Thank you for your interest in our website and The German Eastern Business Association. Below we inform you about which data is collected and processed for which purposes when you visit our website.

For us, the protection of personal data is of paramount importance. We would therefore like to inform you here, how we value your privacy when you provide us with your personal data.

In addition to the self-evident compliance with the legal provisions on data protection, we would like to commit ourselves with these instructions for the responsible handling of your data, so that your privacy is protected at all times. It is important to us that you feel safe and comfortable when visiting our Website (incl. our external project websites).

The German Eastern Business Association uses technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal data from accidental or intentional manipulation, misuse, destruction or access by unauthorized persons. Our security measures are continuously improved and adapted according to the state of the art.

1. Name and address of controller

As the controller pursuant to the European General Data Protection Regulation ("EU GDPR") and other national data protection laws of the member states, as well as other data protection regulations, your contact partner is:

Ost-Ausschuss der Deutschen Wirtschaft e.V.
(German Eastern Business Association)
Managing Director: Michael Harms
Breite Straße 29
10178 Berlin

(hereinafter referred to as "we", "us", or "our")

2. Name and address of Data Protection Supervisor

Protecting your personal data is the most important to The German Eastern Business Association. For any queries relating to our data protection and data security, please contact our Data Protection Supervisor directly: kontakt(at)oa-ev.de

3. General provisions concerning data processing

a. Scope of processing of personal data

As a general rule, we process your personal data only insofar as this is necessary for us to carry out our services. In general, your personal data will only be processed with your consent. An exception applies in cases where obtaining prior consent is not possible on practical grounds, or if the processing of your personal data is permitted by a statutory authorisation.

b. Legal basis for the processing of personal data

If we obtain your consent to the processing of your personal data, Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a EU GDPR is our legal basis.

For the processing of personal data which is necessary for the fulfilment of a contract between you and us, Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b EU GDPR serves as our legal basis. This also applies to processing operations which are required to carry out pre-contractual measures.

If the processing of personal data is necessary in order to fulfil a legal obligation to which we are subject, Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. c EU GDPR is our legal basis.

For cases in which your vital interests or those of another natural person render it necessary to process personal data, Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. d EU GDPR is our legal basis.

If processing is necessary in order to protect one of our legitimate interests or that of a third party, and if your interests, fundamental rights and fundamental freedoms do not outweigh the former interest, Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f EU GDPR is our legal basis.

c.Deletion of data and duration of storage

Your personal data will be deleted or blocked as soon as the purpose for which it has been stored is no longer applicable. Your data may still be stored beyond this point if this is pro-vided for by European or national legislation in European Union Regulations, statutes or other regulations to which we are subject. Data will also be blocked or deleted if a storage period prescribed by the standards mentioned expires, unless the continued storage of the da-ta is essential in order to conclude or fulfil a contract.

4. Provision of the website

a. Legal basis for data processing

The legal basis for processing your personal data in the context of the provision of the website is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f EU GDPR.

b. Purpose of data processing

It is necessary for us to store your personal data temporarily in order to make the website accessible to you via your computer. For this purpose, your personal data must be stored for the duration of the session.

Your personal data will be stored in log files in order to ensure the functionality of the website. Furthermore, your personal data helps us to optimise the website and to ensure the security of our information technology systems. In this context, your personal data will not be analysed for marketing purposes.

We also have a legitimate interest in processing data for these purposes pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f EU GDPR.

c. Duration of storage

Your personal data will be deleted as soon as it is no longer necessary in order to achieve the purpose for which it was collected. In the event of your personal data being collected in order to provide the website, this is the case as soon as the relevant session is finished.

d. Option of objection and removal

The collection of your personal data to provide the website, and the storage of your personal data in log files, is absolutely essential for the operation of the website. Consequently, you do not have the option to object.

5. Use of cookies

a. Legal basis for data processing

The legal basis for processing your personal data, in the context of the use of cookies required for technical reasons, is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f EU GDPR.

b. Purpose of data processing

The use of cookies required for technical reasons helps to make it easier for you to use our website. Some of the functions of our website cannot be provided without the use of cookies. For these functions to work, it is essential that your Internet browser is recognised again after you have moved from one web page to another. The user data collected by cookies required for technical reasons is not used to create user profiles.

