Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions govern access to and use of FERN RuleFinder.

By accessing public pages, creating an account, using a regulatory workspace, activating publication-module access, purchasing a subscription, or using a signed-in mobile workspace, the user agrees to these Terms and the policies incorporated by reference.

A person using FERN RuleFinder on behalf of a company, organization, academy, institution, or other legal entity confirms that they are authorized to act for that entity.

If a user does not agree to these Terms, the user should not create an account, purchase access, or use protected FERN RuleFinder services.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits mandatory rights that cannot lawfully be excluded, including applicable consumer rights.

PITIP-MITIM operates FERN RuleFinder.

FERN RuleFinder is an independent maritime regulatory research and reference platform designed to support structured search, source-context review, applicability review, publication-module access, and professional regulatory workflows.

FERN RuleFinder is not a downloadable publication archive and does not issue official publications, official interpretations, statutory decisions, flag administration requirements, classification decisions, or legal advice.

The complete registered legal identity, registered address, contact details, and any required registration information for PITIP-MITIM must be confirmed and included before production publication.

Users must provide accurate account information and keep it reasonably current.

Account access is linked to the registered email address and authentication credentials. Users are responsible for maintaining access to their registered email address, protecting their credentials, and preventing unauthorized use of their account.

Credentials must not be shared except through an organization-level access arrangement that expressly permits managed users.

Users should notify Contact Support promptly if they suspect unauthorized access, loss of credentials, or misuse of an account.

Password recovery and account communications may be sent to the registered email address.

If access to the registered email address is lost, account recovery or transfer to another email address may require reasonable identity, account-ownership, subscription, and transaction verification.

Verification information may include account details, billing information, transaction references, invoice references, or other evidence reasonably necessary to protect the account.

If account ownership cannot be verified, PITIP-MITIM may decline to transfer or restore protected access where reasonably necessary for account security.

A payment dispute or charge dispute does not by itself prove account ownership or create an automatic right to account restoration.

FERN RuleFinder may provide different access levels, including Public Visitor, Free Plan with Preview Access, Individual Module, Professional Bundle, and Enterprise / Institutional access.

Public visitors may review public information, access plans, module availability, Public FAQs, support options, and legal information without entering a regulatory search workspace.

A signed-in Free account with Preview Access may provide limited search and workspace functions subject to the applicable Free-account rules.

Individual Module access activates one available publication module. The Professional Bundle combines the included publication modules identified in the applicable plan. Enterprise / Institutional access may provide managed users, assigned modules, customized packages, and organization-level access oversight.

Available functions, publications, search allowances, storage, workspace features, and account controls depend on the active access level, module availability, account status, and applicable subscription terms.

The signed-in mobile workspace is search-focused and may provide Search, Saved, and More functions according to the active account rules. It is not a public Visitor interface and does not provide module purchasing or subscription-management controls.

Prices, billing periods, included modules, access periods, taxes, renewal conditions, and material subscription terms should be displayed before a user completes a purchase.

Where recurring billing is enabled and selected, charges may recur at the displayed billing interval until the subscription is cancelled, expires, or is otherwise terminated under the applicable terms.

Payment credentials may be processed directly by the applicable payment provider. FERN RuleFinder may receive limited transaction, subscription, and billing-status information required to administer access.

Cancellation methods and the effect of cancellation depend on the applicable plan, payment method, Payment and Refunds Policy, and mandatory law.

Where cancellation becomes effective at the end of a paid billing period, access may normally continue until that period ends unless the applicable plan or mandatory law provides otherwise.

Consumers may have statutory withdrawal, conformity, refund, termination, or other mandatory rights concerning distance contracts and digital services. Nothing in these Terms removes rights that cannot lawfully be excluded.

Any loss or waiver of a statutory withdrawal right following immediate performance of a digital service must depend on a legally compliant purchase and consent process. These Terms alone do not remove that right.

Billing disputes, reversals, or chargebacks may result in review or temporary restriction of the associated access while the transaction and account status are investigated.

The Payment and Refunds Policy forms part of these Terms.

Subject to the applicable access level, users may use FERN RuleFinder for lawful internal professional, operational, compliance, research, training, or educational purposes.

Permitted use may include:

- performing regulatory searches;

- reviewing available source references and contextual excerpts;

- reviewing applicability and entry-into-force information;

- using saved searches, bookmarks, notes, references, and related workspace functions made available to the account;

- citing limited FERN RuleFinder results or references where permitted by law and these Terms;

- using publication modules and account tools for the user's own authorized work.

Organization-level access may be used only by authorized users within the agreed organization and account structure.

Any permitted copy, quotation, export, or reference must remain limited, contextual, lawful, and consistent with the applicable subscription and intellectual-property rights.

Users must not misuse FERN RuleFinder or assist another person to do so.

