Table of contents:

1. Data controller
2. Who is concerned by this privacy policy?
3. Why do we handle information about you?
4. What information about you do we handle?
5. What is the legal basis for handling your information and for how long?
6. Use of service providers and transfer to third parties
7. How do we protect your personal data?
8. How long is the information retained for?
9. Your rights

1. Data controller

Your personal data are processed by the University of Cologne under the legal responsibility of the Grant Holder of the PROBE COST Action.

If you have any queries about the process or how we handle your information, please contact us at:

Address: Pohligstr, 3, 50969 Cologne

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

2. Who is concerned by this privacy policy?

Every COST Action participant and visitor of the PROBE website, people who use our services, e.g. who subscribe to our newsletter or to our website, as well as people who email us or chat with us.

3. What information about you do we handle and how?

On top of the personal data collected and processed by the COST Association in the framework of this COST Action, for which you can consult the privacy notice for e-COST,

As COST Action Participant,

Based on your consent (article 6.1.a) of the GDPR), we:

• publish your contact details on the COST Action 18235 website and on the specific website of the action (probe-cost.eu PROBE website) and other communications tools or publications for communication purposes;
• take and use pictures/videos where you appear taken or made during a meeting / an event of or related to the COST Action 18235 on the COST Action 18235 website and on the PROBE website and other communications tools or publications for communication purposes.

You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Withdrawing your consent means that the collected personal data will not be used any longer. However, use made of your data in the past remains valid.

When you register for newsletters:

Based on your consent (article 6.1.a) of the GDPR):

• We collect and process your data (name, first name, email address) for registration and delivering of our newsletters. We use a service provider to deliver our newsletters.

Based on our legitimate interests (article 6.1.f of the GDPR), with the registration to the newsletter, we inform you on our products (like data and software distribution), outcomes, and public meetings.

You may unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time. We will not keep your data once you have unsubscribed.

When you register as PROBE user on the PROBE website:

Based on your consent (article 6.1.a) of the GDPR):

• We collect and process your data (name, first name, title, email address, institution/company, country, domain of interest, user category, ECI status) for registration to the PROBE website,
• We send you the newsletter with the purpose described above,
• We use your data for statistics on user origin and domains of interest,
• We send you surveys (to which you can refuse to participate) in order to collect additional scientific information on data needs. The purpose of those data collection will be explained in each of the surveys.

Based on our and your legitimate interests (article 6.1.f of the GDPR), with the registration to the PROBE website we grant you access to PROBE website reserved area where you can download data and software, research outcomes and recorded webinars.

You may unsubscribe, cancel or modify your user registration on the PROBE website at any time. We will not keep your data once you have unsubscribed.  

When you email us, chat with us or otherwise contact us:

We process your contact details, when required, in order to provide you with the requested support. This data processing is based on your consent (article 6.1.a of the GDPR).

When you register for events:

Based on your consent (article 6.1.a) of the GDPR):

When you register for events, we collect your identification data (name, first name, title, email address, and phone numbers) and professional data (position and institution).

When you register for events, we also ask you

• whether you have special dietary requirements or other specific needs. Those data are collected for the organisation of the event.

We do not keep your dietary requirements or other mentioned specific needs for longer than the event.

• whether you are in agreement with us:
  • including your contact details in the list of participants to the event that is made available on the COST Action website / to all participants for networking purposes;
  • taking and using pictures during the event for promotional and information purposes.

Not providing your consent for taking pictures is without impact on your participation to events, workshops or webinars.

The data we collect are kept as long as you do not oppose to it.

When you contact us to make use of your data subject rights:

We process your contact details and the proof of your identity you send us in order to address your request.  We can also depending on your request process other personal data we have collected also in order to address your request. 

This data processing is for compliance with legal obligations to which we are subject (article 6.1.c of the GDPR). 

1. Use of service providers and transfer to third parties

We do have recourse to service providers to deliver our newsletters and treat your data.

Those service providers otherwise referred to as data processors are third parties who provide elements of support to us. We have contracts in place with our data processors. They cannot do anything with your personal information unless we have instructed them to do it. They will not share your personal information with any organisation apart from us. They will hold it securely and retain it for the period we instruct. 

We do not transfer any of your data collected as mentioned above to any third party for commercial purposes.

2. How do we protect your personal data?

Your personal data are handled in full confidentiality. We make all necessary effort to take technical and organisational measures that might be required so as to ensure security of your personal data.

3. How long is the information retained for?

Your data will be retained until the website and its content will be dismissed, after the end of the action. The website and its content are maintained for at least 2 years after the end of the Action, due on the 18/10/2023.

4. Your rights

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (GDPR), you have rights as an individual which you can exercise in relation to the information we hold about you:

• right to request from us access to and rectification of your personal data;
• right to request erasure of your data (right to be forgotten) in the cases foreseen by article 17 of the GDPR ;
• right to obtain from us restriction of processing where there is contestation about the data processing for a period enabling to solve the issue;
• right to data portability;
• where the processing of your personal data is based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. Withdrawing your consent means that we will not make use of your data any longer, including pictures. However, use made of your data in the past remains valid.

Your right to object

You have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, at any time to processing of your personal data which is based on Article 6(1), (f) of the GDPR (our legitimate purposes) as mentioned above.

To exercise those rights, please send us an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. together with a proof of your identity or write us to the following address:

PROBE science communication manager

Institute for Geophysics and Meteorology, University of Cologne

Pohligstr. 3, 50969 Cologne, 3^rd Etage

Germany

Please note that you always have the right to lodge a complaint with the Supervisory authority of the EU country of your choice.