Rules for the compensation for expenses incurred in organising international events

1. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
   GO Vilnius - GO Vilnius, a public entity, registered entity No 123641468, registered office address Gynėjų g. 14, Vilnius, the objective of which is to work in the public interest by carrying out activities beneficial for society in the areas of international tourism, business and marketing and by publicly providing relevant services to members of the public and one of the tasks of which is to promote international events in Vilnius city.  
   Rules - these Rules for the Compensation for Expenses Incurred in Organising International Events drawn up in accordance with Order No V-18 issued by the Director of GO Vilnius on 21 June 2021 as amended, in line with GO Vilnius‘ Statute and objectives, and according to legal acts of the Republic of Lithuania. 
   International Event - the event taking place in Vilnius City which is intended exclusively for the target audience, with solely professionally-based participation (e. g. sent by the employer, for research purposes etc.) and with over 20% participants being foreign ones. Such events include conferences, congresses, forums, assemblies, training events, workshops etc.
   Hybrid Event - the event organised in two forms: both in-person with the participants physically present and virtually with interactive participation. 
   Applicant - the organiser of an international event who meets the criteria set in the Rules and who has submitted to GO Vilnius, according to set procedure, an application for the compensation for expenses of the international event. 
   Application - the document for the compensation for expenses of the international event completed by the Applicant and submitted according to a procedure set out in the Rules. For the Application Form please press here. 
   Compensation -  the amount allotted by GO Vilnius as compensation for expenses of an international event.
   Expert Evaluation - the evaluation of the Applications performed according to a procedure set by GO Vilnius according to the criteria and other conditions established in the Rules, on the basis of which a conclusion on the granting/non-granting of the compensation will be issued.  
   Information Notice - the notice sent to the Applicant via email whereby the granting/non-granting of the compensation is approved and the amount of the compensation, method of granting the compensation and the expenses for which the compensation is granted are specified. 
   Agreement - the agreement on the compensation for expenses incurred in organizing an international event, concluded according to a procedure set out in the Rules. 
   Report - a report on an international event held by the Applicant, to be submitted according to a procedure set out in the Rules. 
   
   
2. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS
   Eligible applicants:
    • Public or private legal persons registered in the Republic of Lithuania or abroad that organize an international event at their own cost and assume financial, economic, organizational and legal responsibility for such event; 
    • Organisations or natural persons acting on behalf of the event’s organiser.  
   
   Ineligible applicants:
   • Legal persons who have suspended their operations/payments and in respect of whom bankruptcy proceedings have been instituted or bankruptcy petition has been filed;
   • Political parties. 
   
   
3. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR EVENTS
   a) Main compensation 
   
   The main compensation may be granted to events meeting the following requirements:  
   
   • The event is held in a paid-for events space in Vilnius; 
   • The event has at least 30 participants (only participants who are physically present are counted, excluding speakers, organisers, service staff etc.); 
   • At least 20% of the participants in the event are foreigners (as calculated on the number of participants who are physically present); 
   • The event lasts at least one day (at least four hours without breaks); 
   • Only registered participants known to the organiser take part in the event; 
   • The event is intended for target audience and participation is solely professionally-based (e. g. sent by the employer, for research purposes etc.).   
   
   b) Additional compensation
   
   The additional compensation may be paid to the hybrid events meeting the following requirements:   
   
   • The event is both live and virtual at the same time; 
   • The event meets all the criteria set out in 3(a) above; 
   • The length of the virtual event is not shorter than that of the live event; 
   • The audience of the virtual event (remote participants only) accounts for at least 20% of the audience of the live event. 
   
   No compensation will be paid for the following events: 
   
   • Fairs, exhibitions and similar events even if they are intended exclusively for the target audience and professionals and/or are related to conferences or congresses that are eligible for the compensation; 
   • Sports and cultural events; 
   • Festivities, parties and other entertainment events of private enterprises, gala dinners, award events etc.; 
   • Events intended for private persons (people who have personal incentives to take part in the event) or for leisure/recreational purposes; 
   • Events that the Applicant or a third party must hold by law;  
   • Events for which funding is allotted from the state budget of the Republic of Lithuania or EU funding programmes (where the event receives funding from sponsorship/partnership agreements, this does not eliminate the opportunity that the compensation may be granted); 
   • Events of political parties. 
   
