Privacy Policy

1. General information

We take the protection of your personal data seriously. Personal data is any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal data is processed when you use this website, for what purposes it is processed, on which legal basis the processing takes place, and what rights you have under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

We process personal data only where this is necessary to provide a functional website and our services, where we have a legitimate interest in doing so, where processing is required by law, or where you have given us your consent.

2. Controller

The controller responsible for data processing on this website within the meaning of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is:

Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS)
Virchowstr. 1
26382 Wilhelmshaven
Germany

Telephone: +49 4421 9108 0
Email: info@waddensea-secretariat.org

The Common Wadden Sea Secretariat coordinates the East Atlantic Flyway Partnership website.

3. Data Protection Officer

A Data Protection Officer has been appointed. The relevant contact details will be published here shortly.

4. Hosting and server log files

This website is hosted by:

ALL-INKL.COM – Neue Medien Münnich
Inhaber: René Münnich
Hauptstraße 68
02742 Friedersdorf
Germany

The hosting provider operates its data centres in Germany.

When you access this website, the web server automatically processes information transmitted by your browser. This may include:

  • IP address of the requesting device;
  • date and time of access;
  • requested page or file;
  • referrer URL;
  • browser type and browser version;
  • operating system;
  • hostname of the accessing device; and
  • HTTP status code and amount of data transferred.

This information is required to establish the connection to the website, deliver its contents, ensure the technical stability and security of the website, and identify and prevent misuse or attacks.

The legal basis for this processing is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest lies in the secure, reliable and technically correct operation of the website.

Server log data is not combined with other data sources for profiling purposes.

Where the hosting provider processes personal data on our behalf, such processing is carried out on the basis of a data processing agreement in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR.

5. Encrypted transmission

This website uses TLS/SSL encryption to protect data transmitted between your browser and our server.

You can recognise an encrypted connection by the use of https:// in the address bar of your browser.

Please note that data transmission over the Internet, including communication by email, may nevertheless have security vulnerabilities. Complete protection of data against access by third parties cannot be guaranteed.

6. Contacting us

If you contact us by email or through a contact form provided on this website, the information you provide will be processed for the purpose of handling your enquiry and, where necessary, any subsequent communication.

Depending on the nature of your enquiry, the legal basis is:

Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR where your enquiry relates to a contractual or pre-contractual relationship; or

Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR for other enquiries, based on our legitimate interest in responding to communications addressed to us.

Where you voluntarily provide additional information, the processing of such information is based on your consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR.

The data will be deleted when it is no longer necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, unless statutory retention obligations or other legitimate reasons require longer storage.

7. User accounts and protected areas

Where the website provides registered users or partners with access to protected areas, the data required to create and administer the account is processed for the purpose of authentication, user administration and provision of the respective services.

This may include, in particular:

  • name;
  • organisation;
  • email address;
  • username;
  • account and access information; and
  • information relating to login activity.
  • Passwords are not stored in plain text.

The legal basis for processing is Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR where the account is necessary for providing an agreed service, or Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR where processing is necessary for the secure administration of the website and its restricted-access areas.

8. Web analytics with Matomo

We use Matomo, an open-source web analytics platform, to understand how visitors use this website and to improve its content, structure, usability and technical performance.

Matomo is operated by us on infrastructure under our control. Analytics data is not transferred to Matomo as an external analytics provider and is not used by third parties for advertising purposes.

Data processed

Depending on the configuration and use of the website, Matomo may process information such as:

  • pages accessed;
  • date and time of access;
  • website from which you reached our website;
  • time spent on individual pages;
  • approximate geographical information;
  • device type;
  • operating system;
  • browser type and browser version;
  • browser language;
  • screen resolution; and
  • interactions with the website.

IP anonymisation

IP anonymisation is enabled.

IP addresses are shortened before they are stored or evaluated for analytics purposes so that the complete IP address is not retained in Matomo.

The shortened IP address is also used for any geographical analysis. We do not use the complete IP address for geolocation.

We do not use Matomo to create personally identifiable user profiles, and no User ID is assigned for analytics purposes.

Purpose

Matomo is used exclusively to generate statistical information about the use of the website. The resulting statistics help us understand which content is relevant to visitors, identify technical or navigational problems and improve the website.

Matomo data is not used for personalised advertising and is not disclosed to advertising networks.

Legal basis and consent

Where Matomo analytics involves the use of cookies or comparable technologies on your device, analytics is activated only after you have given your consent.

The legal basis for the processing of personal data is Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR.

You may refuse consent without any disadvantage to your use of the website. You may also withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future.

Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.

9. Cookies and similar technologies

This website may use cookies or comparable technologies.

Cookies are small pieces of information that are stored on your device or accessed through your browser.

