Part A — General Terms and Conditions for Customers
§ 1 Scope, contracting party and definitions
1.1 These General Terms and Conditions for Customers ("Customer Terms") govern translation, certified translation and related services ordered from Deepak Sharma, trading as "Trusted Lingo" (sole proprietorship), Käthchen-Paulus-Straße 2, 60486 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; email: contact@trustedlingo.com; website: https://trustedlingo.com; VAT identification number (USt-IdNr.): DE465381327; German tax number (Steuernummer): 014/869/53720 ("Trusted Lingo", "we", "us").
1.2 A "Consumer" is a natural person acting predominantly outside their trade, business or profession (§ 13 BGB); a "Business Customer" acts in a professional or business capacity (§ 14 BGB). A "Customer" includes both. A "Certified Translation" is a translation whose accuracy and completeness are certified by a person duly authorised under the applicable law. An "Order" is an individual confirmed request with its stated scope, price and delivery terms.
1.3 Each Customer contracts with Trusted Lingo, not directly with the freelance translator assigned to an Order. We select qualified translators who are, where required, appropriately authorised. Our separate Translator Terms of Service (Part B below) govern our relationship with those translators, not the Customer’s contract.
1.4 These Customer Terms apply to Orders made through the website, by email or through another ordering channel we expressly offer. Individual Order terms prevail over conflicting standard terms. A Business Customer’s own terms and conditions apply only if we expressly accept them in text form. Mandatory consumer rights remain unaffected.
1.5 The Order and contract confirmation identify the contractual language. Any German-language version must be provided to Customers before it is relied upon in German-language transactions. Nothing in these Customer Terms restricts mandatory consumer protections applicable to a Customer’s habitual residence. These Customer Terms are provided in German and English; where the versions differ, the German version prevails to the extent legally permissible.
§ 2 Customer accounts and website use
2.1 Customers may place Orders as guests where the website permits, or create an account. Information submitted must be accurate and kept current. A person placing an Order on behalf of a company confirms that they are authorised to act for it.
2.2 Access credentials must be kept confidential and must not be shared with unauthorised persons. Suspected account compromise must be reported promptly to contact@trustedlingo.com. We never ask Customers to disclose their account passwords.
2.3 Accounts and the website must be used lawfully and only for ordering and managing services. Customers must not attack security, upload malware, circumvent access restrictions, extract data by unauthorised automated means or create deceptive multiple accounts. In the event of misuse, we may proportionately restrict access; existing Orders and mandatory statutory rights are unaffected.
2.4 Platform maintenance and temporary technical disruption may occur. If it affects an accepted Order, we will agree with the Customer on an appropriate secure alternative channel or a change to the delivery method or deadline; statutory rights remain unaffected.
§ 3 Prices, quotations and conclusion of Orders
3.1 General prices and estimates displayed before review of the document are indicative. Before a Customer submits a binding Order, the checkout or individual quote will identify the actual document scope, language pair, service and certification type, delivery option, delivery address where relevant, total price and any applicable shipping fees.
3.2 A personalised quotation issued by email remains valid for 14 calendar days unless the quotation states a different period. Its validity may depend on receipt of all document pages, sufficient legibility, the availability of an authorised translator or necessary identity and authority checks.
3.3 During online checkout, the Customer can review and correct the Order before submitting it through a clearly labelled payment-obligation button (for example "Order with obligation to pay" / "Zahlungspflichtig bestellen"). The Order is a binding offer by the Customer; our contract is formed when Trusted Lingo expressly accepts and confirms the Order in text form. An automatically generated acknowledgement of receipt alone is not acceptance unless expressly identified as such.
3.4 We promptly check essential requirements and availability. If an essential obstacle only becomes known after formation (for example an unreadable file, the legal unavailability of the required certification, or an unlawful request), we will seek a lawful alternative or an agreement with the Customer. Any termination will be governed by the applicable law; any payments for services not owed will be refunded without undue delay. Mandatory claims are not excluded across the board.
