Data Protection & Privacy - Privacy Policy

Data protection has a particularly high priority for the The Department for EU Projects in Vocational Education and Training (VET), Cologne Government Regional Office/EU-Geschäftsstelle (EU-GES). In principle, it is possible to use the project´s website without providing any personal data. However, if a person concerned wishes to make use of special services provided by our institution via our website, it may be necessary to process personal data. If the processing of personal data is necessary and there is no legal basis for such processing, we generally obtain the consent of the person concerned.

The processing of personal data, for example the name, address, e-mail address or telephone number of a person concerned, is always carried out in accordance with the Basic Data Protection Regulation (Datenschutzgrundverordnung/DS-GVO) and in accordance with the country-specific data protection regulations applicable to EU-GES. Through this privacy statement, our institution wishes to inform the public about the nature, extent and purpose of the personal data we collect, use and process. In addition, this Privacy Policy will inform person concerneds of their rights.

As the data controller, the EU-GES has implemented numerous technical and organisational measures to ensure that the personal data processed via this website is protected as completely as possible. Nevertheless, internet-based data transmissions can in principle have security gaps, so that absolute protection cannot be guaranteed. For this reason, every person concerned is free to transmit personal data to us by alternative means, such as telephone.

1. Definitions

The data protection declaration of EU-GES is based on the terms used by the European Directive and Regulation Giver when the General Data Protection Regulation was adopted. Our data protection declaration should be easy to read and understand for the public as well as for our users and business partners. In order to guarantee this, we would like to explain the terms used in advance.

We use the following terms in this data protection declaration:

a) Personal data

Personal data is any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (hereinafter " person concerned "). A natural person shall be considered identifiable if he can be identified directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or one or more specific characteristics expressing the physical, physiological, genetic, psychological, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.

(b) Person concerned

Person concerned means any identified or identifiable natural person whose personal data are processed by the controller.

(c) Processing

Processing means any operation or set of operations which is carried out with or without the aid of automated processes and which relates to personal data, such as collection, recording, organisation, sorting, storage, adaptation or alteration, retrieval, consultation, use, disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available, alignment or association, qualification, erasure or destruction.

(d) Limitation of processing

Limitation of processing is the marking of stored personal data with the aim of limiting their future processing.

e) Profiling

Profiling is any automated processing of personal data consisting of the use of such personal data to evaluate certain personal aspects relating to a natural person, in particular to analyse or predict aspects relating to the work performance, economic situation, health, personal preferences, interests, reliability, conduct, whereabouts or movement of that natural person.

(f) Pseudonymisation

Pseudonymisation means the processing of personal data in such a way that the personal data can no longer be attributed to a specific person concerned without the provision of additional information, provided that such additional information is kept separately and is subject to technical and organisational measures ensuring that the personal data are not attributed to an identified or identifiable natural person.

(g) Controller or controller

The controller or data controller is the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which alone or jointly with others determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data. Where the purposes and means of such processing are laid down by Union law or by the law of the Member States, the controller or controllers may be designated in accordance with Union law or with the law of the Member States on the basis of specific criteria.

(h) Processor

Processor is a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which processes personal data on behalf of the controller.

(i) Recipient

The recipient is a natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body to whom personal data are disclosed, whether or not that person is a third party. However, authorities which may receive personal data in the course of a specific investigation task under Union law or the law of the Member States shall not be considered as recipients.

(j) Third parties

Third party means any natural or legal person, public authority, agency or body other than the person concerned, the controller, the processor and the persons authorised to process the personal data under the direct responsibility of the controller or processor.

(k) Consent

Consent means any voluntary, informed and unambiguous expression by the person concerned of his or her will in the particular case, in the form of a statement or other unequivocal confirmatory act, indicating that he or she consents to the processing of his or her personal data.

2. The name and address of the controller

The person responsible within the meaning of the Basic Data Protection Regulation, other data protection laws applicable in the Member States of the European Union and other provisions of a data protection nature is the Data Protection Commissioner:

Cologne Government Regional Office

Department 45 - Vocational colleges

EU Secretariat for Economic Affairs and Vocational Education and Training

50606 Cologne, Germany

Germany

3. Cookies

The websites of the EU-GES use cookies. Cookies are text files which are stored on a computer system via an Internet browser.

Many websites and servers use cookies. Many cookies contain a so-called cookie ID. A cookie ID is a unique identifier of the cookie. It consists of a string of characters through which Internet pages and servers can be assigned to the specific Internet browser in which the cookie was stored. This enables the visited Internet pages and servers to distinguish the individual browser of the person concerned from other Internet browsers that contain other cookies. A particular Internet browser can be recognized and identified by its unique cookie ID.

Through the use of cookies, the EU-GES can provide more user-friendly services to the users of this website, which would not be possible without the setting of cookies.

By means of a cookie, the information and offers on our website can be optimised in the interests of the user. Cookies enable us, as already mentioned, to recognize the users of our website. The purpose of this recognition is to make it easier for users to use our website. For example, the user of a website that uses cookies does not have to re-enter his access data each time he visits the website because this is taken over by the website and the cookie stored on the user's computer system. Another example is the cookie of a shopping basket in the online shop. The online shop remembers the items that a customer has placed in the virtual shopping basket via a cookie.

The person concerned can prevent the setting of cookies by our website at any time by means of an appropriate setting of the Internet browser used and thus permanently object to the setting of cookies. Furthermore, cookies that have already been set can be deleted at any time via an Internet browser or other software programs. This is possible in all common Internet browsers. If the person concerned deactivates the setting of cookies in the Internet browser used, not all functions of our website may be fully usable under certain circumstances.

4. Collection of general data and information

The website of the EU-GES collects a set of general data and information each time a person concerned or an automated system accesses the website. This general data and information is stored in the log files of the server. The (1) browser types and versions used, (2) the operating system used by the accessing system, (3) the website from which an accessing system accesses our website (so-called referrer), (4) the sub-sites which are accessed via an accessing system on our website can be recorded, (5) the date and time of access to the website, (6) an Internet protocol address (IP address), (7) the Internet service provider of the accessing system and (8) other similar data and information used to avert dangers in the event of attacks on our information technology systems.

When using this general data and information, the EU-GES does not draw any conclusions about the person concerned. Instead, this information is required to (1) correctly deliver the content of our website, (2) optimise the content of our website and the advertising for it, (3) ensure the long-term operability of our information technology systems and the technology of our website and (4) provide law enforcement authorities with the information necessary for prosecution in the event of a cyber attack. This anonymously collected data and information is therefore evaluated by the EU-GES both statistically and with the aim of increasing data protection and data security in our company in order to ultimately ensure an optimum level of protection for the personal data processed by us. The anonymous data of the server log files are stored separately from all personal data provided by the person concerned.

5. Possibility to contact us via the website

Due to legal regulations, the website of the EU-GES contains information that allows quick electronic contact with our company as well as enable direct communication with us, which also includes a general address of the so-called electronic mail (e-mail address). If a person concerned contacts the data controller by e-mail or via a contact form, the personal data transmitted by the person concerned is automatically stored. Such personal data transmitted voluntarily by a person concerned to the data controller will be stored for the purposes of processing or contacting the person concerned. This personal data will not be passed on to third parties.

6. Comment function in the blog on the website

The EU-GES shall provide users with the opportunity to leave individual comments on individual blog entries on a blog located on the data controller's website. A blog is a portal, usually open to the public, maintained on a website, in which one or more people called bloggers or web bloggers can post articles or thoughts in so-called blog posts. Blog posts can usually be commented on by third parties.

If a person concerned leaves a comment in the blog published on this website, information about the time the comment was made and the user name (pseudonym) chosen by the person concerned is stored and published in addition to the comments left by the person concerned. Furthermore, the IP address assigned by the Internet Service Provider (ISP) to the person concerned is logged. This IP address is stored for security reasons and in the event that the person concerned violates the rights of third parties by submitting a comment or posts illegal content. The storage of this personal data is therefore in the own interest of the data controller, so that in the event of a violation of the law, the data controller could exculpate himself. The personal data collected will not be disclosed to third parties unless such disclosure is required by law or serves the legal defence of the data controller.

7. Subscription of comments in the blog on the website

Comments posted on the EU-GES blog can in principle be subscribed to by third parties. In particular, it is possible for a commentator to subscribe to the comments following his or her comment on a particular blog post.

If a person concerned chooses the option to subscribe to comments, the data controller will send an automatic confirmation email to check in a double opt-in process whether the owner of the email address specified has actually opted for this option. The option to subscribe to comments can be terminated at any time.

8 Routine deletion and blocking of personal data

The controller shall process and store the personal data of the person concerned only for the period of time necessary to achieve the storage purpose or where provided for by the European directive and regulation maker or another legislator in laws or regulations to which the controller is subject.

If the storage purpose no longer applies or if a storage period prescribed by the European directive and regulation giver or another competent legislator expires, the personal data shall be blocked or deleted routinely and in accordance with the statutory provisions.

9. Rights of the person concerned

a) Right to confirmation

Every person concerned shall have the right, granted by the European directive and regulation maker, to obtain from the controller confirmation as to whether personal data relating to him or her are being processed. If a person concerned wishes to exercise this right of confirmation, he or she may at any time contact an employee of the controller.

b) Right of access

Any person concerned by the processing of personal data has the right, granted by the European directive and regulation maker, to obtain at any time, free of charge, from the controller, information on the personal data relating to him which have been stored and a copy of that information. Furthermore, the European Data Protection Supervisor has granted the person concerned access to the following information:

- the purposes of the processing

- the categories of personal data processed

- the recipients or categories of recipients to whom the personal data have been or will be disclosed, in particular recipients in third countries or international organisations

- if possible, the planned duration for which the personal data will be stored or, if that is not possible, the criteria for determining that duration

- the existence of a right to the rectification or erasure of personal data concerning him or her or to the limitation of the processing carried out by the controller or of a right to object to such processing

- the existence of a right of appeal to a supervisory authority

- if the personal data are not collected from the person concerned: All available information on the origin of the data

- the existence of automated decision-making, including profiling, in accordance with Article 22 Subsection 1 and 4 of the DS-GVO and, at least in these cases, meaningful information on the logic involved, the scope and the intended effects of such processing on the person concerned.

The person concerned also has the right to know whether personal data have been transferred to a third country or to an international organisation. If this is the case, the person concerned shall also have the right to obtain information on the appropriate safeguards in connection with the transfer.

If a person concerned wishes to exercise this right of access, he or she may at any time contact a member of staff of the controller.

(c) Right of rectification

Any person concerned by the processing of personal data has the right, granted by the European directive and regulation maker, to request the rectification without delay of inaccurate personal data concerning him or her. Furthermore, the person concerned shall have the right, having regard to the purposes of the processing, to request the completion of incomplete personal data, including by means of a supplementary statement.

If a person concerned wishes to exercise this right of rectification, he or she may at any time contact a member of staff of the controller.

d) Right to deletion (right to be forgotten)

Any person concerned to the processing of personal data shall have the right, granted by the European directive and regulation, to require the controller to erase without delay personal data concerning him which are subject to one of the following conditions and to the extent that the processing is not necessary:

Personal data have been collected or otherwise processed for purposes for which they are no longer necessary.

The person concerned withdraws his consent on which the processing was based pursuant to Article 6 Subsection 1 letter a DS-GVO or Article 9 Subsection 2 Letter a DS-GVO and there is no other legal basis for the processing.

The person concerned objects to the processing under Article 21 Subsection 1 DS-GVO and there are no overriding legitimate reasons for the processing or the person concerned objects to the processing under Article 21 Subsection 2 DS-GVO.

The personal data have been processed unlawfully.

The deletion of the personal data is necessary to fulfil a legal obligation under Union law or the law of the Member States to which the controller is subject.

The personal data were collected in relation to information society services offered pursuant to Article 8 Subsection 1 DS-GVO.

