Focus Europe app privacy notice

Controller and contact details

The data controller is Focus Europe ETS, whose registered office is at Via Giovanni Verga, 10, 95041 Caltagirone (CT), Italy. For information about processing and to exercise your rights: privacy@focuseurope.org. For activity enquiries: info@focuseurope.org. Main telephone number: +39 388 653 0801.

Using the app

You can browse the app without creating a personal account. To load content, the app sends HTTPS requests to Focus Europe services hosted on Netsons and to Wix services used for the blog and images. Providers receive ordinary technical connection data, such as IP address, request date and time, and technical browser or app information. Wix also uses technical visitor credentials. Processing provides the content and keeps the service available and secure, based on the controller’s legitimate interest in operating the service and preventing abuse.

Preferences and local data

Your language choice, notification preferences, technical blog access credentials and a copy of public project profiles may be stored on your device. The project copy is used offline only if it is no more than 7 days old; local data may remain until replaced, cleared or removed when the app is uninstalled, according to the operating system’s behaviour.

Optional notifications

On first launch, the app invites you to enable notifications. Displaying the invitation does not constitute consent: you may postpone your choice and continue using the app. You can enable notifications from the “Focus” page and authorise them through your operating system when required. Browsing remains available without notifications.

Delivery uses Google Firebase Cloud Messaging and, on Apple devices, Apple Push Notification service. These services process installation identifiers, delivery tokens and technical app and device data needed to operate. Focus Europe does not associate these identifiers with your name or email in its management system. The purpose is to deliver requested updates on the network’s activities, news, projects and opportunities; sending the requested notifications is based on consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR.

You can stop notifications being displayed through your phone settings. This does not delete technical identifiers held by every provider. To withdraw consent or request information and deletion of service data, contact privacy@focuseurope.org.

Membership enquiries

The “Join the Focus Europe network” button opens the dedicated form in your browser. Organisation and contact person information you choose to send, any telephone number, message and consent are processed to respond to your expression of interest. The form has a separate notice, covering the confirmation email and ordinary retention for up to 12 months, subject to its stated exceptions. Browsing the app does not constitute membership or subscribe you to a newsletter.

“Collaborate with us” — PIF form

The link opens the Partner Identification Form (PIF) on rete.focuseurope.org in your browser. Completing it is voluntary and also allows organisations that are not members to introduce themselves and propose collaborations. Data processed include organisation and contact person details, name and role, professional email, optional telephone number, languages, interests, skills, availability, experience and project ideas, together with the technical data and consent records described in the specific notice.

The profile is managed in Focus Europe’s restricted-access archive to assess potential collaborations and contact the representative, based on the specific consent given in the form. Submission does not constitute membership, subscribe you to a newsletter, publish your profile or authorise general sharing of contacts with other partners. Ordinary retention is a maximum of 12 months from submission, unless consent is withdrawn or erasure requested earlier, subject to the conditions in the PIF privacy notice. Do not provide unnecessary personal data, health data, identity documents or children’s personal data.

WhatsApp, email and telephone

The “Chat on WhatsApp” button opens WhatsApp for the institutional number +39 388 653 0801. Opening the link does not automatically send a message: you decide whether to start the conversation. When you contact Focus Europe, data processed may include your telephone number, name or profile information made available by the service, message content and related technical data. Automated replies may be used to direct your enquiry.

Focus Europe processes communications to respond and manage the institutional contacts you request, based on legitimate interest under Article 6(1)(f) GDPR; Article 6(1)(b) applies to pre-contractual steps requested for your own contractual relationship. The same purposes apply to email and telephone enquiries, within the scope of the data provided. Retention is proportionate to handling the enquiry and necessary follow-up; subsequent relationships and retention obligations are covered by the relevant notices. Further information is available in the institutional website privacy notice.

WhatsApp also applies its own privacy policy. You do not have to use WhatsApp to contact Focus Europe: you can email info@focuseurope.org. Do not send personal data that are unnecessary for your enquiry. Making contact does not automatically subscribe you to newsletters or constitute consent to promotional communications.

Social media, articles and external services

The Facebook, Instagram and YouTube icons are links that open the respective services. The app does not integrate social login or tracking tools for these links: the logos are local resources, not embedded social content. After opening a service, its provider may process technical data, cookies and account data under its own notices and your choices.

News and images from the new Focus Europe blog continue to load through Wix services. Opening articles, documents, project websites and other links takes you to the respective web services, whose notices also apply. External multimedia on those web pages follows the controls and preferences presented there. Data you voluntarily submit through linked forms are also governed by the specific notices provided before submission.

Recipients and international transfers

Authorised Focus Europe personnel and necessary service providers may access data: Netsons hosting, Wix, Google/Firebase, Apple and communication services used by forms and contact channels. When you choose to open WhatsApp or a social network, their providers are also involved, under the roles and terms described in their notices. International services may involve processing outside the European Economic Area; safeguards provided by contracts and applicable law apply, including adequacy decisions and standard contractual clauses where relevant. Links to information from the main providers appear below.

Retention

Technical logs are retained according to service settings and the needs of security, diagnostics and incident management; Focus Europe does not use them for advertising profiling. Notification identifiers and tokens follow the delivery services’ lifecycle. Google states that Firebase identifiers are retained until deletion is requested through its API and removed from live and backup systems within 180 days of that request. Disabling notification display on your phone does not delete identifiers held by every provider. Contact Focus Europe for clarification about data relating to your use.

Your rights

You may request access, rectification, erasure, restriction and, where applicable, objection and portability. You may withdraw consent without affecting earlier lawful processing and lodge a complaint with the Italian Data Protection Authority or the competent supervisory authority. Contact privacy@focuseurope.org. Since browsing does not require an account and some data are technical identifiers, further information may be needed to identify the relevant processing.