Eurofurence Rules of Conduct

Eurofurence likes to present itself as a professional convention of friendly, respectful and open-minded members of the furry community and their friends. As a condition of membership, all Eurofurence attendees are required to abide by these rules of conduct for the entire duration of their stay, even prior to opening or after closing of the convention. When in doubt about any of these rules, please ask - we will gladly answer all your questions. However, please understand that we will not debate these rules with you during the convention. The rules of conduct will be strictly enforced by Eurofurence security volunteers who will be clearly identified as such on site. If you have any problem with any action taken by a Staff member you may take the matter up with the Chief of Security or the Chairman.

General Rules

Any action or behavior that causes significant interference with convention operations, excessive discomfort to other attendees, or adversely affects Eurofurence's relationship with its guests, its venues or the public is strictly forbidden and may result in permanent suspension of membership. This general rule supersedes all others listed below and may be invoked at any time.

Please treat each other respectfully.
You are liable for any damage you might cause.
Always follow the directions by convention staff and security.
Harassment of any kind, including physical assault, battery, deliberate intimidation, stalking, or unwelcome physical attentions, will not be tolerated.

Please be aware that the lobby, the foyers and the restaurants are public areas, and that there may be regular hotel guests around who are not taking part in our convention. Please help us to give them the best possible impression of our fandom!

Registration and Badges

You must be at least 18 years old on the first day of the convention.
Eurofurence functions are open only to registered attendees.
Attendees are identified by their personal membership badge.
A badge is valid only for the person to whom it was issued and may not be shared.
Badges must be presented and/or surrendered to any Staff member requesting it.
Changing or obscuring information on your badge is not allowed.

Hotel Rules

The consumption of food or drink purchased from outside of the hotel is not permitted in the hotel's public areas.
It is strictly forbidden to throw/dangle/hang anything out of any windows, balconies or any other elevated location. Violators will be expelled from the convention.
Attendees may not enter the service areas of the hotel. This includes all backstage areas, service elevators, the rooftops, emergency exits and all areas marked as "Staff Only".

Disabling or deliberately triggering fire-protection devices (such as smoke detectors, sprinklers, door alarms) is strictly prohibited.

The sale of any kind of merchandise outside the official Dealers' Den requires explicit permission by the Eurofurence Board of Directors.

No sleeping in the lobby, the hallways or the meeting rooms. Get a room, please!

Parties and Gatherings

Gatherings in hotel rooms must not generate any noise that can be heard in neighboring rooms during nighttime hours.
Hotel doors must be kept shut during such gatherings and guests are not permitted to congregate in the hotel corridors.
Loud parties will be given a single warning to remain quiet. No second warnings will be given before action is taken by the hotel to remove the offending individuals.
Hotel guests who host any gathering are responsible for cleaning up afterward. Excessive amounts of unbagged trash must not be left for housekeeping staff to clean up (it's just plain rude).

Clothing and Decency

Wearing costumes, accessories or displaying items made out of real fur is not allowed.
Nudity exceeding the equivalent of a non-thong bathing suit is not allowed in public.
To prevent damage to costumes and hotel property, body paint requires an individual permission by the Chief of Security. Face makeup does not require permission.
Sexual behaviour that goes beyond a mere display of affection is not allowed in public.
Blatant exposure of fetish gear is not permitted in public, even if it is part of a costume.
Display of adult materials (such as room signs, flyers, business cards, posters and drawings on public message boards) is not permitted in public areas of the hotel and convention center.

The limit for "adult themed" materials is the equivalent of what you can see on the magazine covers at an average German newsstand. Drawing the line for "fetish gear" is a little bit more tricky. To avoid unexpected differences with our Security Staff, please ask us in advance if you're unsure about the adequacy of an item.

When used as a fashion statement or part of a costume, the following items are usually allowed:

Collars without leash
Leather wristbands
Working gear

The following items are explicitly NOT allowed in public:

Full-body rubber or inflatable vinyl costumes.
Costumes that are visibly "anatomically correct".
Costumes or accessories related to age-play, pet-play or BDSM.

We may take the liberty to allow additional exceptions if your outfit is exceptionally discrete, tasteful and/or good looking - no promise, though.

Alcohol and other Drugs

Persons who are intoxicated to the point of incapacity will be escorted to their room, and may consequentially be banned from the convention.
Any individual found to be in possession of or distributing illegal or controlled substances will be removed and reported directly to the local authorities.
Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the hotel and convention center, except for the smoker's lounge.

You are expected to drink responsibly. You will be held responsible for what you do, even when drunk.

Weapons

All weapons, including look-alikes, replicas, tools and toys must be approved immediately after your registration on site. Please go to the ConOps office for approval.
Security may require your weapon to be peace-bound. Tampering with the peace bonding is not allowed.
No water pistols, silly string, or any thrown or projectile-type toy may be used in any area of the hotel or convention center.
Mock fights, swordplay, fire breathing or any other dangerous activities are not allowed.

Photography and Video

Eurofurence e.V. reserves all rights to video and photo material gathered at the convention with the exception of footage from private rooms.
Eurofurence e.V. grants you the right to use videos and photos you have taken at the convention for private and/or non-commercial purposes.
Publication in for-profit media requires written permission by the Board of Directors.
Official Eurofurence camera teams may record video and take photos in the public areas of the convention and during events to be used for publication. You agree that videos and pictures taken of you can be used in such publications without release or compensation. A release will only be required for material filmed in situations where a reasonable expectation of privacy exists.
Photography and filming is strictly forbidden in the Art Show. Cameras and cell phones will have to be left outside.
Other restrictions or rules may apply for certain events, and will be announced on location.

The Bottom Line

That being said, many of the above rules involve "worst-case" scenarios and are put into place to ensure the safety and comfort of our members. In the past, Eurofurence has generally been a quiet and pleasurable experience, and we anticipate no difficulties, as our members as a whole are rational and responsible adults. Eurofurence is prepared to deal with any or all of the above scenarios in a rapid and efficient manner, should they occur. We thank our members for their past cooperation and for their continued assistance in making this a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. Have fun - just please remember to be courteous of those around you while doing so! We hope you will have a great time!