The following Terms and Conditions govern the provision of the Service Line by Europe Startup Nations Alliance (ESNA) to the applicant identified in the Request Form (REQ), including their affiliated institution, entity, or organisation (collectively referred to as the Applicant). By proceeding, the applicant acknowledges and agrees to these terms and conditions.

1. General Terms

1.1. Upon submission of the REQ, ESNA Standards & Policy Team will review the request to determine the most appropriate approach and form of support.

1.2. ESNA operates under a political mandate derived from the EU Startup Nations Standard of Excellence Ministerial Declaration. Accordingly, the Service Line functions strictly within the framework established by the eight Startup Nation Standards outlined in the Declaration.

1.3. Requests falling outside the scope of these Standards may be declined. Nevertheless, each request will be subject to an evaluation by the ESNA team.

1.4. Within the scope of the Service Line, ESNA acts as a strategic advisor and partner, providing informed guidance, expert analysis, and tailored recommendations to support the Applicant in addressing their identified challenges or topics of interest.

1.5. Leveraging interdisciplinary expertise and insights from national and European contexts, ESNA aims to facilitate alignment with broader policy objectives, promote informed decision-making, and support the implementation of the Startup Nation Standards across Member States.

1.6. Nothing in these Terms shall be construed as creating a legal partnership, joint venture, or employment relationship between the parties.

1.7. Any amendment or modification to these Terms shall be valid only if made in writing and agreed by both parties.

2. Cooperation

2.1. All parties shall act in good faith and with due diligence throughout the execution of the work, fostering active, transparent, and constructive cooperation.

2.2. ESNA undertakes to maintain professional standards in managing the application and shall use reasonable efforts to provide appropriate and timely support to the Applicant, within the limits of its mandate and available resources.

2.3. The scope, objectives, and format of the deliverables shall be mutually agreed upon by both parties, ensuring that they meet the Applicant’s needs while allowing ESNA to operate within the Service Line’s methodological and procedural framework.

2.4. In accordance with the political mandate establishing a common cooperation platform among Member States and startup ecosystem stakeholders, ESNA may invite the Applicant or their organisation to collaborate on other Service Line requests submitted by participating countries. In such cases, the Applicant agrees to cooperate in good faith and to contribute constructively to the mutual exchange of knowledge and experience.

3. Confidentiality and Intellectual Property

3.1. Both parties agree to maintain strict confidentiality with respect to all non-public, classified, or confidential information exchanged during the course of this collaboration. Such information shall not be disclosed to any third party without the prior written consent of the disclosing party, except where disclosure is necessary to fulfil legitimate internal obligations (e.g. employees, legal advisers, or board members) who are bound by equivalent confidentiality obligations.

3.2. Unless expressly stated otherwise in writing, all Intellectual Property Rights (including but not limited to copyright, design rights, and related rights) in any deliverables produced by ESNA under this agreement shall remain the exclusive property of ESNA.

3.3. Deliverables may include, but are not limited to, reports, analyses, documentation, artwork, data visualisations, and other materials produced as part of the Service Line activities.

3.4. Any publication, dissemination, reproduction, or redistribution of the deliverables beyond the originally agreed purpose shall require ESNA’s prior written approval and consent.