I. Scope and Legal Bases of Processing

As a general rule, we collect and process our users’ personal data only to the extent necessary to provide a functional website and to make our content and services available.

Where we obtain consent for processing activities, Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR in conjunction with Section 25(1) TDDDG (where information is stored on or accessed from the user’s terminal device) serves as the legal basis. Where processing is necessary for the performance of a contract or in order to take steps prior to entering into a contract, Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR serves as the legal basis. Where processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation, we rely on Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR. Where processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by our company or a third party, Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR serves as the legal basis.

II. Erasure of Data and Storage Period

Personal data will be erased or its processing restricted as soon as the purpose for which it was stored no longer applies. Data may be stored beyond this point where this is provided for by European or national legislation applicable to the controller.

III. Disclosure of Data and Transfers to Third Countries

In order to provide our services, we disclose your data to selected partner companies (e.g. ticketing providers, mailing service providers, stand construction companies, catalogue providers, transport companies and financial institutions). Where these companies process data on our behalf, we have entered into data processing agreements with them in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR. Data will be disclosed to public authorities only where required by law or pursuant to a court order.

Personal data will be transferred to recipients in third countries (outside the European Economic Area – EEA) only where this is necessary for the performance of a contract, where you have expressly consented to the transfer or where this is envisaged as part of our use of external service providers (e.g. Google). In such cases, we ensure an adequate level of data protection by relying on adequacy decisions adopted by the European Commission (such as the EU–US Data Privacy Framework) or by entering into EU Standard Contractual Clauses.

Where there is a credit risk, we transfer data (name, address and company details) to coface Debitorenmanagement GmbH, Isaac-Fulda-Allee 1, 55124 Mainz, Germany, for credit assessment and debt collection purposes (legal bases: Art. 6(1)(b) and (f) GDPR). Detailed information is available at www.coface.de/Home/Allgemeine-Informationen/Datenschutz.

IV. Rights of the Data Subject

You have the following rights in relation to the personal data concerning you:

• Right of access (Art. 15 GDPR)
• Right to rectification (Art. 16 GDPR)
• Right to erasure (Art. 17 GDPR)
• Right to restriction of processing (Art. 18 GDPR)
• Right to data portability (Art. 20 GDPR)
• Right to object to processing (Art. 21 GDPR)
• Right to withdraw consent with effect for the future (Art. 7(3) GDPR)

To exercise your rights, please contact: datenschutz@messe-essen.de.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority:

State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information of North Rhine-Westphalia (LDI NRW)

PO Box 20 04 44, 40102 Düsseldorf, Germany | Telephone: +49 (0)211 38424-0 | Email: poststelle@ldi.nrw.de | Website: www.ldi.nrw.de

Each time our website is accessed, our system automatically collects the following data from the computer system of the device used to access it:

1. Information about the browser type and version used
2. The user’s operating system
3. The user’s IP address
4. The date and time of access

The data is stored in our system’s log files to ensure the functionality and security of the website (legal basis: Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). The data is not analysed for marketing purposes. The log files are deleted after no more than seven days.

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies. Unless these technologies are strictly necessary for technical purposes, information will be accessed on your terminal device and personal data will be processed solely on the basis of your prior consent (Section 25(1) TDDDG in conjunction with Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR).

I. Consent Management (Usercentrics)

We use the consent management service provided by Usercentrics GmbH (Sendlinger Str. 7, 80331 Munich, Germany), which acts as our processor (Art. 28 GDPR). Your cookie preferences are stored and managed on the basis of Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR. Consent data is retained for one year and subsequently erased.

II. Adform Conversion Tracking

Where you have given your consent (Section 25(1) TDDDG in conjunction with Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR), we use Adform’s conversion tracking service to measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns. You can disable the cookie at any time via your browser or at https://site.adform.com/datenschutz-opt-out/.

III. Google Ads

We use Google Ads, a service provided by Google Ireland Limited (Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland). Where consent has been given (Section 25(1) TDDDG in conjunction with Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR), the service stores cookies to display and analyse personalised advertising. The data is anonymised or erased after no more than 12 months.

IV. Web Analytics Using etracker

We use analytics services provided by etracker GmbH (Hamburg, Germany). Data is processed exclusively on servers located in Germany for the purpose of statistically analysing the website’s reach (legal basis: Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR; legitimate interest in optimising our website). The IP address is anonymised at the earliest possible stage. You may object to the processing at any time via the cookie settings on our website.

I. Integration of Plugins and External Links

Our website provides links to social networks (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube) via external links. No data is transmitted to these platforms merely by visiting our website. You will only be redirected when you click the relevant link.

Embedded active social network features are activated only after you have given your explicit consent via the consent banner (Section 25(1) TDDDG in conjunction with Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR).

II. YouTube Plugin

When the YouTube plugin (YouTube LLC, USA) is activated, a connection is established with YouTube’s servers in order to display content (legal basis: Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). If a user is logged in to YouTube, this data may be associated with their user account.

