This document sets out the terms and conditions that will apply to membership of COPE.
- The agreement is entered into with the publisher of the relevant journal or Editor (where applicable), and where with the publisher, they must inform the Editor/Editor-in-Chief/other honorary member, (and any successor to an Editor/Editor-in-Chief) and either the Editor or publisher must disseminate all relevant information about COPE to editorial/relevant colleagues. COPE will communicate with the Editor or Editor-in-Chief of the journal.
- Membership of COPE entitles the member to benefits including the ability to present cases to COPE, use the COPE logo on the publisher's relevant journals, attend COPE meetings and seminars, access the Code of Conduct Compliance Procedure, access the members' area of the website and receive regular updates and advice from COPE.
- The documents that govern our agreement (other than these terms and conditions) are: the membership application form, the Code of Conduct for Editors, COPE’s Memorandum and Articles of Association and Regulations, and our Privacy Policy all as amended from time to time at COPE's discretion.
- Eligibility for membership is set out in COPE’s Memorandum and Articles of Association and is at the discretion of COPE’s Council.
- Submission of an application form constitutes an offer to become a member, and the contract will come into effect when the Administrator of COPE contacts the applicant to inform him or her that membership has been accepted and when payment has been cleared in our account.
- If you are an Editor rather than a publisher entering into this agreement and you have contracted by a distant means, you will have seven days from this point to cancel your membership and a refund will be given to you.
- Membership will be for the remainder of the applicable subscription year which runs from 1 January to 31 December, ("the Subscription Year"). Thereafter towards the end of each Subscription Year we will send you an invoice for the following Subscription Year which if paid (and subject to clause 9 below), will amount to a further contract for the new Subscription Year.
- Annual membership rates are based on the frequency of the publication as set out here (Download PDF, 68 kb). Fees are applied pro rata by quarters after the second quarter depending on when you apply during the Subscription Year. The fees are valid for that subscription year and are reviewed at the Annual General Meeting, which is held each year on a date and time fixed by COPE’s Council.
- Where an agreement is entered into with an Editor and that Editor leaves the journal, the Editor must notify COPE in writing at least seven days after leaving the journal. The contract with the existing Editor may be assigned to the new Editor of that journal, if the new Editor is notified to COPE within seven days of the old Editor leaving the journal, and she/he agrees to be bound by these terms and conditions. If not, the agreement will come to an end and no refund will be owing to the previous editor.
- No other assignment by the Editor or publisher shall be permitted without the express written consent of COPE.
- Ultimately all decisions taken by the Editor/Editor-in-Chief are at the Editor and publisher’s risk and COPE (including its Council, committees and members) does not accept any liability arising from its recommendations or decisions, save as to where this causes death or personal injury caused by negligence or caused by fraudulent misstatement.
- To the fullest extent permitted by law, all direct and indirect losses, claims, proceedings or demands which arise as a result of any information it provides or guidance or decisions that it makes are excluded.
- It is agreed that no third party may enforce the terms and conditions of this agreement and the operation of the contracts (Rights of Third Parties Act) 1999 is hereby excluded.
- This agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with the Laws of England and Wales whose courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction.