Privacy Statement

What data is collected and processed?

When visiting our website, personal data of the users is collected in various ways. Personal data is data with which a natural person can be identified. This includes, for example, the name of the person concerned, his/her residential address, his/her telephone number or also his/her date of birth. When you visit our site, information is automatically sent to the server of our website by your browser, so-called access data or server log files, such as the web browser and operating system used, the domain name of your Internet provider, your IP address or also the so-called time stamp, i.e. the exact time and duration of your visit. This data must necessarily be collected in order to technically establish a representation and connection. However, no data evaluation takes place, not even in anonymized form. 

In addition, we collect those personal data that you yourself consciously provide on our homepage, for example by registering and submitting contributions.

In summary, this involves the following categories of data:

  • Contact data (name, address, email address, phone number, etc.).
  • Communication data (device information, IP address)
  • Usage data (website visited, duration of use, etc.).

Legal basis for processing:

The EU General Data Protection Regulation of 27.04.2016 and the Federal Data Protection Act as amended on 30.06.2017 serve as the authoritative legal basis for the permissibility of the processing. The lawfulness of the data collection results from Art. 6 DSGVO. Insofar as the data processing is carried out on the basis of explicit consent, para. 1 a) of the aforementioned standard serves as the legal basis. For the storage and other processing of your data in connection with the use of our online membership application, the membership-related contractual relationship between you and the association in connection with Art. 6 para. 1 b) DSGVO is the legal basis. This also applies to all other data processing that is necessary for the implementation of contractual measures, but also to respond to inquiries. Insofar as we are legally obligated to process data in individual cases, the basis for this is Art. 6 (1) c) DSGVO; in the case that the processing serves to protect our legitimate interests, Art. 6 (1) f) DSGVO.

Purpose and duration of data processing:

The automatic collection of your user and communication data when visiting our website necessarily serves to establish the technical connection and usability of our website. Any additional information you provide to us will be processed solely in accordance with the purpose and reason. After the reason for storage has ceased to exist, the data will be deleted immediately or – if necessary in individual cases – blocked.

Disclosure of personal data:

The personal data you provide will only be passed on to third parties if

  • your express consent has been given for this (Art. 6 para. 1 a) DSGVO),
  • the disclosure is necessary for the assertion, exercise or defense of legal claims and there is no reason to believe that you have an overriding legitimate interest in not having your data disclosed (Art. 6 para. 1 f) DSGVO),
  • a legal obligation to disclose exists (Art. 6 para. 1 c) DSGVO) or
  • this is legally permissible and necessary for the processing of contractual relationships with you (Art. 6 para. 1 b) DSGVO).

Data security:

We assure that we have taken the technical as well as organizational measures required according to Art. 32 DSGVO to ensure a level of protection appropriate to the risk to the rights and freedoms of users*. This concerns in particular the selection of the hardware and software used as well as the internal organizational control and access authorization. Nevertheless, as a precautionary measure, it is pointed out that data transmission over the Internet (e.g. by e-mail) always has certain security vulnerabilities and cannot be fully protected against access by third parties.

Rights of the data subject:

With regard to the processing of your personal data in accordance with the applicable provisions of data protection law, you are entitled in particular to the following

  • Information and disclosure regarding the processing of your personal data carried out by us (Art. 15 DSGVO),
  • to correction and completion regarding incorrect or incomplete data (Art. 16 DSGVO) and
  • to deletion in accordance with Art. 17 DSGVO or to restriction in accordance with Art. 18 DSGVO.

Objection and revocation of consent:

Insofar as your personal data is collected and processed within the scope of Art. 6 (1) (f) DSGVO (i.e., where there are legitimate interests of the controller), you have the right to object to this at any time in accordance with Art. 21 DSGVO, if insofar there are reasons arising from your particular situation or if the objection is directed against direct advertising. Insofar as data processing has been carried out on the basis of your prior consent in this regard, you are free to revoke your consent to the data processing operation in question at any time. Both for the objection and for the revocation, a simple notification by e-mail to us is sufficient. The personal data concerned will then be deleted immediately.

Right of appeal:

Pursuant to Art. 77 DSGVO, in the event of a data protection breach, data subjects have the right to lodge a corresponding complaint with the competent supervisory authority. This is the data protection commissioner(s) of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Cookies:

To enable the use of certain functions on our website, we use so-called cookies. These are small text files that are stored on your computer in order to recognize you the next time you visit our website. They then save you, for example, the repeated entry of data and at the same time facilitate the transmission of certain contents of the website. Cookies do not cause any damage to your computer and do not contain any computer viruses. 

We only use technically necessary cookies on our website. We do not use cookies for statistical or marketing purposes. By continuing to use the website, you consent to their use.

By continuing to use the website, you consent to their use. To refuse the use of these cookies, we ask you to disable cookies in the security settings of your browser. It is also possible to delete cookies - insofar as they are not automatically deleted after the end of your visit to our homepage anyway - afterwards. However, we would like to point out that not activating cookies can lead to restrictions in the relevant functions.