In the provision of our website, we only use cookies and other technologies that are necessary for delivering technical services and therefore do not require your consent.

Cookies are small text files that a web server can save and read on your device (computer, smartphone or similar) via the web browser you use. Cookies contain individual alphanumerical character strings which enable the identification of the web browser you use and can also contain information on user-oriented settings. Other technologies include local storage technology.Using local storage technology, data are only saved locally, i.e. exclusively on your device and not on the web server, in the local storage of your web browser. In contrast to cookies, the data saved by local storage technology have no expiration date and are not simply deleted automatically, however you can always delete these data yourself in your web browser. Please refer to the instruction manual from your web browser’s manufacturer to find out how you can delete data saved using local storage technology.

Necessary cookies and other technologiesare those which are technically necessary for the functionality and for guaranteeing the security and stability of our website and our information technology systems (e.g. load distribution) and, if necessary, those cookies and other technologies which generally save settings you have made, options you have selected or information you have entered until your web browser is closed (exception: local storage) in order to provide you with the function you have requested (e.g. login status). We do not use cookies and other technologies that would enable us to trace your behavior as a user of our website.

Cookies are saved on your device so that you can control them. If you do not want us to be able to recognize your device again, you can deactivate or delete saved cookies – manually or automatically – and/or block the saving of cookies in future at any time on your device by adjusting the corresponding setting on your web browser software, e.g. “Do not accept any cookies”, or similar. Most web browsers can also be configured so that the saving of cookies is only accepted if you agree to it in individual cases. In general, your web browser will display how to switch off or delete cookies already saved and how to reject new cookies, in the menu bar via the Help function. Please refer to your web browser manufacturer’s instruction manual for more details about each of the options described.

Please note, if you delete necessary cookies and other technologies without blocking them, they will be used again if you access our website at a later point in time. Please also note, that deactivating, deleting or blocking necessary cookies and other technologies can impair the performance and functionality of our website and can have the effect that certain functions and features are not available.

I. Necessary cookies

1. Which necessary cookies are used for which purposes and for how long?

• Load balancer

We use a load balancer for load distribution. A load balancer sends web requests to a load distribution server, which in turn redirects the web requests to an internal server. In order to prevent being directed between different servers during a session and to guarantee uniform processing, your web requests are all redirected to the same server. To identify that server and guarantee correct redirection, we use a cookie with a lifetime/functional duration of eight hours.

• Language detection

We use a session cookie for the user-oriented language display of our website. This detects the language of your browser and displays our website to you in the same language.

2. What is the legal basis for using necessary cookies?

In order to be able to prove whether you have consented to the use of optional cookies that require consent, we save the information relating to your granted or not granted consents for fulfilling our legal obligation to provide proof in accordance with Art. 6 (1) (c), (3) (a) GDPR in conjunction with Art. 7 (1) GDPR.

Furthermore, we use necessary cookies for safeguarding our legitimate interests in accordance with Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR.

The legitimate interests we pursue are:

• Guaranteeing the security and stability of our website and information technology systems, such as by protecting them against attacks in the form of targeted overloading of servers (denial of service attacks) or by the optimal load distribution on servers
• The assertion, exercising and defense of legal claims
• The provision and guaranteeing of proper functionality of our website

3. How can I object to the use of necessary cookies?

You can exercise your right to object using the blocking options described under “Deleting/blocking cookies” (cf. Art. 21 (5) GDPR), i.e. the blocking of necessary cookies in your web browser settings.

Please note, if you delete necessary cookies without blocking them, they will be used again if you access our website at a later point in time. Please also note, that deactivating, deleting or blocking necessary cookies can impair the performance and functionality of our website and can have the effect that certain functions and features are not available.

The transfer of data to bodies in countries outside the European Union or the European Economic Area (so-called third countries) or to international organizations is only permitted (1) if you have given us your consent or (2) if the European Commission has decided that an adequate level of protection exists in a third country (Art. 45 GDPR). If the Commission has not made such a decision, we may only transfer your data to recipients located in a third country if appropriate safeguards are in place (e.g. standard data protection clauses adopted by the Commission or the supervisory authority according to a specific procedure) and the enforcement of your data subject rights is guaranteed or the transfer is permitted in an individual case on the basis of other legal grounds (Art. 49 GDPR).

If we transfer your data to third countries, we will inform you of the respective details of the transfer at the relevant points in this data privacy statement.

We will process your data as long as this is necessary for the respective purpose, unless you have effectively objected to the processing of your data or effectively withdrawn any consent you may have given.

Insofar as statutory retention obligations exist, we will be bound to store the data in question for the duration of the retention obligation. Once the retention obligation expires, we will check whether there is any further need for the processing. If there is no longer such a need, your data will be erased.

We use technical and organizational security measures to ensure that your data are protected against loss, inaccurate modification or unauthorized access by third parties. Moreover, in any case we ensure that only authorized persons have access to your data, and this only insofar as is necessary within the scope of the purposes listed above. All data is transmitted in encrypted form.