If one of the above reasons applies and a person concerned wishes to have personal data stored at the EU-GES deleted, he or she may at any time contact an employee of the controller. The employee of the EU-GES shall ensure that the request for deletion is complied with without delay.

If the personal data have been made public by the EU-GES and if our institution is obliged to delete the personal data as the person responsible pursuant to Article 17 Subsection 1 DS-GVO, the EU-GES shall take appropriate measures, including technical measures, taking into account the available technology and the implementation costs, to inform other data controllers who process the published personal data that the person concerned has requested the deletion of all links to these personal data or copies or replications of these personal data from these other data controllers, insofar as the processing is not necessary. The employee of the EU office will take the necessary steps in individual cases.

e) Right to limitation of processing

Any person concerned to the processing of personal data has the right, granted by the European directive and regulation, to request the controller to limit the processing if one of the following conditions is met:

- The accuracy of the personal data shall be contested by the person concerned for a period of time which allows the controller to verify the accuracy of the personal data.

- The processing is unlawful and the person concerned refuses to erase the personal data and instead requests that the use of the personal data be restricted.

- The controller no longer needs the personal data for the purposes of processing, but the person concerned needs them for the assertion, exercise or defence of legal rights.

- The person concerned has lodged an objection to the processing pursuant to Article 21 Subsection 1 DS-GVO and it is not yet clear whether the legitimate reasons of the data controller outweigh those of the person concerned.

If one of the above conditions is met and a person concerned wishes to request the restriction of personal data stored at the EU-GES, he or she may contact an employee of the controller at any time. The employee of the EU-GES shall arrange for the processing to be restricted.

f) Right to data transferability

Any person concerned involved in the processing of personal data has the right, granted by the European directive and regulation, to obtain personal data concerning him or her which have been provided by the person concerned to a controller in a structured, common and machine-readable format. It also has the right to communicate these data to another controller without being hindered by the controller to whom the personal data have been provided, provided that the processing is based on the consent pursuant to Article 6 Subsection 1 Letter a DS-GVO or Article 9 Subsection 2 Letter a DS-GVO or on a contract pursuant to Article 6 Subsection 1 Letter b DS-GVO and the processing is carried out by automated means, provided that the processing is not necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority entrusted to the controller.

Furthermore, when exercising his right to data transferability pursuant to Article 20 Subsection 1 DS-GVO, the person concerned shall have the right to obtain that the personal data be transferred directly from one data controller to another data controller insofar as this is technically feasible and insofar as this does not impair the rights and freedoms of other persons.

In order to assert the right to data transferability, the person concerned may contact an employee of the EU-GES at any time.

g) Right of objection

Any person concerned to the processing of personal data has the right, granted by the European directive and regulation maker, to object at any time, for reasons related to his/her particular situation, to the processing of personal data concerning him/her on the basis of Article 6 Subsection 1 Letter e or f of the DS-GVO. This also applies to profiling based on these provisions.

In the event of an objection, the EU-GES will no longer process the personal data unless we can prove compelling grounds for processing worthy of protection which outweigh the interests, rights and freedoms of the person concerned, or the processing serves to assert, exercise or defend legal claims.

Where the EU-GES processes personal data for the purpose of direct marketing, the person concerned shall have the right to object at any time to the processing of the personal data for the purpose of such advertising. This also applies to profiling in so far as it is linked to such direct marketing. If the person concerned objects to processing for direct marketing purposes by the EU-GES, the EU-GES will no longer process the personal data for such purposes.

Furthermore, the person concerned has the right to object to the processing of personal data concerning him/her by the EU-GES for scientific or historical research purposes or for statistical purposes pursuant to Article 89 Subsection 1 DS-GVO for reasons arising from his particular situation, unless such processing is necessary for the performance of a task in the public interest.

In order to exercise the right to object, the person concerned may directly contact any employee of the EU-GES or another employee. The person concerned is also free to exercise his or her right of objection in connection with the use of information society services, notwithstanding Directive 2002/58/EC, by means of automated procedures using technical specifications.