Technologies that are technically necessary for providing a service explicitly requested by the user may be used without consent where permitted by applicable law.

Cookies or comparable technologies used for analytics or other non-essential purposes are activated only after you have given the corresponding consent.

Where a consent-management function is provided, you can change or withdraw your decision at any time through the cookie/privacy settings available on the website.

Refusing optional cookies does not prevent you from accessing the publicly available contents of the website.

10. External links

This website contains links to websites operated by third parties, including links to social media platforms and partner organisations.

A connection to the external provider is generally established only when you actively follow such a link.

Once you leave our website, the processing of personal data is governed by the privacy policies of the respective third-party providers. We have no control over how these third parties process personal data.

11. Recipients of personal data

We disclose personal data to third parties only where this is necessary and legally permitted.

Recipients may include, in particular:

hosting and IT service providers acting on our behalf;

service providers supporting the technical operation and maintenance of the website;

public authorities where disclosure is required by law; and

other recipients where you have expressly consented to the disclosure.

Where service providers process personal data on our behalf, they are contractually bound in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR where required.

12. Transfers to third countries

We seek to process website-related personal data within the European Union or European Economic Area wherever possible.

The website hosting and the self-hosted Matomo analytics system are operated on servers in Germany.

Where individual services in the future require the transfer of personal data to a country outside the European Union or European Economic Area, such transfer will take place only where the requirements of Chapter V GDPR are fulfilled. Where applicable, information about such transfers will be provided in the section concerning the respective service.

13. Storage periods

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose for which it was collected.

Different retention periods may apply where:

  • statutory retention obligations exist;
  • data is required for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims;
  • continued storage is necessary for IT security purposes; or
  • you have consented to a longer period of processing.

Once the respective purpose no longer applies and no legal obligation or legitimate reason requires continued storage, the data is deleted or anonymised.

14. Your rights

Under the GDPR, you have the following rights, subject to the applicable statutory requirements:

Right of access – Art. 15 GDPR

You have the right to obtain information about whether and how we process your personal data and to obtain a copy of that data.

Right to rectification – Art. 16 GDPR

You have the right to request correction of inaccurate personal data and completion of incomplete personal data.

Right to erasure – Art. 17 GDPR

You may request deletion of your personal data where the statutory requirements are met.

Right to restriction of processing – Art. 18 GDPR

You may request restriction of the processing of your personal data under the conditions specified by law.

Right to data portability – Art. 20 GDPR

Where processing is based on consent or a contract and is carried out by automated means, you may have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format.

Right to object – Art. 21 GDPR

Where we process personal data on the basis of Art. 6(1)(e) or Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, you have the right to object to such processing on grounds relating to your particular situation.

Where personal data is processed for direct marketing purposes, you may object to such processing at any time.

Right to withdraw consent

Where processing is based on your consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR, you may withdraw that consent at any time with effect for the future.

The lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal remains unaffected.

15. Right to lodge a complaint

You have the right to lodge a complaint with a competent data protection supervisory authority if you believe that the processing of your personal data infringes applicable data protection law.

You may in particular contact the supervisory authority responsible for the controller or a supervisory authority in the EU Member State of your habitual residence or place of work.

16. Automated decision-making

We do not use personal data collected through this website for automated decision-making, including profiling, within the meaning of Art. 22 GDPR.

17. Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure or access.

These security measures are reviewed and adapted where necessary to reflect technological developments and changes to the website.

18. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy where changes to the website, the services used, or legal requirements make this necessary.

The version published on this website is the currently applicable version.

19. Newsletter and CleverReach

You can subscribe to our newsletter through the newsletter registration form provided on this website.

For the administration and distribution of our newsletter, we use CleverReach, a service provided by:

CleverReach GmbH & Co. KG
Schafjückenweg 2
26180 Rastede
Germany

Newsletter registration

When you submit the newsletter registration form, the information you provide is transmitted to CleverReach and processed for the purpose of managing your newsletter subscription and sending the newsletter.

The information required to subscribe to the newsletter is your email address.

Double opt-in

Newsletter registration is completed using a double opt-in procedure. After submitting the registration form, you will receive an email asking you to confirm your subscription. You will only be added to the newsletter distribution list after completing this confirmation.

Information relating to the registration and confirmation process may be stored in order to document that consent was given.

Legal basis

The legal basis for processing your personal data for the newsletter is your consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR.

You may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by using the unsubscribe link contained in each newsletter.

The withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal.

Processing by CleverReach

CleverReach processes the data submitted through the newsletter registration form on our behalf for the purpose of managing newsletter subscriptions and distributing the newsletter.

Where required, this processing is carried out on the basis of a data processing agreement in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR.

Further information about the processing of personal data by CleverReach can be found in the CleverReach Privacy Policy.

Last updated: August 2026