3.5 We provide a copy of the relevant Customer Terms, Order specifications and legally required consumer information with the confirmation on a durable medium, normally email. Orders through individually agreed business channels are concluded as expressly confirmed.
§ 4 Customer documents and cooperation
4.1 Customers must submit all pages, reverse sides, stamps, seals and annotations relevant to the requested translation in a complete, legible format. Material omitted from the submitted source is not part of the agreed work unless subsequently added by agreement.
4.2 Before work begins, Customers should inform us of the intended recipient, country and purpose, required type of certification, any required paper copies, and the desired spelling of names. Relevant existing terminology lists, reference translations and formatting requirements must be supplied before work starts. We may seek clarification on ambiguous or unclear passages.
4.3 Customers must have a lawful basis for supplying documents, including documents containing personal data about others, and must not knowingly infringe third-party rights. This clause does not replace legal obligations of either party under data-protection or confidentiality laws.
4.4 Customers should not post original documents to us unless the Order expressly calls for them and a secure shipping method has been agreed. Originals, if received, will be handled with reasonable care and returned according to the agreed procedure and mandatory law.
4.5 Substantive amendments to source documents, new pages, changed certification requirements or new destination-country requirements after work begins may require an updated quote, timeline and the Customer’s approval.
§ 5 Services and certified translations
5.1 We arrange a careful, professionally competent translation meeting the agreed specifications. We seek to reproduce the content, names, dates, numbers and relevant official annotations accurately; illegible or ambiguous source passages may be marked as such.
5.2 We use qualified freelance translators for the agreed language pair and subject matter. No particular translator is promised unless expressly agreed. Customer-to-translator communication normally takes place through Trusted Lingo; direct communication may be authorised for a particular Order.
5.3 Where a Certified Translation is ordered, certification is issued by an appropriately authorised person under the applicable law of their appointing jurisdiction. Certification attests to the accuracy/completeness of the translation, not the authenticity of the underlying source document. Apostilles, legalisation, notarisation and certifications of source documents form part of the service only where expressly agreed.
5.4 The decision to accept a translation belongs to the receiving authority, court, university or other recipient. We do not guarantee their decision, especially when special requirements were not disclosed to us before Order acceptance; if a rejection results from a proven defect in our performance, the remedies in § 9 apply.
5.5 We take into account terminology and formatting instructions provided and accepted before work on the Order begins, insofar as this is compatible with linguistic accuracy, professional standards and the legal duties of the certifying translator.
§ 6 Digital delivery, shipping and timelines
6.1 The Order specifies whether delivery is digital, on paper, or both. Digital files are made available through the customer account or another agreed secure channel. Paper copies are dispatched to the agreed delivery address.
6.2 Any service or production deadline starts when the Order has been accepted, required payment has been received if payment in advance applies, and complete usable source documents and necessary instructions are available. Binding deadlines are identified as binding in the Order; all other dates are estimates. We will notify Customers promptly of a material foreseeable delay, without restricting statutory rights concerning delay.
6.3 Where paper delivery is ordered, shipping times, shipping costs and any restrictions on the delivery area are shown separately, unless an all-inclusive delivery date has been expressly agreed. The shipping method and packaging are determined by the Order.
6.4 In a consumer Order, mandatory statutory rules on the risk of loss or damage in transit apply; we do not shift transit risk to Consumers merely because a parcel was handed to a carrier. For Business Customers, the risk of shipment is governed by the agreed terms and applicable statutory provisions. If a shipment is lost or damaged, please contact us promptly so we can investigate and arrange legally required remedies.
6.5 Extra paper copies, replacement copies requested for reasons unrelated to defects, and reshipping after a Customer-provided address error may incur the prices shown before the additional service is requested.
§ 7 Prices, Kleinunternehmer status, payments and invoices
7.1 The Order or accepted quote states the final total payable price in euros, including shipping or optional services where ordered. Trusted Lingo currently applies the German small-business VAT exemption under § 19 UStG (Kleinunternehmerregelung); for transactions covered by that exemption, German VAT is not charged or separately shown. Where a transaction is subject to another legally applicable VAT treatment, the Customer is informed of the applicable amount before becoming bound.