(h) Automated case-by-case decisions, including profiling

Any person concerned to the processing of personal data has the right under the European Directive and Regulation not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing, including profiling, which produces legal effects upon him or her or significantly affects him or her in a similar manner, provided that the decision (1) is not necessary for the conclusion or performance of a contract between the person concerned and the data controller, or (2) is authorised by Union or national law or by the Member States to which the data controller is subject and which provides for adequate measures to safeguard the rights and freedoms and the legitimate interests of the person concerned, or (3) is taken with the express consent of the person concerned.

Where the decision (1) is necessary for the conclusion or performance of a contract between the person concerned and the data controller or (2) is taken with the express consent of the person concerned, the EU-GES shall take appropriate measures to safeguard the rights and freedoms and the legitimate interests of the person concerned, including at least the right to have the data controller intervene, to present his or her views and to challenge the decision.

If the person concerned wishes to exercise rights relating to automated decisions, he or she may at any time do so by contacting an employee of the controller.

i) Right to revoke consent under data protection law

Any person concerned by the processing of personal data has the right, granted by the European directive and regulation maker, to revoke consent to the processing of personal data at any time.

If the person concerned wishes to exercise his or her right to withdraw consent, he or she may at any time do so by contacting an employee of the controller.

10. Legal basis of the processing

Article 6 Subsection 1 Letter a DS-GVO serves our institution as a legal basis for processing operations in which we obtain consent for a specific processing purpose. If the processing of personal data is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the is a party, as is the case, for example, with processing operations that are necessary for the delivery of goods or the provision of other services or consideration, the processing is based on Article 6 Subsection 1 Letter b DS-GVO. The same shall apply to such processing operations which are necessary for the implementation of pre-contractual measures, for example in cases of inquiries regarding our products or services. If our institution is subject to a legal obligation which requires the processing of personal data, such as for the fulfilment of tax obligations, the processing is based on Article 6 Subsection 1 Letter c DS-GVO. In rare cases, the processing of personal data may become necessary in order to protect the vital interests of the person concerned or another natural person. This would be the case, for example, if a visitor to our site were injured and his name, age, health insurance information or other vital information would have to be disclosed to a doctor, hospital or other third party. Then the processing would be based on Article 6 Subsection 1 Letter d DS-GVO. Ultimately, processing operations could be based on Article 6 Subsection 1 Letter f DS-GVO. Processing operations that are not covered by any of the aforementioned legal bases are based on this legal basis if the processing is necessary to safeguard a legitimate interest of our institution or a third party, provided that the interests, fundamental rights and fundamental freedoms of the person concerneddo not predominate. Such processing operations are permitted to us in particular because they have been specifically mentioned by the European legislator. In this respect, it took the view that a legitimate interest could be assumed if the person concernedis a customer of the data controller (Recital 47 Sentence 2 DS-GVO).

11. Legitimate interests in the processing pursued by the controller or by a third party

If the processing of personal data is based on Article 6 Subsection 1 Letter f DS-GVO, our legitimate interest is the conduct of our business for the benefit of all our employees and shareholders.

12. Duration for which the personal data are stored

The criterion for the duration of the storage of personal data is the respective legal retention period. After this period has expired, the corresponding data will be routinely deleted unless they are no longer required for the fulfilment or initiation of the contract.

13. Legal or contractual provisions on the provision of personal data; necessity for the conclusion of the contract; obligation of the person concerned to provide the personal data; possible consequences of not providing the data

We will inform you that the provision of personal data is partly required by law (e.g. tax regulations) or may result from contractual provisions (e.g. information on the contractual partner). Sometimes it may be necessary for a contract to be concluded that a person concerned makes personal data available to us which must subsequently be processed by us. For example, the person concerned is obliged to provide us with personal data if our institution concludes a contract with him or her. Failure to provide personal data would mean that the contract could not be concluded with the person concerned. The person concerned must contact one of our employees before providing personal data. Our employee will inform the person concerned on a case-by-case basis whether the provision of personal data is required by law or contract or is necessary for the conclusion of a contract, whether there is an obligation to provide the personal data and the consequences of not providing the personal data.

14. Existence of automated decision making

As a responsible institution, we refrain from automatic decision-making or profiling.