Clear terms for scientific services, analyses and consulting.

1. Provider identity

These General Conditions of Sale are issued by IsotopiX, a simplified joint-stock company under French law.

IsotopiX is hereinafter referred to as the “Service Provider”. Any professional, public institution, research organisation, association or individual placing an order is hereinafter referred to as the “Client”.

2. Scope

These General Conditions of Sale apply to all services supplied by IsotopiX, unless otherwise agreed in writing through a quotation, contract, purchase order, framework agreement or specific service agreement.

The acceptance of a quotation or the placement of an order implies full and complete acceptance of these General Conditions of Sale by the Client.

In the event of contradiction between these General Conditions of Sale and specific contractual terms accepted in writing by IsotopiX, the specific contractual terms shall prevail for the service concerned.

3. Services covered

IsotopiX provides scientific and technical services based on isotopic, geochemical and environmental data. These services may include, depending on the project and the quotation accepted by the Client:

• stable isotope and geochemical analysis strategy;
• traceability studies for materials, products, resources and supply chains;
• authentication or verification of declared geographic or material origin;
• environmental forensic studies, including source identification and transfer processes for polluted sites, soils, sediments, waters or industrial materials;
• selection of relevant isotope systems and geochemical tracers;
• sampling strategy, preparation strategy and analytical coordination with partner laboratories;
• data processing, statistical treatment, interpretation and visualization;
• expert reports, technical notes, decision-support documents and scientific summaries;
• consulting services related to isotope geochemistry, traceability, environmental diagnostics, analytical feasibility, regulatory or technical positioning, and R&D strategy;
• training, courses, workshops, conferences and scientific communication;
• research and development projects, pilot studies, proof-of-concept studies and scientific collaborations.

The exact scope, deliverables, assumptions, exclusions, deadlines and price of each service are defined in the quotation or specific agreement accepted by the Client.

4. Quotations and orders

Services are generally provided following a written quotation issued by IsotopiX. The quotation may specify the scientific question, sample type, number of samples, analytical strategy, expected deliverables, estimated timeline, price, payment schedule and any assumptions or exclusions.

Unless otherwise stated in the quotation, quotations are valid for 30 calendar days from their issue date.

An order is considered confirmed once the Client has accepted the quotation in writing, issued a purchase order, signed a specific agreement or paid the deposit requested by IsotopiX.

IsotopiX reserves the right to refuse or suspend any order if the request is outside its field of expertise, if the project presents legal, safety, ethical or scientific difficulties, or if there is an unresolved payment dispute with the Client.

5. Prices, invoicing and payment

Prices are indicated in euros, excluding taxes and, where applicable, including taxes. VAT, bank charges, shipping, sample transport, customs duties, laboratory subcontracting costs or additional expenses may be charged separately if they are not included in the quotation.

Payment terms

Payment terms are defined in the quotation or invoice. Unless otherwise agreed, IsotopiX may request a deposit before starting the service.

IsotopiX is not required to begin or continue a service if the Client has not paid the amounts due according to the agreed payment schedule.

6. Performance of services

IsotopiX undertakes to perform the services with professional care, scientific rigor and in accordance with the scope defined in the accepted quotation.

Delivery times are indicative unless expressly stated as binding in the quotation or contract. They may depend on sample availability, laboratory capacity, analytical constraints, subcontractor timelines, data quality, access to contextual information and the Client’s responsiveness.

Client obligations

The Client undertakes to provide accurate, complete and timely information necessary for the performance of the services, including sample descriptions, site context, suspected sources, safety information, constraints and any relevant prior data.

The Client remains responsible for the legality, safety, representativeness and traceability of the samples and information transmitted to IsotopiX, unless a specific sampling mission is expressly included in the quotation.

Subcontracting and partner laboratories

IsotopiX may rely on partner laboratories, analytical platforms, experts or subcontractors for sample preparation, measurement, specialized analysis or complementary expertise. In such cases, IsotopiX remains responsible for coordinating the service within the scope agreed with the Client.

7. Scientific interpretation and limits of the method

Isotopic and geochemical approaches are powerful scientific tools for comparing materials, identifying probable sources, assessing origin consistency and interpreting environmental or industrial processes. However, they depend on the quality of samples, reference materials, analytical precision, contextual information and the natural variability of the systems studied.

IsotopiX is bound by an obligation of means, not an obligation of result. Unless expressly stated otherwise, IsotopiX does not guarantee that a single, certain or exclusive origin can always be established.

