Code of Conduct for Participants in Europlanet 2024 RI Activities

1. Preamble  

  • The Europlanet 2024 Research Infrastructure (RI) Project Management Committee (PMC) shall decide on a Code of Conduct which shall be openly published. 
  • The Europlanet 2024 RI project is committed to providing a safe, welcoming and inclusive experience for participants of at all its meetings and activities. All participants (defined here as facility hosts, facility visitors, service providers, activity organisers, speakers, poster presenters, session chairs and convenors, volunteers, sponsors, staff and other attendees) are expected to abide by this Code of Conduct and the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity.  
  • Individuals that have acted materially in contradiction to this Code may have their requests for reimbursement or applications to participate in future activities of the Europlanet 2024 RI rejected by the PMC or its relevant sub-committee. 

2. Acceptance of the Code of Conduct  

  • By applying for or registering to take part in a Europlanet 2024 RI activity, or by agreeing to organise activities for, agreeing to provide services for, or acting on behalf of a beneficiary of the Europlanet 2024 RI project, including visits through the Transnational Access programme, the Europlanet Telescope Network, the Expert Exchange programme, Ambassadors’ programme or participation in any other workshop (including the Europlanet Research Infrastructure Meeting (ERIM) and EPEC Annual Week), event or programme (whether physical or virtual) or service organised or co-organised through the project, participants accept that they are bound to the Code of Conduct for Europlanet 2024 RI.  

3. Professional Conduct 

  • Participants should be kind to, and respectful of, all individuals encountered during Europlanet 2024 RI activities, whether physical or virtual.  
  • Participants should uphold the Europlanet Commitment to Diversity and at all times ensure that their actions and behaviour do not discriminate against any individual or group of individuals on the basis of their gender, disability, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marital status, age, nationality or socioeconomic background, or other protected characteristic.   
  • Participants should recognise and respect cultural differences that may be encountered when undertaking activities overseas, when hosting visitors, or when organising and participating in workshops, events or programmes. 
  • The Europlanet 2024 RI project expects a diversity of views and opinions to be welcomed by open and constructive criticism of ideas rather than personal attacks on individuals. Derogatory or belittling comments regarding an individual’s research are unacceptable.
  • Harassment, bullying, discrimination or intimidation will not be tolerated in any setting (physical or virtual), and anyone asked to stop unacceptable behaviour is expected to comply immediately. Harassment includes but is not limited to:
    • Inappropriate or intimidating behaviour and language or threats of violence
    • Unwelcome jokes or comments  
    • Unwanted touching or attention
    • Offensive images
    • Photography without permission (see below)
    • Stalking
    • Offensive comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, neuro(a)typicality, physical appearance, pregnancy status, political affiliation, marital status, body size, age, ethnicity, national origin, nationality, immigration status, language, religion or lack thereof, or other identity marker
    • Unwelcome comments regarding a person’s lifestyle choices and practices.
  • Participants in Europlanet 2024 RI should adhere to all local rules or codes of practice regarding the safe use of facilities.
  • Participants producing data during the project should adhere to FAIR principles and comply with good practices detailed in the Europlanet 2024 RI Data Management Plan

4. Recording and sharing data, information and people

  • Participants producing data during the project should adhere to FAIR principles and comply with good practices detailed in the Europlanet 2024 RI Data Management Plan
  • It is prohibited to retain or share scientific material presented during a Europlanet 2024 RI activity if it has been marked as ‘private’ (e.g., through inclusion of the ‘no sharing’ icon, below) and participants should respect others’ decisions to protect their intellectual property. 
  • Europlanet 2024 RI follows the guideline for consent related to pictures of a person in a public space (physical or virtual) under the EU General Data Protection Regulations. Recording via video, photograph, or other means, of participants in Europlanet 2024 RI activities is, in general, allowed as long as people are not shown in incriminatory or private situations and images are not used in a misleading or derogatory way. It is recommended that permission be sought from anyone that is identifiable on a recording, including in recordings of online events. 

The following icon may be downloaded for inclusion on materials (e.g., slides, posters or reports) to clearly express when an author does not give permission to have their data or information shared via any social media networks, blogs or by any other communication channel. 

5. Acknowledgment of European Commission Funding 

  • Participants are required to acknowledge the funding from Europlanet 2024 RI (under the grant agreement No 871149) in any publications, presentations or other materials that include data produced or relate to their participation in Europlanet 2024 RI activities. For example:  

This Transnational Access Project is supported by the Europlanet 2024 RI project that has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 871149. 

 Or 

This research has used the GMAP service of the Europlanet 2024 RI project that has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 871149. 

Or  

Participation in this workshop was supported by the Europlanet 2024 RI project that has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 871149. 

Where possible, the acknowledgement should be accompanied by the European flag: https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/symbols/european-flag_en 

6. Handling of complaints  

If you have experienced or have witnessed behaviour that is contrary to this Code of Conduct during your participation in any Europlanet 2024 RI activity (physical or online), please contact the Europlanet Project Management Team through europlanet2024ri@kent.ac.uk.  

For any breaches of the Code of Conduct during EPEC Annual Week, please follow this link to the EPEC Annual Week reporting form.

Participants should work with the Project Coordinator, with the support of the Diversity Committee and PMC where appropriate, to resolve informally any complaints about the conduct of representatives of Beneficiaries, Partner Organisations, or other individuals participating in Europlanet 2024 RI activities. If the problem cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of all parties by such informal means, or if the matter is so serious as to risk compromising the overall stability, reputation or probity of the Europlanet 2024 RI project, the complaint or dispute shall be resolved by means of an investigation of the allegation by the Europlanet 2024 RI Executive Committee and, if there is a case to answer, a hearing by the Executive Committee. On receipt of an allegation, the Executive Committee shall notify the complainant and the person(s) against whom the allegation has been made of the formal procedures that will be followed in resolving the dispute.  

If the person you wish to report is a member of the Europlanet 2024 RI Executive Committee, Project Management Team, PMC or any Beneficiary of Europlanet 2024 RI, they will not be involved in handling or resolving the incident. The Europlanet 2024 RI Project Management Team will respond to any complaint as promptly as possible. Please put your personal safety and wellbeing first.  


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