Privacy policy
The operators of this website take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We handle your personal data confidentially and pursuant to the statutory data protection regulations and this privacy policy.
Various personal data are collected when you use this website. Personal data are data which can be used to identify you personally. This privacy policy explains which data we collect and what we use them for. It also explains how and for what purpose this is done.
We would like to point out that data transfer on the Internet (for example when communicating by email) may have security vulnerabilities. It is not possible to provide 100% protection for your data from access by third parties.
I Responsibility for data processing
The controller responsible for the processing of data on this website under Art. 4 No. 7 GDPR is
Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi)
Scharnhorststr. 34-37
10115 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0)30 18615 0
Internet: www.bmwi.de
Email: info@bmwi.bund.de
You can contact our Data Protection Officer as follows:
Officer for Data Protection at BMWi
Scharnhorststr. 34-37
10115 Berlin
Email: datenschutzbeauftragte@bmwi.bund.de
II Rejection of advertising mails
We hereby reject the use of contact details published as part of the legal information obligation to send advertising and information materials which have not been expressly requested. The operators of this website expressly reserve the right to take legal action in the event of the unsolicited receipt of advertising information, for example by spam emails.
III Data recording on our website
When you visit our website, we process your personal data as follows:
1. Server log files
a. Type and scope of data processing
The provider of the site automatically collects and saves information which your browser automatically sends to us in so-called server log files. These are as follows:
• IP address
• Date and time of the request
• Referrer URL
• Host name of the accessing computer
• Browser type and browser version
• Operating system and its interface
These data are not combined with other data sources.
b. Purpose of data processing
The collection of data to provide the website and saving the data in log files is essential for operating the website. There is therefore no right on the part of the user to object to this.
c. Legal basis
The basis for the data processing is Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR. The temporary storage of the IP address is required to enable the website to be delivered to the user’s computer. The user’s IP address must be saved for the duration of the session for this purpose. Log files are saved to ensure the functionality of the website and the security of our information technology systems.
d. Duration of storage
The data will be erased as soon as they are no longer required to achieve the purpose for which they were collected. For collecting the data to provide the website, this is when the session is ended.
For saving the data in log files, this is the case after seven days at the latest, the backups are stored in encrypted form for 14 days.
e. Right to object and deletion option
Due to the fact that the data required for providing the website and the saving of the data in log files is essential for operating the website, users have no right to object to the data being processed.
2. Cookies
a. Type and purpose of data processing
Cookies are small text files which are placed on your computer and are saved by your browser. They are used to make the website more user-friendly, effective and secure. Cookies do not cause any damage to your computer and do not contain viruses.
The website uses various essential cookies to ensure that it functions correctly and to make it easier to navigate for users, as well as cookies which are not essential for the technical functioning of the website, but enable us to carry out various tasks, particularly analyses.
When our website is opened, the user is notified of the use of essential cookies and of other non-essential cookies and their consent to process the personal data used in this respect (relating to the non-essential cookies) is obtained. This notification also includes information about this privacy policy.
Further details of the cookies used are also provided in the appropriate paragraphs of this privacy policy.
b. Legal basis
The legal basis for processing personal data using technically essential cookies is Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR. Our legitimate interest is the provision of the website.
c. Duration of storage, right to object and deletion option
Cookies are saved on the user’s computer and sent from the computer to our site. Therefore, as the user, you have full control over the use of cookies. By changing the settings in your Internet browser, you can disable or restrict the transfer of cookies. Cookies that have already been saved can be deleted at any time. This can also be done automatically. If cookies for our website are disabled, it is possible that you will be unable to use all the features of this website.
Furthermore, we refer your attention to the consent tool on our website in which you can select your choice relating to settings for all non-essential cookies.
3. Email contact and contact form
a. Type and scope of data processing
You can contact us using either a contact form provided on our website or by email using the email address provided on our website.
If you contact us using the contact form, the data you enter in the input mask will be sent to us and saved when you send them. The following data will be saved:
• User’s email address
• User’s name
• Free text box for the message
• Browser type and browser version
• Operating system and its interface
• Date and time when the contact was accepted
Before you send the completed contract form, your consent to our processing the data is obtained, and reference is made to this privacy policy.
Furthermore, you can contact us using the provided email address. In this case, your personal data submitted with the email will be saved. The data will not be forwarded to third parties.
b. Purpose and legal basis for data processing
Your data will be processed exclusively to handle your concern. In the event that you contact us by email, this also comprises the required legitimate interest in processing the data. The other personal data processed when you send your query are used to prevent any abuse of the contact form and ensure the security of our information technology systems.