We also have a legitimate interest in processing your personal data for this purpose pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f EU GDPR.

c. Duration of storage

Your personal data will be deleted as soon as it is no longer necessary in order to achieve the purpose for which it was collected; in particular, this is the case when cookies are deactivated.

d. Option of objection and removal

Cookies are stored on your computer and transmitted by it to our website. Therefore, you also have total control of the use of cookies. By changing the settings in your Internet browser, you can deactivate or limit the transmission of cookies. Cookies which are already being stored can be deleted by you at any time. This can also be done automatically. If cookies are deactivated for our website, it may no longer be possible to use all the website's functions to the full extent.

Instructions for deleting cookies in the most common browsers can be found here:

Microsoft Internet Explorer | Google Chrome | Mozilla Firefox | Apple Safari | Opera

6. Newsletter

a. Legal basis for data processing

The legal basis for processing your personal data in the context of sending the newsletter is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a EU GDPR, provided that consent has been given, or - as a result of the sale of goods or services - there is statutory authorisation as provided in Section 7 Para. 3 UWG (Unfair Competition Act).

b. Purpose of data processing

The collection of your personal data enables us to send you the newsletter. The purpose of processing your personal data in the context of sending you the newsletter is to promote sales of goods or services.

To sign up for the newsletter, a valid email address is required. To verify the e-mail address, you will first receive a login e-mail, which you must confirm via a link (double opt-in).
For our general newsletter we use CleverReach, a newsletter tool of CleverReach GmbH & Co. KG, Mühlenstr. 43, 26180 Rastede. For more information, see the CleverReach Privacy Policy.

CleverReach offers statistical evaluation options for usage data. Among other things, this includes information as to whether an e-mail has reached the recipient or whether it has been rejected by the server.

c. Duration of storage

Your personal data will be deleted as soon as it is no longer necessary in order to achieve the purpose for which it was collected. Accordingly, your personal data will be stored for as long as your newsletter subscription is active.

d. Option of objection and removal

You may cancel your subscription to the newsletter at any time. You will find a corresponding link for this purpose in every newsletter. Likewise, cancelling your subscription makes it possible to revoke your consent.

7. Contact form and making contact via email

a. Legal basis for data processing

The legal basis for processing your personal data which is transmitted when contact is made via the contact form or email is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f EU GDPR. If the purpose of making contact via the contact form or email is to conclude a contract, then Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b EU GDPR is an additional legal basis for processing.

b. Purpose of data processing

The sole purpose of processing your personal data in the event that contact is made via the contact form or email is to handle the contact.

c. Duration of storage

Your personal data will be deleted as soon as it is no longer necessary in order to achieve the purpose for which it was collected. For personal data sent via the contact form or email, this is the case when the relevant conversation with you is ended. The conversation is ended when it can be deduced from the circumstances that the relevant matter has been conclusively re-solved between you and us.

d. Option of objection and removal

You have the option at any time of objecting to the processing of your personal data in the future in the context of making contact via the contact form or email. In such a case, the conversation between you and us cannot be continued. In this case, all personal data saved in the course of your contact with us will be deleted.

8. Web tracking and web analysis by Google Analytics

a.  Legal basis for data processing

The legal basis for processing your personal data is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f EU GDPR.

b.  Purpose of data processing

Processing your personal data makes it possible for us to analyse your surfing behaviour. Analysis of the data obtained enables us to compile information about the use of individual components of our website. This helps us to improve our website and its user friendliness on a continuous basis. We also have a legitimate interest in processing your personal data for these purposes pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f EU GDPR. The anonymisation of your IP address means that your interest in having your personal data protected is given sufficient consideration.

c. Duration of storage, option of objection and removal

Cookies are stored on your computer and transmitted by it to our website. Therefore, you also have total control of the use of cookies. By changing the settings in your Internet browser, you can deactivate or limit the transmission of cookies. Cookies which are already being stored can be deleted at any time. This can also be done automatically. If cookies are deac-tivated for our website, it may no longer be possible to use all the website's functions to the full extent.

