Privacy Policy

This is an English translation of our German privacy policy, provided for information purposes only. In case of any discrepancy, the German version (Datenschutzerklärung) shall prevail.

This privacy policy explains which personal data we process and for what purposes when you visit our website or get in touch with us.

Last updated: 7 November 2026

Contents

Controller

ECONICS INSTITUTE e.V.
Choriner Bahnhofstraße 1
16230 Chorin, Germany

Contact person for data protection questions: Daniel Johnson
Contact: Send an e-mail

Web hosting and server log files

Our website is hosted by GreenWebspace (Riedmatten IT Solutions e.U., Mittersteig 2a, 1040 Vienna, Austria; server location Vienna). When you access the website, the server processes technically necessary data, in particular your IP address, the date and time of access, the page or file requested, the amount of data transferred, the previously visited page (referrer) and your browser type and operating system. These data are recorded in server log files in order to provide the website and to ensure its security and stability (e.g. to defend against attacks).

The legal basis is our legitimate interest in a secure and functional website (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). Log files are deleted or anonymised after no more than 30 days, unless they are needed for longer to investigate a security incident. Hosting does not involve any transfer of data to countries outside the EU. Further information: GreenWebspace privacy policy.

The connection to our website is encrypted using TLS (recognisable by “https://” in your browser’s address bar).

Cookies and consent management

Cookies are small files stored on your device. We use technically necessary cookies without consent, for example to remember the language you selected and your cookie choices (Section 25(2) TDDDG [German Telecommunications Digital Services Data Protection Act]; Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). All other cookies and services, such as embedded YouTube videos, are only activated after you have given your consent (Section 25(1) TDDDG; Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR).

We use the WordPress plugin Complianz to manage consent. It runs on our own web server; no data are transmitted to the plugin’s developer. Your choices are stored for 365 days in cookies on your device, not on our server. An overview of the cookies we use, and the option to change or withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future, can be found in our Cookie Policy.

Embedded videos (YouTube)

On some pages we embed videos from YouTube. The provider is Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland. The videos are only loaded once you have consented to the “Marketing” category in the cookie settings; until then we only display a preview image from our own server, and no data are transmitted to YouTube.

Once you have consented, data including your IP address, device and browser information and the page you are visiting are transmitted to YouTube, and YouTube may store cookies on your device. If you are logged in to a Google account, YouTube can link this information to your account. We have no influence on any further processing by Google. Data may also be transferred to Google LLC in the USA. Google LLC is certified under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, which is covered by an adequacy decision of the European Commission of 10 July 2023.

The legal basis is your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR; Section 25(1) TDDDG), which you can withdraw at any time via our Cookie Policy. Further information: Google privacy policy.

Contacting us by e-mail

If you write to us by e-mail, we process the information you provide (e.g. name, e-mail address and content of your message) solely to handle your enquiry. We do not use a contact form. The legal basis is our legitimate interest in responding to your enquiry (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) or, if your enquiry concerns a membership or a contract, Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR. We delete your enquiry once it has been dealt with, unless statutory retention obligations apply.

Membership, donations and association activities

We process data of members, donors, project partners and other interested persons (e.g. name, address, contact details, bank details, information on membership fees and donations) to the extent necessary to fulfil the purposes set out in our statutes. This includes membership administration, general meetings, projects and events, recording donations and, where applicable, issuing donation receipts, as well as our public relations work. Donations are made by bank transfer; no payment data are collected via the website.

The legal bases are membership under our statutes (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR), legal obligations such as tax-related retention requirements (Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR), and our legitimate interest in carrying out the work of the association (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).

Storage period

We adhere to the principles of data avoidance and data minimisation. We therefore store your personal data only for as long as is necessary to achieve the purposes stated here or as required by the retention periods provided for by law. For documents relevant under tax and commercial law (e.g. accounting records), these periods are generally six to ten years (Section 147 German Fiscal Code [AO], Section 257 German Commercial Code [HGB]). Once the respective purpose no longer applies or these periods have expired, the data concerned will be routinely deleted or their processing restricted in accordance with the statutory provisions.

Your rights

Under the GDPR you have the right of access (Art. 15), rectification (Art. 16), erasure (Art. 17), restriction of processing (Art. 18) and data portability (Art. 20). You may withdraw any consent you have given at any time with effect for the future (Art. 7(3) GDPR).

Right to object (Art. 21 GDPR): Where we process your data on the basis of legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR), you may object to this processing at any time on grounds relating to your particular situation. You may object to processing for direct marketing purposes at any time without giving reasons.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or place of the alleged infringement. The authority responsible for us is the data protection supervisory authority of the State of Brandenburg.

Changes

We will amend this privacy policy as soon as changes to our data processing make this necessary. The version published here applies.

Scroll to Top