Data protection policy of the Climate, Energy, Mobility NCP

Responsible handling of personal data is a priority for the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. We want our users to know which data is being collected when and for which purpose by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, a public authority within the Federal Republic of Germany that does not have legal capacity, operates a website hosted on the www.bmwk.de domain. This website serves to provide information about the ministry’s activities and to give the public easy access to information.

We do not process personal data beyond what is necessary. What data we will need and process on what basis and for what purpose will much depend on the type of service you are using, and on the purpose for which the data is required.

We have taken technical and organisational measures to ensure that both we as well as external service providers comply with the provisions governing data protection.

The processing of personal data at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action is handled in accordance with the  European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG).

1. Responsibility and Data Protection Officer

Responsibility for the processing of personal data lies with the

Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
(Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz)
Scharnhorststr. 34-37
10115 Berlin
Postal address: 11019 Berlin
Email: 
Internet: www.bmwk.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 18615 0

If you have any specific questions about the protection of your data at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, please contact the Ministry’s Data Protection Officer:

Data Protection Officer for the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
Scharnhorststr. 34-37
10115 Berlin
Email: 

2. Processing of data resulting from your visit to this website

This website is supported by Projektträger Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and hosted on servers of Forschungszentrum Jülich.

Whenever a website is visited, data needed to provide the service requested is collected and exchanged. The data concerned is:

  • IP address
  • type and version of your browser
  • the operating system used
  • the web page accessed
  • the page previously visited (referrer URL)
  • the time of server request

This data is stored in log files on an external server at our service provider "Projektträger Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH" even after your visit to the website.

When using this general data and information, Projektträger Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH will not draw any conclusions regarding the person concerned. This information is rather required (1) to correctly deliver content on our website, (2) to optimize content for delivery on our website, (3) to ensure the permanent operability of our IT systems and website technology and (4) to provide prosecuting authorities with the information necessary for prosecution in the event of a cyber-attack. The data and information collected anonymously by Projektträger Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH is analysed for statistical purposes and with the aim of increasing data protection and data security in order to ultimately guarantee optimum protection of the personal data processed by Projektträger Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH. Server log file data is stored separately from all the personal data provided by any person concerned. The legal basis for data processing is Article 6 (1) (e) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in conjunction with Section 3 of the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG) and Section 5 of the Act on the Federal Office for Information Security (BSIG).

Statistics

If you have given your consent in accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) of the GDPR, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action together with its service provider contracted for support and development “Projektträger Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH” will analyse information on your use of our website for statistical purposes as part of public relations work and for the purpose of providing information on tasks within the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action’s remit as needed.

It does so using the Matomo web analysis service.

The software uses persistent cookies to recognise visitors returning even if they do not return until after a longer period of time. This information is stored as a text file on the hard drive of the user’s computer. The cookie is valid for 13 months after which it deletes itself.

The software also uses session cookies. Session cookies are small information units that are stored by the provider of a website in the active memory of the visiting user’s computer. A randomly generated, unique ID number, known as a session ID, is stored in a session cookie. A cookie also contains information on its origin and the maximum period of time it is to be stored on a computer. These cookies cannot store any other types of data. The software uses session cookies to provide for the unambiguous identification of visitors.

If a web pages of our website is visited, the following data will be stored:

  • Two bytes of the IP address of the user’s retrieving system (anonymous)
  • The accessed web page
  • The website from which the user reached the accessed web page (referrer)
  • The sub-pages loaded via the accessed web page
  • The length of time spent on the web page
  • How often the page has been accessed

The software is configured in a way that IP addresses are stored incomplete with 2 bytes concealed (e.g. 192.168.xxx.xxx). This makes it impossible for the shortened IP address to be linked to the retrieving computer, meaning that you remain anonymous as the user.

The relevant software runs only on the web servers of the service provider “Projektträger Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH” on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. These are the only servers where information on your use of the website is stored. No data is disclosed to third parties.