   
4. COMPENSATION TYPE AND AMOUNT 
   
   a) Main compensation 
   
   The amount of the compensation depends on the number of points assigned during the evaluation of the Application. Points shall be assigned to the following 5 main criteria: 
   
   • Number of participants; 
   • Event sector. Points are assigned if the event falls within one of the priority sectors for Vilnius: information and communication technologies (ICT), biotechnologies, physics, financial technologies; 
   • Event duration; 
   • Strategic importance of the event for the city. Points are assigned if the event increases competitiveness of Vilnius and improves its international ratings; 
   • The event‘s impact on hosting other events. Points are assigned if the organisation of the event will have a material impact on the hosting of another international event. 
   
   Compensation rates 
   
   

b) Additional compensation 

• An additional compensation may be granted to a hybrid event meeting the requirements set out in 3(b) above. The amount of the compensation is determined based on the number of participants in a live event.  

• Additional compensation rates: 

Maximum compensation for an event is EUR 30,000 (main compensation +  additional compensation). The actual number of participants and the actual duration of the event are the decisive criteria for the determination of the final compensation amount.

5. REQUIREMENTS FOR EVENT ORGANISATION EXPENSES

• Only expenses directly related to the organisation of events shall be compensated: 
• Venue and equipment lease; 
• Catering for participants; 
• Transport; 
• Publicity of the event; 
• Entertainment services; 
• Event organiser‘s services. 

6. PROCEDURE

6.1 Submission of the Applications 

• The Application for compensation shall be submitted electronically either by completing it on www.govilnius.lt or by sending it to the email address convention@vilnius.lt. 

• Only one Application shall be submitter per event. A separate Application shall be completed for each event. 

• The Application must be completed properly (with full details on the Applicant, event, location, date and time, event duration, participants, event budget; where the Application is for an additional compensation – hybrid type of the event). 

• The Application shall be submitted no later than 30 days prior to the start of the event. If the Application is submitted later GO Vilnius shall have the right to refuse to accept the Application for evaluation. 

 6.2  Evaluation of the Applications 

• In the evaluation of the Applications, GO Vilnius shall take account also of the availability of funds for the promotion of international events, therefore, GO Vilnius is not obliged to grant compensations to all the events that meet the requirements set out in these Rules. The Applications shall be evaluated in the order of their receipt.  

• The Applicant shall be informed about the result of evaluation of his Application and the preliminary decision on the granting/not granting of the compensation by an information notice sent to the email address provided in the Application within 14 working days after receipt thereof. 

• The actual amount of the compensation shall be approved after the event, on receipt and evaluation of the Report and other documents evidencing use of funds. 

• The Applicants shall not be discriminated against on the grounds of gender, origin, social status, race, nationality, religion, political views and other criteria related to human rights.  

• The evaluation of the Applications shall take account of the eligibility requirements set for the Applicants and events in these Rules as well as of the event‘s potential to contribute to the implementation of GO Vilnius‘ objectives.  

• In the Application‘s evaluation process, GO Vilnius may request that the Applicant provides missing information and/or documents.  

• Events that do not meet the criteria set out in p. 3(a) above either in full or in part shall be granted a compensation in exceptional cases only, based on an order issued by GO Vilnius‘ Director that does not take account of the requirements of the Rules but is in line with the objectives set in the Statutes of GO Vilnius. 

6.3 Conclusion of the Agreement

• An agreement with the Applicant shall be deemed to be concluded on the moment when, on completion of the expert evaluation, the information notice is sent to the Applicant to the email address specified in the Application, specifying the compensation amount granted on a preliminary basis. 

• The current version of the Rules shall form an integral part of the Agreement. 

6.4 Submission of evidence of the funds’ use

Evidence of funds use shall be submitted no later than within 20 working days after the end of the event electronically, either through www.govilnius.lt or by sending the completed Application with annexes via email to convention@vilnius.lt. 

Documents to be submitted: 

• Report on the event; 
• Supporting documents proving the venue rent expenses and other expenses referred to in the Application (invoices etc.); 
• The list of actual participants in the live event (name, institution, city, country). The list of participants may be retrieved from the electronic registration system. The list must be signed by the Applicant; 
• The event programme showing the event duration; 
• Evidence that visual materials on Vilnius were used prior to and/or during the event (images, video, screenshots etc.); 
• At least 5 photos of the event or link to a photo gallery.  

In case of a hybrid event, which was stated in the Application, the following must be submitted additionally: 

• The list of actual participants in the virtual event (name, institution, city, country). The list of participants may be retrieved from the online registration system. The list must be signed by the Applicant; 
• The programme of the event showing that the duration of the hybrid event was no shorter than that of the in-person event.  

