its licensor could be harmed.
b. The Buyer is not permitted to remove from or change on the Ticket any designation concerning copyrights, brands, trade names or other industrial property rights, or to make any change in the form or any other characteristic feature of the Ticket.
c. The Buyer is forbidden to falsify, copy or in any way reproduce the Ticket.
d. The Agreement does not transfer any intellectual property right from Atlas International Network to the Buyer.

09. Force majeure

a. Force Majeure is understood to be any shortcoming which cannot be attributed to Atlas International Network, because it is not due to fault on its part and cannot be ascribed to it under the law, legal transaction or by convention.
b. Without prejudice to the other rights to which it is entitled, Atlas International Network shall in the case of force majeure have the right to suspend performance of the order of the Buyer, by notifying this in writing to the Buyer, without Atlas International Network being obliged to pay any compensation, unless this would be unacceptable in the given circumstances according to standards of reasonableness and fairness.

10. Applicable law and competent court

a. The laws of Belgium will apply to all agreements with Atlas International Network.
b. All disputes that may arise in connection with the agreement or the General Terms and Conditions applicable to it shall exclusively be submitted to the competent court in Antwerp.

11. Right to refuse admission

Organisers reserve the right to refuse admission to the venue, or to remove any person from the venue for reasons of public safety, any unacceptable behaviour likely to cause damage, nuisance or injury, or for any breach of the Organiser´s terms and conditions, and they will not be entitled to a refund.

12. Cancellation Policy

The cancellation policy is clearly stated on the conference website of the Event and forms an integral part of the agreement; it must be strictly complied with by all participants.

13. Code of conduct

Attendees of our Annual Global Conference are not allowed to organize private events that include other participants and overlap with the official conference program.

14. Registration limit (only applicable to Alfa Global Family)

To maintain the close-knit family-like atmosphere that defines the Alfa Global Family, we decided to cap the overall number of attendees for our future Annual Global Conferences at 200. We will also limit the maximum number of participants from China, Turkey and India to 15 to ensure as much geographical diversity as possible. Additionally, companies from each of these three countries can only register a maximum of 1 participant.

15. Marketing & Brand Usage Consent

By purchasing a sponsorship package for the Event, the Buyer hereby grants Atlas International Network permission to use visual materials related to the Buyers company, including but not limited to the company name, logo, and imagery, for marketing and promotional purposes connected to the Event.

Furthermore, the Buyer grants Atlas International Network the right to adapt the colours of the company’s logo, when necessary, solely for design and branding purposes, in order to ensure visual consistency with the event materials and to avoid any conflict with the overall event design. Such adaptations shall not alter the integrity or identity of the brand beyond colour adjustments.

16. Photographs and video recordings

For privacy reasons, we inform you that during the annual conference, visual material such as photographs and/or video recordings may be created. This material may later be used through various media channels.