If you want to modify your decision regarding use of the cookie for web analysis purposes and give your consent or withdraw it again, you can do this by changing your settings before continuing your visit. The default setting for web analysis is disabled.

Cookies

Please note that the providers Twitter, YouTube and Google are based in a country outside the European Union, in this case the United States, i.e. a “third country” within the meaning of the GDPR. In its decision of July 16, 2020, Case C-311/18 ("Schrems II"), the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) declared the European Commission's decision on EU-U.S. data protection obligations (Privacy Shield Decision 2016/1250) invalid. A data protection level that is essentially comparable to the European data protection standards does not exist in the U.S.

As a result, there is no adopted adequacy decision by the European Commission with regard to the transfer of personal data to the U.S. within the meaning of Art. 45 (1), (3) GDPR. Furthermore, there are no so-called suitable guarantees within the meaning of Art. 46 (2), (3) GDPR, which enable a corresponding level of protection without further measures. Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that a company based in the U.S. may grant government agencies access to the processed personal data. Therefore, personal data could be passed on to third parties. It may not be possible to enforce the rights of those affected.

Therefore, the transfer of data (IP address) in the context of the use of Twitter, YouTube or Google is only possible with your express consent in accordance with Art. 49 (1) (a) GDPR.

Use of the external search engine "Google CSE"

The Google Custom Search Engine "Google CSE" is the main search engine used within the online service of Projektträger Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH. The integrated search engine enables the search for full-text content in the entire official online service of Projektträger Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH. The search function can be accessed through the search box in the header of each web page of this website.

For the information of the user visiting the online service of Projektträger Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH the search box is labelled "Search with Google™" . If the user selects the input field in the search box and types in a keyword, an additional link below the search box will appear and refer to the information on data protection ("Information on data transfer within the Google™ Search"), which applies within the framework of Google CSE.

Activating the search

By entering a keyword into the search box and confirming it by clicking the enter button or the search icon (magnifying glass icon), the user activates the search function and with that the search results page, which by means of a plugin provided by Google reloads the search results from Google. During this process, data is transferred to Google.

Search results page

The plug-in (Google Custom Search Engine “Google CSE“), developed and provided by Google, is integrated by Projektträger Jülich, Forschungzentrum Jülich as a software modul “as-is” (unchanged) into the search results page. When the search results page is viewed, the plug-in enables an automated communication (data exchange) between the viewed search results page and the service of Google. Using the search function provided by Google includes a dynamic transfer of data to the search result page by the service provider Google.

Transferring data to Google CSE

Data will be transferred to Google as soon as the user activates the search box, starts a full text search and by so doing activates the search result page. When the search function within the search result page is used, the user's data is simultaneously transferred to Google. When official websites of Projektträger Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH are visited without activating the Google Custom Search Engine, basically no data will be transferred to the provider of the search service (Google). An exception applies in cases in which users directly reference a search result page.

Consent to data transfer by using Google Search

By using the full-text search and the following viewing of the search results page, you consent to the transfer of data to the service of Google. This includes, for example, the words you searched and the IP address of the computer you used.

Please note that the standards for data protection of the online service of Projektträger Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH differ from the ones that apply for Google! We explicitly bring to your attention that the processing and, particularly the storaging, deleting and using of possibly transferred personal data is the responsibility of the provider of the search service and that the provider of the online presence of Projektträger Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH has no influence on the amount and type of transferred data as well as its further processing.

As long as you are logged in Google simultaneously, the service of Google will be able to directly assign the information to your user profile. If you wish to avoid the collection of personal information about your profile, you should log out from your Google account.

You will find further information from Google about the handling of user data (privacy policy) on  
policies.google.com/privacy

3. Collection of personal data when you contact us

This website contains information which supports quick digital contact and direct communication with us, including a general email address. Once a user makes contact with the entity responsible for processing or with the service provider by email or via a contact form, the personal data provided by the user will be stored automatically. Such data provided on a voluntary basis by the user to the entity responsible for processing will be stored for processing purposes or for contacting the user. The legal basis for this is Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR and Article 6 (1) (e) GDPR in conjunction with Section 3 of the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG).