7.2 For consumer Orders, payment is generally required in advance through the payment options actually presented at checkout. Available payment instruments and any territorial restrictions are displayed no later than the beginning of the ordering process. We do not promise a payment method that is not offered at checkout.
7.3 Business Customers may receive payment terms on individual approval. Unless advance payment or a different due date is expressly agreed, confirmed business-account Orders are invoiced following the agreed service and are payable within 14 calendar days of invoice receipt. Legal rules on payment default apply.
7.4 Invoices are issued electronically to the email or billing details supplied by the Customer and in any structured electronic format required by applicable law. The current business tax identifiers are stated in § 1.1; mandatory invoice particulars are governed by the relevant tax law.
7.5 Set-off, rights of retention, statutory price reduction and other counterclaims are governed by applicable law. Nothing in these Customer Terms restricts mandatory consumer rights.
§ 8 Changes, commercial cancellation and statutory withdrawal
8.1 Changes to a confirmed Order require agreement in text form. Any resulting change to price, delivery deadline, certification or shipping is disclosed before the Customer accepts the change.
8.2 Before work on the Order has started, a Customer may request cancellation of the Order and will receive a full refund of the Order price already paid. After work starts, any claim to remuneration or compensation is determined by the Order, applicable law and the scope of work performed. We will explain the calculation and will not charge the same item twice. Statutory rights under § 648 BGB, where applicable, are preserved. No contractual penalties or fixed cancellation fees are agreed.
8.3 An express-processing surcharge is not automatically forfeited in full upon cancellation. Any amount charged for express performance must reflect the service actually provided and the applicable legal rules, and will not duplicate compensation under § 8.2.
8.4 A Consumer’s statutory right of withdrawal (Widerrufsrecht) is independent of contractual cancellation rights. The Consumer Withdrawal Information and Model Form after Part A apply. Where the Consumer requests work before the 14-day withdrawal period ends, any obligation to pay proportionate compensation and any early expiry of withdrawal rights are governed by the conditions of §§ 356 and 357a BGB, including the required separate express request, acknowledgements and advance information.
8.5 Where § 356a BGB applies, Consumers can exercise withdrawal through the continuously accessible online withdrawal function (labelled "Withdraw a contract" / "Vertrag widerrufen") while the statutory withdrawal period is running. The function permits an identifiable Order to be selected, uses a distinct confirmation step ("Confirm withdrawal" / "Widerruf bestätigen") and generates an immediate acknowledgement on a durable medium. Email or letter remains an alternative method.
§ 9 Inspection, defects and statutory remedies
9.1 Customers are encouraged to check the delivered result promptly, especially personal names, dates, numbers and missing passages, and to report a suspected defect to contact@trustedlingo.com with the relevant Order number and specific issue. This request does not shorten statutory limitation periods.
9.2 Merely sending the translation to a third party or failing to complain within an arbitrary period is not, by itself, an agreed waiver of statutory defect rights. If formal acceptance of work (Abnahme) is applicable, it takes place through an express declaration or under the statutory requirements of § 640 BGB, including § 640(2) BGB where applicable. Statutory acceptance and warranty rules are preserved.
9.3 If we are responsible for a defect, Customers may request an appropriate free correction within a reasonable period. Certified replacement copies required to correct our defect are supplied without a new translation fee. Statutory rights to further remedies, including reduction, rescission and damages subject to their legal requirements, remain unaffected.
9.4 A difference based solely on an accurately translated underlying document, illegible source passages identified as such, or a Customer-approved spelling may not constitute a defect. New requirements disclosed only after work begins may be treated as additional work, unless the change is needed to remedy our non-conforming performance.
§ 10 Liability
10.1 Each party is liable under applicable statutory provisions. Trusted Lingo does not exclude liability for wilful misconduct, gross negligence, injury to life, body or health, liability under mandatory legislation, or guarantees expressly assumed.
