For up-to-date guidance on what precautions to take, we refer at all times to the advice from the World Health Organisation, and responsible authorities in your country and region. In addition, we recommend that you check your organisation’s travel policy, and consider your own risk situation carefully.
Frequently Asked Questions from projects
We have booked a trip, or an international event. If this is cancelled, are our costs eligible?
If a flight is cancelled by the airline or an airport is closed, passengers are entitled to compensation from the booked airline, according to the European Consumer Centres Network. In case you are reimbursed by the airline, no eligible cost has occurred.
However, if the meeting itself is cancelled due to the coronavirus, preventing someone from travelling on an already paid ticket, the travel cost of the cancelled trip is eligible, provided that the trip was eligible from the start, and you could not cancel or get the ticket refunded.
The JS and MA recommend that you first try to recover any costs where possible according to contractual arrangements. This applies to travel costs as well as other meeting costs, e.g. venue, catering, etc. If the costs you have made are not recoverable, please ensure that you can document that the cancellation was a result of the coronavirus, and that the costs are not recoverable.
What is your advice for organising international meetings, workshops, conferences in the coming months?
In the coming period, we recommend that you consider online alternatives for your events, where possible and appropriate.
If you are still planning a physical event, it is important to be aware of any travel warnings for the location, where the event is taking place. Of course, the situation can change from day-to-day. In addition, please consider the target group of the event, and whether they are especially at risk of the virus, e.g. older people.
In all cases, where possible, please book refundable tickets, hotel reservations, venue bookings, even if this is not the cheapest option. Alternatively, add a cancellation option to your ticket.
Can my project get an extension?
At this stage it is too early to know the full scope of the epidemic, and its medium to long-term impacts. For this reason, a blanket statement is not possible.
Any extension requests will be handled on a case-by-case basis by your JS Desk Officer. If the extension relates specifically to a final conference, then we refer to the answer above about organising international events in the coming months.
If the situation changes, this guidance may be updated. Please keep an eye on the NPA website, our Facebook and Twitter accounts.