We use Google Analytics to analyze website usage. The data obtained from this is used to optimize our website and our range of information.

Google Analytics is a web analytics service operated and provided by Google Inc. (1600 Amphitheater Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States). Google processes the website usage data on our behalf and contractually undertakes to take measures to ensure the confidentiality of the data processed.

The following data, among others, is recorded during your website visits:

• Pages viewed
• Your behavior on the pages (e.g. length of stay, clicks, scrolling behavior)
• Your approximate location (country)
• Your IP address (in abbreviated form so that no clear assignment is possible)
• Technical information such as browser, end device
• Source of your visit (i.e. via which website or via which advertising medium you came to us)

Google Analytics stores cookies in your web browser for a period of two years since your last visit. These cookies contain a randomly generated user ID with which you can be recognized on future website visits.

The recorded data is stored together with the randomly generated user ID, which enables the evaluation of pseudonymous user profiles. This user-related data is automatically deleted after 14 months. Other data is stored in aggregate form indefinitely.

If you do not agree to the collection, you can prevent it by installing the browser add-on to deactivate Google Analytics - https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de - or by using the Reject the cookies via our cookie settings dialog.

Here you will find further information on the use of data by Google Inc.: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=de

9. Google reCAPTCHA

In order to ensure sufficient data security when submitting forms, we use the service reCAPTCHA of the company Google Inc. when registering for the newsletter. This serves above all to distinguish whether the input is made by a natural person or is abusive by machine and computer automated processing. The service includes the sending of the IP address and any other data required by Google for the service reCAPTCHA to Google. This is subject to the deviating privacy policy of Google Inc. If you want to prevent this transmission and storage of data about you and your behavior on our website by "Google", you must log out of "Google" before you visit our site visit or use the reCAPTCHA plug-in.
For more information about the Google Inc. Privacy Policy, please visit http://www.google.com/intl/en/privacy or https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/

10. Use of social plugins

On some websites we offer you the possibility to share the respective current page in social networks (Facebook, Google+, Twitter). Our respective icons or buttons act as an external link, so that no information is transmitted to one of these providers without clicking on one of the icons. If you click on one of the icons, you will be redirected to the website of the respective provider. The URL of the current page is passed as a parameter. We have no influence on whether or how the providers may use this date for evaluation. Information on this can be found in the privacy statements of the respective providers:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Xing
• Google (so YouTube)

If you do not want the mentioned social networks to collect data on the use of our web pages, please do not click on the mentioned buttons.

11. External links

This Privacy Statement applies only to our website and its subsites. Our website may contain links to other providers, to which this statement does not extend. If you leave our website via a link, it is recommended to carefully read the privacy policy of each website that collects personal data.

12. Legal defence and legal enforcement

a. Legal basis for data processing

The legal basis for processing your personal data in the context of legal defence and legal enforcement is Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f EU GDPR.

b. Purpose of data processing

The purpose of processing your personal data in the context of legal defence and legal enforcement is to provide protection against unauthorised use and to enforce claims and rights legally. We have a legitimate interest in processing data for this purpose pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. f EU GDPR.

c. Duration of storage

Your personal data will be deleted as soon as it is no longer necessary in order to achieve the purpose for which it was collected.

d. Option of objection and removal

Processing your personal data in the context of legal defence and legal enforcement is absolutely essential for legal defence and legal enforcement. Consequently, you do not have the option to object.

13. Recipient categories

Within our company, the offices and departments which need personal data in order to fulfil the above-mentioned purposes will receive this data. Sometimes, we also use the services of different service providers and transfer your personal data to other trustworthy recipients. For example, these may include:

• Embassies or foreign ministries
• State authorities and institutions
• Companies and partners
• Venues
• Printers
• Banks
• IT services
• Lawyers and courts

14. Rights of the data subject

If your personal data is processed by us, you are a data subject within the meaning of EU GDPR, and you have the following rights vis-a-vis us:

a. Right to information

You may request confirmation from us as to whether or not personal data concerning you is processed by us.

