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Privacy Policy

Thank you for visiting. At Hanseatic Bits UG (haftungsbeschränkt) & Co. KG, we are committed to safeguarding the privacy of all individuals who interact with us and our site(s) and service(s). We ensure that we respect the privacy choices that you make.

When we refer to 'buy-european.net' or 'our forum', we are referring to the official sites of the Buy European community and its subsidiaries, including but not limited to the community forum available at https://discuss.buy-european.net. This does not extend to official partners of Buy European, who are bound by their own privacy notices and controls.

As a European entity, we take a consistent approach to protecting privacy based on European Union data protection principles (as contained within the EU's General Data Protection Regulation). In addition to these principles, some jurisdictions in which we operate may have additional local privacy requirements. The terms of our local privacy notices take priority over the terms of this privacy notice in the event of any conflict. We are committed to ensuring full compliance with regulations and best practices in all of the locations in which we operate.

1. What Information Do We Collect?

1.1 Personal Information

We collect personal information when you register an account, participate in discussions, and engage with the Buy European community. This may include:

  • Username
  • Email Address
  • IP Address
  • Profile Information (provided voluntarily)

If you submit product suggestions via our public form, we may collect your IP address and browser metadata for security purposes. No other personal data (e.g., name, email) is required unless voluntarily provided.

1.2 Non-Personal Information

We may also collect non-personal information such as browser information, device type, and usage data to improve the performance and user experience of our platform.

1.3 User-Generated Content

When you submit product entries (e.g., product name, website URL, category, or logo URL), this information is stored and publicly displayed. Submissions are not linked to user accounts, but your IP address may be logged temporarily to prevent abuse (retained for 30 days).

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

  • To provide and maintain the Buy European community platform
  • To personalize user experience
  • To communicate with users about their accounts and community activities
  • To publish and maintain anonymous product submissions.
  • To investigate and block abusive/spam submissions (e.g., via IP analysis).
  • To analyze and improve the performance of our platform

3. Cookies and Tracking Information

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience. You can control the use of cookies through your browser settings and opt to use required or additional cookies based on your individual preference.

4. Data Sharing

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your information with:

  • Service providers who assist in the operation and maintenance of the Buy European platform, where they align with our strict privacy requirements.
  • Law enforcement or other governmental authorities if required by law, where a summons or appropriate legal documentation has been received by Hanseatic Bits UG (haftungsbeschränkt) & Co. KG.

5. Data Security

We implement security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access and disclosure. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Your Rights

You have the right to:

  • Access, correct, or delete your personal information.
  • Object to the processing of your personal information.
  • Withdraw consent for data processing.

To exercise these rights, please navigate to your user account settings. Please note that the deletion of your account data will result in the anonymization of your information, eliminating all personally identifiable details. Complete removal of accounts is restricted due to historical references deeply integrated into the software. Anonymizing account data is permissible under GDPR, as it entails the removal of all references to Personally Identifiable Information.

To request removal of a product submission, contact us at [info@buy-european.net] with proof of ownership or a legal basis for deletion (e.g., trademark violation).

Data Retention

  • Product submissions (name, URL, logo) are stored indefinitely unless removal is requested.
  • Temporary anti-abuse data (IP addresses) is deleted after 30 days.

7. Changes to This Privacy Notice

We may update this Privacy Notice to reflect changes in our practices or for legal reasons. The most recent version will be posted on our website.

8. Contact Information

For any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Notice, please contact us at:

By using the Buy European platform, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Notice. Thank you for being a part of our community.

Last updated: 10-03-2025 (DD-MM-YYYY).