The data you provide is stored for the sole purpose of responding to your enquiry and in accordance with the statutory and contractual requirements. If the staff of Projektträger Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich are unable to respond to your enquiry, it will be forwarded to the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

The staff of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action will process the data communicated only to respond to your enquiry. In those cases the data is stored in accordance with the statutory time limits for retaining records set out in the Registry Directive (Registraturrichtlinie, RegR), which applies in conjunction with the Joint Rules of Procedure of the Federal Ministries (Gemeinsame Geschäftsordnung der Bundesministerien, GGO).

Where the enquiry involves a matter which concerns another service provider or funding recipient of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action or which can only be answered by that service provider or funding recipient, the enquiry will be forwarded to that party together with the personal data required for responding to your enquiry. The service provider or funding recipient processes your data for the sole purpose of responding to your enquiry and in accordance with the statutory and contractual requirements.

In those cases, the data will be passed on in compliance with Article 6 (1) (e) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in conjunction with Section 3 of the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG) for the purpose of fulfilling the tasks of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

Furthermore, it may be necessary for the purposes of legal and operational supervision to disclose your available personal data to those authorities supervised by us in connection with your enquiry. In those cases, the data will be forwarded in accordance with Section 25 (1) BDSG in conjunction with Section 23 (1) (6) BDSG.

Under Section 1 of the Act on the Powers of the Petitions Committee of the German Bundestag (Gesetz über die Befugnisse des Petitionsausschusses des Deutschen Bundestages, GGArt45cG), the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action is required to transmit your personal data to the Petitions Committee of the German Bundestag where it is necessary for the purpose of preparing decisions on complaints in accordance with Article 17 of the Basic Law for der Federal Republic of Germany (Grundgesetz, GG).

4. Processing of personal data in the context of newsletter delivery

To receive the newsletter offered on our website, you can register via our form. We use a double opt-in procedure. This means that a confirmation email is sent to the email address you entered, which in turn requests your confirmation. Your subscription becomes effective as soon as you click on the activation link in the confirmation email. If you do not click on the activation link, your data will be erased after four weeks. We use the data provided by you for the exclusive purpose of delivering the newsletter, which may include information or services.

We deliver our newsletter by rapidmail. Your data is therefore disclosed to rapidmail GmbH, which is prohibited from using your data for purposes other than delivery of our newsletter. rapidmail GmbH is not allowed to disclose or sell your data. rapidmail is a German, certified newsletter software provider, which was selected carefully in accordance with the requirements of the GDPR and the BDSG.

The data provided will be processed on the basis of your consent in accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). You can withdraw your consent to the storage of your data and its use for newsletter delivery at any time, e.g. using the unsubscribe link in the newsletter. The lawfulness of processing your personal data on the basis of the consent provided by you remains valid until your withdrawal of consent has been received.

5. Social networks

This website enables users to share content via the social networks Facebook or Twitter while ensuring that no data is sent to the social network until the user clicks on the Share function.

6. Your rights

You have the following rights vis-à-vis the data controller concerning your personal data:

  • right of access (Article 15 GDPR)
  • right to rectification (Article 16 GDPR)
  • right to erasure (Article 17 GDPR)
  • right to restriction of processing (Article 18 GDPR)
  • right to object to collection, processing and/or use (Article 21 GDPR)
  • right to data portability (Article 20 GDPR)
  • If the personal data is processed on the basis of your consent (in accordance with Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR), you can withdraw your consent at any time for the purpose in question. The lawfulness of processing your personal data on the basis of the consent provided by you remains valid until your withdrawal of consent has been received.

You may exercise the aforementioned rights by sending an email to  .

Furthermore, you have the right to submit a complaint to the supervisory authority under data protection law (Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information).

You may also address any questions or complaints to the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Data Protection Officer at