III. Google reCAPTCHA

We use Google reCAPTCHA (Google Ireland Limited) to protect our online forms against automated data harvesting and spam. The behaviour of website visitors is analysed using various characteristics, including their IP address, the length of their visit and mouse movements. Processing is carried out on the basis of your consent provided via the consent banner (Section 25(1) TDDDG in conjunction with Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR).

I. Newsletter and Contact Forms

Newsletter: Subscription is based on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). The data collected (name, email address and time of registration) is used exclusively to send the newsletter. You may unsubscribe at any time using the link provided in the newsletter.

Contact form: Data submitted via the contact form is stored for the purpose of processing your enquiry on the basis of your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). It will be erased once the purpose of the processing no longer applies or you withdraw your consent.

II. Applicant Management

We use our service provider’s e-recruitment system to conduct the application process:

BITE GmbH
Wegenerstraße 7
89231 Neu-Ulm
Germany

MESSE ESSEN GmbH and BITE GmbH have entered into a data processing agreement in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR. The data is collected, stored and used exclusively for the purpose of conducting the application process. Access is limited to employees who are responsible for this process and are bound by a duty of confidentiality.

Once the application process has been completed, the data will be erased in accordance with the statutory retention periods, unless you have expressly consented to your details being retained in the applicant pool for future vacancies (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). You may object to this use of your data at any time by contacting bewerbung@messe-essen.de.

III. Prize Competitions and Giveaways

When prize competitions are held, personal data is collected and processed exclusively for the purposes of verifying participants’ identities and notifying winners. Data will be disclosed to third parties only where this is strictly necessary to deliver a prize.

IV. Video Surveillance on the Exhibition Grounds

Video surveillance is used on the exhibition grounds to manage traffic and visitor flows, exercise our rights as the operator of the premises and ensure security, including the prevention and investigation of criminal offences (legal basis: Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR in conjunction with Section 4 BDSG).

Unless the footage is required for a criminal investigation or prosecution, it is automatically overwritten or erased after 72 hours. Please also refer to the supplementary notices displayed at the entrances to the exhibition grounds.

I. General Information on Online Accreditation | Scope of the Processing of Personal Data

As a general rule, we collect and process the personal data of journalists and other media representatives (usually publishing company, media outlet, name, address, telephone/fax number and email address) only to the extent necessary to provide accreditation. You are under no legal obligation to provide this data; however, without it, we are unfortunately unable to process your accreditation. If we have had to reject your accreditation, we also retain a record of this for the purpose of preventing misuse.

Where you have given your consent, we publish your data in a press guide for exhibitors. You are under no obligation to consent to this. Your data will remain stored after the respective trade fair has ended in order to simplify and expedite any future accreditation at the Press Centre.

Where you have given your consent, we will occasionally send you press releases and invitations relating to the relevant trade fair and its associated subject area. For this purpose, we store your data (email address and, optionally, title, first name and surname) so that we can send you future press releases and invitations to press events relating to the trade fair for which you have been accredited, as well as to thematically related events.

You may unsubscribe from press releases and invitations at any time. A corresponding unsubscribe link is included in every email containing a press release or invitation. This does not affect processing required to comply with legal obligations to which we are subject, such as statutory retention obligations.

II. Legal Bases for the Processing of Personal Data

In connection with the accreditation process and the retention of your accreditation data for the purpose of simplifying and expediting future accreditations, processing is carried out on the basis of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR to protect the legitimate interests of our company and/or the trade fair organiser.

Where we send information or include your details in the press guide for exhibitors on the basis of your consent, Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR serves as the legal basis. Where the processing of personal data is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which our company is subject, Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR serves as the legal basis.

III. Disclosure of Data to Third Parties

Subject to your consent, we provide your data (publishing company, media outlet, name, address, telephone/fax number and email address) to exhibitors at the trade fair for which you have been accredited in the form of a press guide. We do not intend to disclose your data to any other recipients.

IV. Erasure of Data and Storage Period

Your personal data will be erased or its processing restricted as soon as the purpose for which it was stored no longer applies. As a general rule, we erase your data if you withdraw your consent or object to its continued storage. However, data will not be erased before the expiry of any applicable statutory retention periods.

V. Rights of the Data Subject

Where we process data on the basis of your consent, you may withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future. You have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

• Right of access, Art. 15 GDPR
• Right to rectification, Art. 15 GDPR
• Right to erasure, Art. 17 GDPR
• Right to restriction of processing, Art. 18 GDPR
• Right to data portability, Art. 20 GDPR
• Right to object to processing, Art. 21 GDPR

You may also lodge a complaint with the competent data protection supervisory authority at any time. The supervisory authority responsible for us is:

State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information of North Rhine-Westphalia (LDI NRW)

PO Box 20 04 44, 40102 Düsseldorf, Germany | Telephone: +49 (0)211 38424-0 | Email: poststelle@ldi.nrw.de | Website: www.ldi.nrw.de

To exercise your data protection rights, please contact datenschutz@messe-essen.de.