Rules for the Awards

Article 1. Organisation
Organisation of the Data News Awards for Excellence 2007 is the responsibility of
VNU Business Publications, the publisher of Data News
Complex Senneberg
Jean Monnetlaan
1804 Vilvoorde

No correspondence will be entered into concerning the competition rules. VNU Business Publications may make changes to the rules at any time.

Article 2. Description
Data News awards a total of 14 'Awards for Excellence'
- Technology Company of the Year
- Belgium Startup Company of the Year
- Innovative Product of the Year
- Enterprise Hardware Vendor of the Year
- Notebook of the Year
- Software Vendor of the Year
- Security Vendor of the Year
- ILM Vendor of the Year
- IT Systems Integrator of the Year
- Networking Integrator of the Year
- Telecom Services Provider of the Year
- Convergence Solution of the Year
- Training Institute of the Year
- ICT Personality of the Year (to be awarded by the Data News editorial team)

Article 3 Voting and participation
Voting can take place in thirteen categories by the end-users of ICT products and services and by an independent jury.
The fourteenth category will be awarded by the Data News editorial team.

End-users can only vote by using the website at www.passionforit.be
The voting ballot will state, for each of the 13 categories, a list of suppliers and their products or services for which a vote can be cast. This list is not, however, exhaustive: in each category voters have the opportunity to mention a different supplier or product/service.

Each participant can only cast one vote. Voting begins on 15 January and ends on 15 February 2007.

On the basis of the votes of all participants, a ranking will be produced in each category. From the top three nominees in each category, an independent jury will then name the final winner. The Data News Award for Excellence will be awarded to that nominee. The other two nominees may receive the Data News Quality Award.

The specialist jury consists of Data News journalists, testing specialists, academics, ICT managers and ICT consultants.

Employees of ICT suppliers are not allowed to take part in voting.
This is because the Awards for Excellence are an award given to ICT suppliers by their end-users, so only they are allowed to vote.
Every participant must state his or her e-mail address and mobile number. If votes are nevertheless received from ICT suppliers, they will be refused.

Article 5. Announcement of the Awards winners
The official gala presentation of the 14 Data News Awards for Excellence 2007 will take place on Thursday 26 April 2007 at 18.30, in the Tour & Taxis building in Brussels.

Article 6. Prizes
Five gastronomic weekends for two people will be donated to some of those sending in voting ballots. The winners will be informed in person.

Article 7. Disputes
Participation in Awards voting entails acceptance of all points of the rules and of all decisions that the organisers may see fit to make. Any attempt at fraud will be punished by immediate exclusion of the participant. Printing, spelling, typesetting or other similar errors cannot be invoked as grounds for any liability whatsoever on the part of VNU Business Publications.