If such processing does take place, you may request that we disclose the following information to you:

(1)    The purposes for which the personal data is processed;
(2)    The categories of personal data which are processed;
(3)    The recipients, or categories of recipient, to whom personal data concerning you has been disclosed
         or is still being disclosed;
(4)    The scheduled duration of storage of personal data concerning you, or - if it is not possible to give
         specific details on this subject - criteria for setting the duration of storage;
(5)    The existence of a right to correct or delete personal data concerning you, of a right to restrict the
         processing carried out by us, or of a right to object to this processing;
(6)    The existence of a right to complain to a supervisory authority;
(7)    All available information about the origin of the data, if the personal data was not col-lected from you;
(8)    The existence of automated decision-making, including profiling, pursuant to Art. 22 Para. 1 and 4 EU
         GDPR and – at least in these cases – significant information about the logic involved, as well as the
         scope and intended consequences for you of pro-cessing of this kind.

You have the right to request information as to whether or not personal data concerning you is transmitted to a third country or to an international organisation. In this context, you may request information about the appropriate safeguards pursuant to Art. 46 EU GDPR in con-nection with the transmission.

b. Right to correction

You have a right to have data corrected and/or completed by us, provided that the processed personal data concerning you is inaccurate or incomplete. We must carry out the correction without delay.

c. Right to restriction of processing

Under the following circumstances, you may ask for restrictions to be imposed on the processing of personal data concerning you:

(1)    If you dispute the accuracy of personal data concerning you for a period which enables us to review the
        accuracy of the personal data;
(2)    The processing is unlawful and you refuse to have the personal data deleted, instead of which you ask
         to have restrictions imposed on the use of the personal data;
(3)    We no longer need the personal data for the purposes of processing, but you still need it in order to
        assert, exercise or defend legal claims, or
(4)    If you have objected to the processing pursuant to Art. 21 Para. 1 EU GDPR, and it has not yet been
        established whether or not our legitimate grounds outweigh your grounds.

If restrictions have been imposed on the processing of personal data concerning you, then - apart from the storage thereof - this data may be processed only with your consent, or to assert, exercise or defend legal claims, or to protect the rights of another natural person or le-gal entity, or on grounds of a material public interest of the Union or of a member state.

If the restrictions imposed on processing have themselves been restricted in accordance with the above-mentioned preconditions, you will be notified by us before the restriction is lifted.

d. Right to deletion

i. Deletion obligation

You can request that we delete personal data concerning you without delay, and we will be obliged to delete this personal data without delay, provided that one of the fol-lowing grounds applies:

(1)   The personal data concerning you is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or
        otherwise processed.
(2)   You revoke the consent on which the processing pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a or Art. 9 Para. 2 lit. a
        EU GDPR was based, and there is no other legal basis for processing.
(3)   You submit an objection to processing pursuant to Art. 21 Para. 1 EU GDPR, and there are no overriding
        legitimate grounds for processing, or you submit an objection to processing pursuant to Art. 21 Para. 2
        EU GDPR.
(4)   The personal data concerning you has been processed unlawfully.
(5)   The deletion of personal data concerning you is essential in order to fulfil a legal obligation pursuant to
        Union law or the law of member states to which we are subject.
(6)   The personal data concerning you was collected in relation to information society services offered
        pursuant to Art. 8 Para. 1 EU GDPR.

ii. Information to third parties

If we have published personal data concerning you and are obliged to delete it pursuant to Art. 17 Para. 1 EU GDPR, then we will adopt appropriate measures, including those of a technical nature - taking into consideration the available technology and implementation costs - in order to notify those responsible for data processing who process the personal data that you, as the data subject, have requested the deletion of all links to this personal data or of copies or replications of this personal data.

iii. Exceptions

There is no right to deletion if processing is essential

(1)    In order to exercise the right to free expression and information;
(2)    In order to fulfil a legal obligation for which processing is required pursuant to the law of the Union or of
        the member states to which we are subject, or in order to perform a task which is in the public interest
        or is performed as part of the exercise of public authority which has been entrusted to us;
(3)   On grounds of public interest in the area of public health pursuant to Art. 9 Para. 2 lit. h and i as well as
        Art. 9 Para. 3 EU GDPR;
(4)    For archiving purposes which are in the public interest, academic or historical research purposes, or
        statistical purposes pursuant to Art. 89 Para. 1 EU GDPR, provided that the right mentioned under
        paragraph a) will probably render im-possible or seriously impair the achievement of the purposes of this
        processing, or
(5)   To assert, exercise or defend legal claims.

e. Right to notification

If you have asserted your right to correction, deletion or restriction of processing vis-a-vis us, we are obliged to give notification of this data correction, deletion or processing restriction to all recipients to whom we have disclosed personal data concerning you, unless this proves to be impossible or associated with disproportionate expense.

