French event-goers rights to refund for festivals and sports games cancelled due to Coronavirus pandemic

French event-goers rights to refund for festivals and sports games cancelled due to Coronavirus pandemic

FRANCE banned large public gatherings at the end of February, several weeks before the country went into lockdown, and they are not expected to be allowed again until September.
This has meant that thousands of events have been cancelled and people who had bought tickets in advance are left wondering whether and when they will be able to get refunds.
The French government has published a decree in the ‘Journal Officiel’ that covers the cancellation of any event due to the Coronavirus outbreak between March 12 and September 15.
The terms for event organisers are more relaxed than normal due to the fact that many companies may face bankruptcy due to more than six months without events,
A government spokesman said: “In order to safeguard the cash flow of performing arts companies, sports event organisers and operators of physical activity and sports establishments while respecting consumer rights, the Order of May 7, 2020, modifies the obligations of these professionals to enable them to offer either a credit note or a refund to their customers.”
The new order covers the following points;
Credit note – The company is allowed to offer you either a cash refund, credit note or voucher.
Refund amount – The amount refunded is the amount that was paid out, so if you bought discount tickets the refund will be for the price you paid, not the full ticket price.
Vouchers – If the company offers you a voucher you can only claim a cash refund at the end of the expiry date of the voucher.
Contact – The company must contact you by post or email within 30 days of the cancellation of the event to inform you of the terms of your refund and if the refund is in the form of a voucher, the expiry date of the voucher.
Use – A voucher can be used for any event of the same nature and the same price as your cancelled event and must not incur extra fees such as a second booking fee.
Expiry – Expiry dates for vouchers must not exceed
six months for access to physical or sporting activities.
Twelve months for live performances.
Eighteen months for sporting events.
If a rebooked event is more expensive, you will have to pay the difference in ticket prices.
Tourist packages – performances or sporting events that were part of a tourist package are not included in the above measures.