Prohibited activity includes:

- sharing, selling, lending, or transferring credentials or account access without authorization;

- scraping, crawling, harvesting, bulk extraction, systematic copying, or automated collection of platform content or metadata;

- using automated requests outside normal authorized platform use;

- reproducing, republishing, redistributing, reselling, sublicensing, or commercially exploiting protected platform content without written permission;

- using extracted content or platform structure to create or enhance a competing database, search service, reference product, or commercial information system;

- reverse engineering, decompiling, disassembling, decoding, or attempting to discover non-public source code, architecture, search methods, ranking methods, internal logic, or security mechanisms, except where a mandatory law expressly permits a limited act that cannot be contractually excluded;

- bypassing or attempting to bypass authentication, access levels, module controls, quotas, subscriptions, payment controls, rate limits, or security protections;

- probing, scanning, testing, or exploiting platform vulnerabilities without prior written authorization;

- introducing malicious code, disruptive traffic, harmful instructions, or other material intended to damage, overload, disable, or interfere with the platform;

- removing ownership, copyright, trademark, source, security, or attribution notices;

- impersonating another user or misrepresenting account ownership, authorization, affiliation, or source authority;

- using FERN RuleFinder for unlawful, fraudulent, abusive, threatening, harassing, or harmful activity.

Normal authorized search and workspace use is not prohibited merely because it involves professional research or comparison.

PITIP-MITIM owns or lawfully controls the rights in FERN RuleFinder software, source code, interface design, visual design, branding, trademarks, logos, documentation, platform structure, data organization, taxonomy, metadata arrangement, compilation, search presentation, source relationships, explanatory material, proprietary methods, and other original platform elements, except where third-party rights apply.

Developers, contributors, licensors, and service providers retain their respective rights in material, software, services, or technology supplied by them.

Rights in third-party maritime conventions, codes, regulations, resolutions, circulars, manuals, handbooks, guides, and other source publications remain with their respective rights holders.

Access to FERN RuleFinder grants only a limited, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable right to use the platform within the user's authorized access level and these Terms.

No ownership right is transferred to the user.

Unauthorized copying, extraction, reproduction, redistribution, adaptation, commercial exploitation, or use of protected platform elements may result in access restriction, suspension, termination, and lawful enforcement action.

FERN RuleFinder may provide structured references, contextual excerpts, applicability information, entry-into-force information, related provisions, and explanatory workspace support developed from recognized maritime source material where available.

References are retained to support verification, but availability, formatting, coverage, and source quality may vary between publications.

FERN RuleFinder does not issue official interpretations and does not replace authoritative source publications, flag administration requirements, classification requirements, professional advice, or legal advice.

Users remain responsible for professional judgement, operational decisions, legal compliance, and verification against the applicable authoritative source publications and competent authorities where required.

Users must not rely solely on a search result or explanatory context where the official or controlling text is required.

Users must protect non-public information obtained through authorized access, including credentials, organization information, confidential support communications, security information, unpublished functionality, and other material identified or reasonably understood as confidential.

Users must not disclose vulnerability details, security mechanisms, authentication information, internal architecture, confidential developer information, or non-public operational material except through an authorized security or support channel.

A suspected security issue should be reported promptly through Contact Support with sufficient information for investigation.

Users must not publicly exploit or encourage exploitation of a suspected vulnerability.

PITIP-MITIM may preserve relevant technical, account, usage, security, and support records where reasonably necessary to investigate incidents, protect users and developers, maintain platform integrity, comply with law, or establish and defend legal claims.

This section does not prevent lawful reporting to a competent authority or other activity protected by mandatory law.

FERN RuleFinder may require maintenance, updates, security work, data review, provider changes, or temporary service interruption.

The platform does not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free availability.

Features, module availability, access models, search functions, storage, support arrangements, and pricing may change prospectively as the platform develops.

Material changes affecting an active paid service should be communicated where required by the applicable contract or law.

PITIP-MITIM may make immediate changes where reasonably necessary for security, legal compliance, prevention of misuse, protection of users, or platform integrity.

Changes should not be applied in a manner that unlawfully removes mandatory consumer rights or remedies.

PITIP-MITIM may restrict, temporarily suspend, investigate, or terminate access where reasonably necessary to protect users, FERN RuleFinder, its developers and contributors, service providers, infrastructure, confidential information, intellectual property, business continuity, reputation, or legal rights.