You have the right to be notified of these recipients by us.

f. Right to data transferability

You have the right to receive in a structured, common and machine-readable format the personal data concerning you which you have provided to us. Moreover, you have the right to transfer to another controller this personal data which you have provided to us, without being prevented from doing so by us, provided that

(1)  The processing is based on consent pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a EU GDPR or Art. 9 Para. 2 lit. a EU
       GDPR, or on a contract pursuant to Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. b EU GDPR, and
(2)   Processing is carried out with the aid of automated processes.

Furthermore, in exercising this right, you have the right to have the personal data concerning you transmitted by us directly to another controller, provided that this is technically feasible. Other people's freedoms and rights may not be impaired by this.

The right to data transferability does not apply to the processing of personal data which is essential in order to perform a task which is in the public interest or is performed as part of the exercise of public authority which has been entrusted to us.

g. Right of objection

On grounds arising from your specific situation, you have the right to submit an objection at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you which takes place on the basis of Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. e or f EU GDPR; this also applies to profiling based on these provisions.

We will no longer process personal data concerning you, unless we can prove that there are imperative grounds for processing which are worthy of protection, and which outweigh your interests, rights and freedoms, or unless the processing serves the purpose of asserting, exercising or defending legal claims.

If personal data concerning you is processed in order to run direct advertising, you have the right to submit an objection at any time to the processing of personal data concerning you for the purpose of such advertising; the same applies to profiling if it is connected with direct advertising of this kind.

If you object to processing for purposes of direct advertising, personal data concerning you will no longer be processed for these purposes.

In connection with the use of information society services – without regard to Directive 2002/58/EC – you have the option of exercising your right of objection by using automated processes for which technical specifications are used.

h. Right to revoke declaration of consent under data protection law

You have the right to revoke your declaration of consent under data protection law at any time. The legitimacy of the processing carried out on the basis of the consent until the revocation thereof is not affected by the revocation of consent.

i. Automated decision in individual cases, including profiling

You have the right not to be subject to a decision based exclusively on automated processing – including profiling – which takes legal effect against you or significantly impairs you in a similar way. This does not apply if the decision

(1)   Is essential for the conclusion or fulfilment of a contract between you and us,
(2)   Is permitted on the basis of legal regulations of the Union or the member states to which we are subject,
       and these legal regulations include appropriate measures to protect your rights and freedoms and your
       legitimate interests, or
(3)  Takes place with your express consent.

However, these decisions may not be based on specific categories of personal data pursuant to Art. 9 Para. 1 EU GDPR if Art. 9 Para. 2 lit. a or g EU GDPR does not apply, and if appropriate measures have not been adopted in order to protect rights and freedoms and your legitimate interests.

With regard to the cases mentioned in (1) and (3), we adopt appropriate measures in order to protect rights and freedoms and your legitimate interests, which include at least the right to effect an individual's intervention on our part, to state one's own point of view and to contest the decision.

j. Right to complain to a supervisory authority

Without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy, you have the right to complain to a supervisory authority, specifically in the member state of your place of residence, of your workplace, or where the suspected breach took place, if you are of the opinion that the processing of personal data concerning you is in breach of the EU GDPR.

The supervisory authority responsible for us is:

Berliner Beauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit
Friedrichstraße 219
10969 Berlin

The supervisory authority to which you submitted your complaint will notify you of the status and outcomes of your complaint, including the possibility of a judicial remedy pursuant to Art. 78 EU GDPR.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact our Data Protection Supervisor at any time.

Last updated: 02.2024