6.5 Compensation Payment Procedure

• GO Vilnius shall determine the final compensation amount within 14 working days after submission of the evidence of the funds’ use, and the Applicant shall be notified via email. 

• If the actual number of participants is larger than the planned number, the compensation  amount shall not be increased, and if the actual number is smaller than that planned one, the compensation amount may be reduced. 

• If the actual number of participants is smaller than 30 and/or the length of the event is shorter than 4 hours and/or the share of foreign participants is lower than 20%, no compensation shall be granted. 

• If the event was not a hybrid one, even though the Application states so, the compensation amount shall be reduced accordingly. If the event was a hybrid one even though it was not planned, the compensation shall not be increased. 

• The compensation shall be paid after the event. In certain cases, subject to submission of supporting documents by the Applicant, the compensation or a part thereof may be paid prior to the event. 

• Should the Applicant fail to submit the Report and other evidence of funds use, or should the documents submitted show that the Applicant has not performed his obligations properly, GO Vilnius may refuse to compensate the Applicant for relevant expenses or a part thereof. In the case if the Applicant received the compensation or part thereof prior to the event, the Applicant shall be obliged to repay the relevant amount in full without delay but no later than within 14 working days. 

• The amount of the compensation granted depends on the meeting of the criteria set out in the Rules, the estimated value of the event for Vilnius city, other significant circumstances related to the international event, total number of the Applications received by GO Vilnius and the availability of funds for the compensation for expenses incurred in organising international events. 

• The approved compensation amount shall be intended solely for direct expenses of an international event and shall not include the value added tax (VAT) payable on goods and/or services. 

6.6 Payment process 

• If the Applicant has been granted compensation, the Applicant shall submit to GO Vilnius an invoice or another suitable accounting document for the amount of the compensation. Where the Applicant is registered for VAT, the invoice must state the VAT amount EUR 0.00 (Article 3 of the Republic of Lithuania Law on Value Added Tax). The description of the service in the invoice must be followed by the words: Compensation for expenses incurred in organising an international event. 

• The compensation shall be transferred to a bank account specified by the Applicant within 30 working days after the date of receipt of the invoice or another suitable accounting document. 

• In the case of cancellation, due to force majeure as defined in the legal acts of the Republic of Lithuania, of a planned international event to which GO Vilnius had granted compensation and paid it before the event, GO Vilnius may decide, at its own discretion, not to claim repayment of the compensation from the Applicant having regard to losses incurred by the Applicant in relation to the organisation of the international event.  

• If the event cannot take place due to COVID or other current circumstances due to which restrictions on the organization of events are imposed, actual expenses incurred in organising an event, however, no more than 60% of the approved original compensation amount, may be recognized as eligible for payment. In such a case the Applicant must prove that the expenses were unavoidable. GO Vilnius shall take a decision on eligibility of such expenses at its own discretion on a case-by-case basis, having regard to available budget. 

7. OTHER OBLIGATIONS 

7.1 GO Vilnius shall:

Process all the personal data provided by the Applicant solely for the purposes of compensations for the expenses incurred in the organising of relevant international event according to the law. 

7.2 The Applicant shall: 

• Enable a representative of GO Vilnius to physically take part in the event. In the case of a hybrid event, the representative shall be enabled to log in to a virtual event. 

• Increase visibility of Vilnius by including visual information about the city, excursions in the city etc. in the communication and/or programme of the event. 

• Permit, if necessary, GO Vilnius’ representatives to conduct surveys of participants in the event during and/or after the event in order to assess the event’s economic impact on the city and to receive feedback on the quality of tourist and/or business products and services offered by the city. 

• Furnish GO Vilnius, if necessary, with detailed information about the event and its participants, income received and costs incurred in order to assess the event’s economic impact on the city. 

• Specify, if necessary, GO Vilnius as a friend/partner of the event in the event’s information materials. The Applicant shall not have the right to use GO Vilnius logo without the organisation’s consent. 

• The Applicant represents that all the information provided is true and assumes all related responsibility. 

8. FINAL PROVISIONS 

• These Rules were drawn up in accordance with the Lithuanian legal acts and in line with the Statutes and objectives of GO Vilnius.  

• GO Vilnius may amend the Rules at any time. The amended Rules shall enter into effect after their publication on  www.govilnius.lt. The current version of the Rules in effect as of the Application date shall be applied to the Applicant.  

Current version 21 June 2021