Grounds may include:

- a material or repeated breach of these Terms;

- unauthorized credential sharing, account transfer, impersonation, or misrepresentation;

- non-payment, payment reversal, suspected transaction fraud, or unresolved billing status;

- scraping, bulk extraction, reverse engineering, access-control circumvention, automated abuse, or unauthorized exploitation of platform content or functionality;

- conduct that threatens platform security, availability, integrity, or operation;

- harassment, threats, abusive communications, doxxing, or harmful conduct directed toward users, staff, developers, contributors, or service providers;

- disclosure or misuse of confidential information, credentials, security details, vulnerability information, non-public architecture, or protected business material;

- knowingly publishing or distributing materially false factual statements, fabricated evidence, impersonated communications, or deceptive claims about PITIP-MITIM, FERN RuleFinder, its developers, services, users, or business operations, where the conduct is reasonably likely to cause material harm;

- misuse of support, complaint, review, or communication channels for fraud, intimidation, coordinated disruption, or malicious interference;

- unlawful use, fraud, infringement, abuse, or activity reasonably connected with a legal, regulatory, or security risk;

- a lawful request from a court, regulator, law-enforcement authority, payment provider, infrastructure provider, or other competent authority;

- discontinuation or material restructuring of the relevant service or access arrangement.

Any restriction should be proportionate to the identified risk. Where appropriate, PITIP-MITIM may use a warning, temporary restriction, limited-function mode, account review, or suspension before permanent termination.

Immediate restriction or suspension may be applied where delay could create a material security, legal, financial, operational, reputational, or safety risk; permit continued unauthorized access; compromise evidence; or expose users, developers, infrastructure, or confidential information to further harm.

Where reasonably possible and legally permitted, the affected user should receive notice of the principal reason for the action and an opportunity to provide relevant information or request internal review.

Notice may be delayed or limited where disclosure could compromise security, fraud prevention, investigations, confidential information, legal obligations, or the rights of another person.

PITIP-MITIM may preserve relevant account, transaction, usage, technical, security, and support records where reasonably necessary to investigate suspected misconduct, protect users and the platform, enforce contractual rights, comply with lawful obligations, or establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

Suspension or termination does not automatically remove payment, refund, withdrawal, data-protection, or other rights that apply under mandatory law.

Any refund or continuation of paid access will be determined under the applicable plan, Payment and Refunds Policy, contract terms, and mandatory legal requirements.

Protected lawful activity

Nothing in these Terms prohibits or penalizes:

- honest opinions or reviews;

- good-faith criticism;

- genuine customer complaints;

- reporting suspected unlawful conduct to a competent authority;

- exercising consumer, privacy, employment, or other legal rights;

- protected whistleblowing;

- making or defending a lawful legal claim;

- responsible security reporting through an appropriate channel.

Such activity does not become prohibited merely because it is unfavorable to PITIP-MITIM or FERN RuleFinder.

This protection does not extend to threats, harassment, impersonation, knowingly false factual claims, fabricated evidence, unlawful disclosure of confidential information, or malicious interference.

FERN RuleFinder is provided as a regulatory research and reference service.

Reasonable efforts may be made to maintain structured, traceable, and useful information, but completeness, availability, formatting, applicability, currency, and error-free operation cannot be guaranteed for every publication, source, query, jurisdiction, vessel, operation, or factual situation.

Users remain responsible for verifying controlling requirements and making professional, operational, commercial, and legal decisions.

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, PITIP-MITIM is not responsible for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or purely economic loss arising from unauthorized use, failure to verify source material, interruption outside reasonable control, misuse of the platform, or reliance beyond the platform's stated purpose.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited, including liability for fraud, wilful misconduct, death or personal injury where caused by negligence, or mandatory consumer rights and statutory remedies.

Any additional monetary liability cap or business-user limitation must be confirmed separately through legal review before production publication.

These Terms are intended to be governed by Slovenian law.

This choice of law does not deprive a consumer of mandatory protections that apply under the law of the consumer's country of habitual residence or other applicable mandatory law.

Users should first submit account, subscription, payment, access, or service concerns through Contact Support so that the matter can be reviewed in good faith.

Any dispute that cannot be resolved informally will be handled by the courts or dispute-resolution bodies having jurisdiction under applicable law.

Nothing in this section restricts a consumer's mandatory right to bring a claim before a court or authority having jurisdiction under applicable consumer-protection rules.

The Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, Payment and Refunds Policy, Subscription Policy, and any plan-specific terms referenced during purchase form part of the contractual framework where applicable.

If one provision of these Terms is found invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain effective to the extent permitted by law.

A failure or delay in enforcing a provision does not automatically waive the right to enforce it later.

The user may not assign or transfer an account, subscription, or contractual right without authorization. PITIP-MITIM may transfer the service or agreement as part of a lawful organizational, operational, or business transfer, subject to applicable notice and user rights.

These Terms may be updated to reflect changes in platform functionality, access models, security requirements, legal obligations, or service operation.

Material changes will be published with an updated revision date and, where required, communicated to affected account holders.

Questions about these Terms can be submitted through Contact Support.