Cookies

Cookies
Our website uses cookies. Cookies are text files that are stored in a computer system via an Internet browser. 
 
Many Internet sites and servers use cookies. Many cookies contain a cookie ID. A cookie ID is a unique identifier of the cookie. It consists of a character string through which Internet pages and servers can be assigned to the specific Internet browser in which the cookie was stored. This allows visited Internet sites and servers to differentiate the individual browser of the data subject from other Internet browsers that contain other cookies. A specific Internet browser can be recognized and identified using the unique cookie ID.
 
Through the use of cookies, we can provide the users of this website with more user-friendly services that would not be possible without the cookie setting.
 
By means of a cookie, the information and offers on our website can be optimized with the user in mind. Cookies allow us, as previously mentioned, to recognize our website users. The purpose of this recognition is to make it easier for users to utilize our website. The website user that uses cookies, e.g. does not have to enter access data each time the website is accessed, because this is taken over by the website, and the cookie is thus stored on the user's computer system. Another example is the cookie of a shopping cart in an online shop. The online store remembers the articles that a customer has placed in the virtual shopping cart via a cookie.
 
The data subject may, at any time, prevent the setting of cookies through our website by means of a corresponding setting of the Internet browser used, and may thus permanently deny the setting of cookies. Furthermore, already set cookies may be deleted at any time via an Internet browser or other software programs. This is possible in all popular Internet browsers. If the data subject deactivates the setting of cookies in the Internet browser used, not all functions of our website may be entirely usable.
 
Collection of general data and information
Our website collects a series of general data and information when a data subject or automated system calls up the website. This general data and information are stored in the server log files. Collected may be (1) the browser types and versions used, (2) the operating system used by the accessing system, (3) the website from which an accessing system reaches our website (so-called referrers), (4) the sub-websites, (5) the date and time of access to the Internet site, (6) an Internet protocol address (IP address), (7) the Internet service provider of the accessing system, and (8) any other similar data and information that may be used in the event of attacks on our information technology systems.
 
When using these general data and information, we do not draw any conclusions about the data subject. Rather, this information is needed to (1) deliver the content of our website correctly, (2) optimize the content of our website as well as its advertisement, (3) ensure the long-term viability of our information technology systems and website technology, and (4) provide law enforcement authorities with the information necessary for criminal prosecution in case of a cyber-attack. Therefore, we analyse anonymously collected data and information statistically, with the aim of increasing the data protection and data security of our enterprise, and to ensure an optimal level of protection for the personal data we process. The anonymous data of the server log files are stored separately from all personal data provided by a data subject.
 
The cookies in use to deliver Google Analytics service are described in the table below.
Cookie Title Description

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These cookies are used to store information, such as what time your current visit occurred, whether you have been to the site before, and what site referred you to the web page.  

These cookies contain no personally identifiable information, but they will use your computer’s IP address to know from where in the world you are accessing the Internet.  

Data is stored in an encoded format optimised for performance, rather than stored in a traditional file system or database manner. Data is dispersed across a number of physical and logical volumes for redundancy and expedient access, thereby obfuscating it from tampering. 

Google applications run in a multi-tenant, distributed environment. Rather than segregating each customer's data onto a single machine or set of machines, data from all Google customers (consumers, business, and even Google's own data) is distributed amongst a shared infrastructure composed of Google's many homogeneous machines and located in Google's data centres. 

Google Analytics and the EU-US Privacy Shield

 
Opt-out
In order to provide website visitors with more choice on how data is collected by Google Analytics, Google has developed the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on. The add-on communicates with the Google Analytics JavaScript (ga.js) to stop data being sent to Google Analytics. The Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on does not affect usage of the website in any other way. A link to further information on the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on is provided below for your convenience.
 
http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=None
 
For more information on the usage of cookies by Google Analytics please see the Google website. A link to the privacy advice for this product is provided below for your convenience.
 
http://www.google.com/analytics/learn/privacy.html
 
Disabling Cookies
If you would like to restrict the use of cookies you can control this in your Internet browser. Links to advice on how to do this for the most popular Internet browsers are provided below for convenience and will be available for the Internet browser of your choice either online or via the software help (normally available via key F1).
 
Internet Explorer
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/Block-enable-or-allow-cookies
 
Google Chrome
https://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=en-GB&answer=95647&p=cpn_cookies
 
Mozilla Firefox
http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Blocking%20cookies
 
Apple Safari
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=32467