The legal basis for processing the data if the user’s consent has been obtained is Art. 6 (1) lit. a of the GDPR. The legal basis for processing the data sent in an email is Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR. If the purpose of the email contact is to conclude a contract, the additional legal basis for processing the data is Art. 5 (1) lit. b GDPR.
c. Duration of storage, right to object and erasure option
The data will be erased when they are no longer required to achieve the purpose for which they were collected, in other words when the conversation with you, the user, is ended or the matter has been fully clarified.
You have the opportunity at any time to revoke your consent for processing the personal data (see below “Revocation of consent declarations”).
IV Your rights
1. Information, restriction of processing, erasure
Under the current statutory regulations set out in Art. 15 of the GDPR, you have the right at any time to be provided with free of charge information about the personal data, their origin and recipients stored on you, the purpose of the data processing and, if applicable, under Art. 16 of the GDPR, the right to demand the rectification, restriction of processing (Art. 18 GDPR) or erasure of these data (Art. 17 GDPR). For this purpose and if you have any other questions relating to personal data, you can contact us at any time using the address provided above.
2. Right to data transferability
You have the right to have any data, which we process automatically on the basis of your consent or to fulfil a contract, to be sent to you or a third party in a commonly used, machine-readable format (Art. 20 GDPR). If you request that the data are sent direct to a different controller, this will only be done if it is technically feasible.
3. Right to complain to the relevant supervisory authority
In the event of breaches of data protection law, the data subject has the right to complain to the relevant supervisory authority (Art. 77 GDPR and Section 19 German Federal Data Protection Act [BDSG]). The relevant supervisory authority in data protection matters is the state data protection officer of the German state in which our company is located. A list of data protection officers and their contact details is available using the following link: www.bfdi.bund.de/DE/Infothek/Anschriften_Links/anschriften_links-node.html.
4. Revocation of consent declarations
There are data processing procedures which are only possible with your express consent. You can revoke any consent you have already given at any time. You only need to send an informal notification to us by email for this purpose. The legality of any data processing operations, which have been performed before the revocation, will not be affected by this revocation.
V Your right to object under Art. 21 GDPR
You have the right, for reasons resulting from your specific situation, to object at any time to us on an informal basis against the processing of your personal data taking place on the basis of Art. 6 (1) lit. e GDPR (data processing in the public interest) and Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR (data processing on the basis of a legitimate interest). If you submit an objection, we shall cease to process your personal data unless we can provide evidence that there are compelling grounds, which merit protection, for processing the data which outweigh your interests, rights and freedoms, or the data processing is taking place for the purpose of lodging, exercising or defending legal claims.
VI Social media
1. Social media links
If you use the social media icons of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. on our website, your personal data will not automatically be forwarded. To prevent automatic data transfers to the service providers of social media, these services are included on our website by means of Internet links. We have no joint data protection responsibility if your data are processed by these service providers for purposes defined by them.
Our social media sites are part of our public relations work. Our aim is to inform appropriate target groups and exchange information with them.
All our social media service providers are certified under the EU-US Privacy Shield, and this can be viewed by anybody, which means that a legally reasonable level of protection is provided for personal data:
• Facebook, Inc. (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000GnywAAC&status=Active),
• Twitter Inc. (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt0000000TORzAAO&status=Active),
• Google LLC (https://www.privacyshield.gov/participant?id=a2zt000000001L5AAI)
2. YouTube plug-in
After you click on one of the preview images from the YouTube website operated by Google, this website uses plug-ins to embed video content. The operator of the site is YouTube, LLC, 901 Cherry Ave., San Bruno, CA 94066, USA.
If you open a sub-site with an embedded video, a connection is made to the YouTube servers. At this point YouTube is notified which of our pages you have visited. We use YouTube’s extended data protection to embed YouTube videos. When this option is used, none of our visitors’ data are saved unless they actually view the video (the video can be started by clicking on it).
If you start an embedded video on our website, Google will process and save various data (IP address, our website’s sub-site on which the video is embedded, etc.). If you are logged into your YouTube account, YouTube may assign your surfing habits direct to your personal profile. You can only prevent this if you log out of your YouTube account before viewing the video. The provider of this website has no influence on the transfer of these data.
YouTube videos are embedded with the purpose of making our website more attractive. This is also our legitimate interest in accordance with the legal basis set out in Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR.
Further information about how user data are handled is available in YouTube’s privacy policy: https://www.google.de/intl/de/policies/privacy.