10.2 For slight negligence, Trusted Lingo’s liability may be limited under the statutory standards governing valid standard business terms to foreseeable, contract-typical damage caused by breach of a material contractual obligation. This does not override mandatory consumer, data-protection or other non-excludable claims. Any such limitation must be interpreted in conformity with applicable law.
10.3 We cannot warrant acceptance by a receiving authority or suitability for a special purpose the Customer did not identify before Order acceptance. Where incomplete or incorrect source material or unforeseeable external events cause delay, the applicable principles on fault, mitigation and statutory rights govern. No blanket exclusion of damages applies simply because an external service was involved.
§ 11 Confidentiality, personal data and retention
11.1 Customer documents and Order information are treated confidentially. Translators are subject to contractual confidentiality and information-security requirements. Customer content is not permitted to be uploaded to public AI, translation or cloud services without our prior approval and an appropriate lawful basis.
11.2 Personal-data processing is described in the separate Privacy Policy. Customers must provide personal data lawfully; Trusted Lingo and its translators retain their own applicable data-protection duties. For Business Customers, GDPR controller/processor roles are assessed on the real processing relationship, not automatically fixed by the Customer’s business status.
11.3 Uploaded files, work copies and completed translations are retained only for purposes and periods justified by provision of services, corrections, security and legally required records. The actual retention periods, backups and recipients must be accurately described in the applicable Privacy Policy. Invoice and accounting data may be subject to statutory retention periods; there is no unconditional promise that all records are deleted 90 days after delivery.
11.4 Where Trusted Lingo is a processor acting on behalf of a Customer, an Article 28 GDPR data-processing agreement will be concluded before processing starts. Where Trusted Lingo acts as controller, the relevant privacy disclosures apply. Any required authorisation of translator sub-processors must be obtained in advance.
§ 12 Intellectual property and permitted use
12.1 Customers retain rights they hold in their source materials. Subject to the rights of third parties and receipt of applicable agreed remuneration, we grant the Customer the rights necessary to use the delivered translation for the Order’s agreed purpose, including submission to authorities, retention and copying. Certified Translations of personal or official documents are ordinarily licensed on a non-exclusive basis. Exclusive rights for other material are granted only where expressly agreed in the Order.
12.2 A Certified Translation must not be altered and then represented as still bearing the original translator’s certification. A corrected or re-certified version must comply with the applicable authorisation requirements. The parties may otherwise agree on lawful editorial adaptation appropriate for non-certified material.
12.3 Customers are responsible for providing source material they are entitled to submit. Claims concerning infringement, indemnification and damages are governed by applicable law and the Customer’s responsibility for a proven breach; Consumers do not assume an unlimited or fault-independent indemnity obligation.
12.4 We do not reuse personal or confidential Customer content for unrelated commercial purposes; de-identified terminology and generic linguistic knowledge may be used only to the extent lawful and consistent with confidentiality obligations.
§ 13 Permitted platform use and narrowly tailored non-solicitation
13.1 Customers must not abuse the platform, upload unlawful content, attempt unauthorised access, engage in spam or automated scraping, or interfere with service availability. We may respond proportionately to misuse, subject to existing contractual obligations and mandatory law.
13.2 Order communications and professional contact details obtained solely through the service must be used for that Order and not for unrelated advertising or unauthorised commercial purposes.
13.3 Business Customers shall not intentionally circumvent Trusted Lingo by actively soliciting, for directly competing translation work outside the platform, an individual translator whom they first learned of solely through a Trusted Lingo Order, during the relevant business relationship and for six months following the last such Order. This does not restrict pre-existing relationships, ordinary public recruitment, unsolicited approaches initiated by the translator, or direct engagements expressly authorised by Trusted Lingo. There is no contractual penalty; enforceability is subject to applicable law. This clause does not apply to Consumers.
13.4 No Business Customer is bound by an exclusive sourcing obligation beyond the limited conduct described in § 13.3. Trusted Lingo does not claim ownership of the translator’s independent professional relationships.