Conclusions may be expressed in terms of consistency, probability, degree of confidence, exclusion, compatibility with reference data or most likely interpretation based on the available evidence.

IsotopiX does not replace the Client’s regulatory, legal, insurance, certification or judicial obligations. The Client remains responsible for decisions taken on the basis of the deliverables.

8. Modification, cancellation and right of withdrawal

Modification of the service

Any change requested by the Client after order confirmation may lead to a revised scope, revised timeline and additional costs. Such changes must be accepted in writing by IsotopiX.

Cancellation by the Client

If the Client cancels an order after confirmation, IsotopiX may invoice work already performed, costs already incurred, committed subcontracting costs and any non-cancellable expenses.

Right of withdrawal for consumers

Where the Client qualifies as a consumer under applicable French consumer law, the Client may have a right of withdrawal under the conditions provided by law. This right may be limited or excluded for services fully performed before the end of the withdrawal period with the Client’s prior agreement, or for customized services, depending on the applicable legal conditions.

Any consumer wishing to exercise a right of withdrawal may contact IsotopiX at: contact@isotopix.eu.

9. Confidentiality, samples and scientific data

IsotopiX treats Client information, project context, analytical results, reports and non-public data as confidential, unless the information is already public, independently known, required by law or authorized for disclosure by the Client.

Samples sent to IsotopiX or to partner laboratories may be consumed, altered or destroyed during preparation and analysis. Return or storage of residual samples must be agreed in writing before the start of the service.

IsotopiX may use aggregated or anonymized information for internal methodological improvement, quality control or scientific development, provided that the Client cannot be identified and that confidential business information is not disclosed.

Any public communication, case study, publication or commercial reference identifying the Client or the project requires prior written agreement, unless otherwise provided in a specific contract.

10. Intellectual property

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, IsotopiX retains ownership of its know-how, methods, analytical strategies, templates, software tools, data-processing workflows, visual designs, models, protocols and pre-existing intellectual property.

After full payment, the Client receives a right to use the deliverables provided by IsotopiX for the purpose defined in the quotation. This right does not include resale, redistribution, modification for misleading purposes or use outside the agreed context without prior written authorization.

Raw data, interpreted data, reports and figures may be subject to specific ownership, confidentiality or usage rules defined in the quotation, contract, research collaboration agreement or consortium agreement.

11. Liability and force majeure

IsotopiX shall not be liable for indirect damages, loss of business opportunity, loss of profit, loss of production, reputational damage, regulatory consequences or decisions taken by the Client or third parties on the basis of the deliverables, except where mandatory law provides otherwise.

IsotopiX’s liability is limited to the amount paid by the Client for the service giving rise to the claim, except in cases where such limitation is prohibited by applicable law.

IsotopiX shall not be held liable for delays or non-performance resulting from force majeure, laboratory shutdown, sample degradation, customs or transport delays, lack of information from the Client, third-party failure, safety restrictions or events beyond its reasonable control.

12. Personal data

IsotopiX may collect and process personal data necessary for commercial exchanges, quotation preparation, contract performance, invoicing, accounting, project management and communication with the Client.

The data may include name, professional role, organisation, email address, phone number, billing information and information provided through contact forms or email exchanges.

Personal data are processed in accordance with applicable data protection rules, including the General Data Protection Regulation where applicable. The Client may request access, correction or deletion of personal data by contacting: contact@isotopix.eu.

IsotopiX does not sell personal data to third parties.

13. Complaints, mediation and disputes

Any complaint relating to a service must be sent in writing to IsotopiX at contact@isotopix.eu, with sufficient information to identify the project, the service concerned and the reason for the complaint.

IsotopiX and the Client shall first attempt to resolve any dispute amicably.

Consumer mediation

Where the Client qualifies as a consumer under applicable law, the Client may have access to a consumer mediation mechanism after having first submitted a written complaint to IsotopiX.

IsotopiX is currently in the process of identifying and appointing a consumer mediation body adapted to its scientific, technical and consulting activities. This section will be updated as soon as the relevant mediator has been formally designated.

Applicable law and jurisdiction

These General Conditions of Sale are governed by French law. In the absence of an amicable resolution, disputes shall be submitted to the competent French courts, subject to mandatory legal provisions applicable to consumers or public entities.

Language

These General Conditions may be available in French and English. In the event of contradiction between versions, the French version shall prevail unless otherwise agreed in writing.