Data Protection Declaration

This data protection declaration serves to fulfil the information obligation required under Articles 13 and 14, as applicable, of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679, “GDPR”). It explains how the European Association of Methodology (EAM) processes personal data of its members, prospective members and visitors to our website.

1. Name and contact details of the data controller

European Association of Methodology e.V.
c/o Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Fürstengraben 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
Email: president@eam-online.org

2. Hosting information

3. Web administrator contact details

Email: admin@eam-online.org

4. Data collected and stored, purpose and legal basis, deletion periods

Personal data is information that can be used to identify a natural person. It is generally possible to use our website without providing personal data, although many options (e.g. receiving information from EAM and accessing the members-only area) will require accepting the processing of personal data.

Data processing is necessary for the administration and operation of the association and for pursuing its legitimate purposes. Personal data will be processed only to the extent necessary for the purposes described in this document and on the applicable legal basis under Article 6(1) of the GDPR. Where processing is based on the legitimate interests of the EAM, such processing will take place only where these interests are not overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject.

When you register to access the website as a member, we will collect and process the personal data necessary to manage your membership and provide the associated services. Any additional personal data that is not necessary for these purposes will be provided voluntarily and processed on the applicable basis described in this document.

4.1 What data do we collect and store?

The EAM Board requires the following data from its members in order to contact them and manage membership fees.

Upon registration: username, email, password.

Stored in the database (personal and access/server log data):

  • Username, email, password (hashed), registration date
  • First/last name, address (if provided), affiliation, research interests (if provided), user preferences
  • Information on the date and process of joining the EAM
  • Board membership and role (if applicable)
  • Additional information on membership (i.e., honorary member, AEMCCO member, student member, low income country)
  • Payment history, amounts, dates, status, expiration dates
  • Additional data (e.g., link to personal website, research interests) may be stored if provided by the respective members
  • Login count, login timestamps, total time spent
  • URL of the page accessed, and if applicable, any error message generated when accessing the URL

Logging information is used exclusively for the purpose of checking functionality, security and troubleshooting. This use is based on Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. All log files are automatically deleted or anonymized after 30 days at the latest.

Payment data: card details are handled by Stripe (not stored on the website, only transaction references).

4.2 How do we use and store your data?

When collecting, processing and using your personal data, we adhere strictly to the statutory provisions, in particular the EU GDPR and the German Federal Data Protection Act. The EAM Executive Board and, where necessary, members of elected committees, may access member data in order to fulfil the purposes of the EAM specified in §2 of the Articles of the Association. Members’ personal data will be stored for the duration of their EAM membership1 and, unless the (former) member requests the deletion of his/her data, for 2 years after their membership ends.2 We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to prevent the loss, destruction, access, modification or dissemination of your data by unauthorized persons.

In order to fulfil the purpose of the association, the personal data of members are made accessible to all or specific members of the EAM executive committee in order to share relevant information with them. For example, this may include sharing information on relevant resources (webinars, conferences, etc.), collecting information about members’ interests and opinions on relevant topics, sending membership fee invoices, and establishing groups of interest. Personal data of prospective members will be shared with the EAM Executive Committee in order to approve or reject membership applications.

EAM members will have access only to their own data and other members’ basic information (members’ names, email address and areas of expertise/website if provided).

4.3 Which other parties have access to your data?

The EAM website does not have Google Analytics or Google Fonts installed. The EAM website does not have external tracking or an external CDN (Content Delivery Network) installed.

If the membership fee is paid by credit card or SEPA direct debit, Stripe will have access to your name, email, and payment details for the purpose of payment processing (Stripe DPA: stripe.com/legal/dpa; Stripe Privacy: stripe.com/privacy). Card details handled by Stripe will not be stored on the website.

Kinsta (Google Cloud) will have access to IP addresses and server logs for the purpose of website hosting.

Personal data will not be disclosed to other third parties unless this is required by law.

4.4 How do we use cookies?

Cookies are text files placed on your computer to collect standard Internet log information and visitor behavior information. We use functionality cookies to keep you signed in and remember your previously selected preferences. The purpose and duration of cookies used are described in the table below. No tracking cookies are used.

CookiePurposeDuration
wordpress_logged_in_*Session authenticationSession
wordpress_sec_*Secure sessionSession
wp-settings-*User preferences1 year
mepr_*MemberPress session/authorizationSession
Stripe cookiesPayment processingPer Stripe policy

5. Email handling

  • Emails to members are sent from the association’s own mailbox (webmaster@eam-online.org, Zoho Mail, EU data centre)
  • MemberPress handles transactional emails (welcome, receipts, notifications)

6. Rights and complaint options

If you have any questions, comments or concerns regarding this document, you are welcome to contact EAM’s data protection officer at: dataprotection@eam-online.org

In addition, you have the right to file a complaint with the competent supervisory authority in the event of data protection problems. The contact address for the supervisory authority of the European Association of Methodology e.V., which is registered in Jena, is as follows:

The Thuringian State Data Protection Officer (TLfDI)
P.O. Box 900455, 99107 Erfurt, Germany
Website: tlfdi.de
Telephone: +49 361 57 3112900

You have the following rights against EAM e.V. with regard to your stored personal data:

  • Right of access (Art. 15 GDPR)
  • Right to rectification (Art. 16 GDPR) or erasure (Art. 17 GDPR)
  • Right to restriction of processing (Art. 18 GDPR)
  • Right to withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal (Art. 7(3) GDPR)
  • Right to object to processing (Art. 21 GDPR)
  • Right to data portability, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format (Art. 20 GDPR)

In the event of a suspected data breach or if you want to make changes regarding the use of your personal data, please contact the EAM data protection officer, the web administrator and the EAM secretary at dataprotection@eam-online.org, admin@eam-online.org and secretary@eam-online.org, respectively, so that all relevant persons can be involved in compliance with all deadlines.

1 According to the EAM statutes, membership is terminated by: a) a written statement of membership resignation at the end of the calendar year to the Executive Committee; b) death or dissolution in the case of legal bodies; c) formal expulsion, which can only be decided by the Members Assembly in the case of gross violations of the interests of the EAM; d) expulsion in the case of annual membership fees not having been paid for the period of one year, without extenuating circumstances.

2 Data relevant for tax purposes, including payment data, will be stored beyond the termination of membership for as long as required by relevant legislation.