§ 14 Amendments, complaints and final provisions
14.1 Updated Customer Terms apply to future Orders only if validly incorporated before the Order is concluded. The applicable version remains the one confirmed with an Order unless the parties expressly agree otherwise. Existing Orders are not unilaterally amended through a website notice.
14.2 German law applies subject to mandatory conflict-of-law and consumer protections, including protections of the Consumer’s country of habitual residence where legally applicable. The UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods is excluded insofar as relevant.
14.3 Jurisdiction is determined by the applicable statutory provisions, including German and EU cross-border rules. Consumers are not deprived of any place of jurisdiction to which they are mandatorily entitled.
14.4 Trusted Lingo is not willing or required, insofar as the applicable law permits this statement, to participate in proceedings before a consumer dispute-resolution board (§ 36 VSBG). Complaints can be sent to contact@trustedlingo.com. We do not refer to the former EU Online Dispute Resolution platform, which has closed.
14.5 Declarations may be made in text form (for example email) unless mandatory law requires another form. Invalid provisions are replaced by applicable law; the remainder continues in force to the extent permitted.
Consumer Withdrawal Information and Model Form
Your statutory right of withdrawal
If you are a Consumer and have entered into a qualifying distance contract for services, you have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason. The withdrawal period is 14 days from the day the contract was concluded.
To exercise your right of withdrawal, tell Deepak Sharma, trading as Trusted Lingo, Käthchen-Paulus-Straße 2, 60486 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, contact@trustedlingo.com, by an unequivocal statement (for example by email or letter). You may use the model form below, but it is not mandatory. Sending the declaration before the period ends is sufficient.
Where the law requires it, you may also use the online withdrawal function made available through the Trusted Lingo website ("Withdraw a contract" / "Vertrag widerrufen"). It permits a withdrawal declaration followed by a separate confirmation ("Confirm withdrawal" / "Widerruf bestätigen"), and an acknowledgement is provided promptly on a durable medium. The existence of the function does not exclude withdrawal by email or letter.
Effects of withdrawal
If you withdraw, we reimburse payments received from you, including ordinary delivery costs where legally required, without undue delay and no later than 14 days after receiving notice. Additional delivery charges resulting solely from selecting a more expensive delivery method than our least expensive standard option are not reimbursed where the law permits that exception. We use the same means of payment unless you expressly agree otherwise; no fee is charged for the reimbursement.
If you expressly requested that services begin during the withdrawal period and we provided the legally required advance information, you must pay an appropriate amount for the services already performed until you notified us of your withdrawal, proportionate to the agreed total service; the legal requirements of § 357a(2) BGB apply.
For a paid service, the withdrawal right expires early only once the service has been fully performed and the conditions of § 356(4) BGB are fulfilled, including your express advance consent to performance starting during the withdrawal period and acknowledgement of the resulting loss of the right once performance is complete. These consents are obtained separately during checkout where needed.
Model withdrawal form (optional)
To: Deepak Sharma, Trusted Lingo, Käthchen-Paulus-Straße 2, 60486 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; contact@trustedlingo.com
I/We hereby give notice that I/we withdraw from my/our contract for the following translation service: _________________________
Order number / Order date: _________________________
Name of consumer(s): _________________________
Address of consumer(s): _________________________
Date: _________________________
Signature (only if submitted on paper): _________________________
Part B — Translator Terms of Service (v1.3)
§ 1 Contracting Parties, Scope and Definitions
1.1 These General Terms and Conditions of Business and Platform Use for Freelance Translators ("Translator Terms of Service") govern the cooperation between Deepak Sharma, trading under the business name "Trusted Lingo" (sole proprietorship), Käthchen-Paulus-Straße 2, 60486 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, email: contact@trustedlingo.com; contact for security and data-protection incidents: admin@trustedlingo.com ("Trusted Lingo"), and the person identified in the translator account who acts in an independent professional or business capacity ("Translator"; this term includes all genders).
1.2 "Platform" means Trusted Lingo’s digital order-management system; "Assignment" means an individual accepted translation assignment or related service assignment; "End Customer" means the customer contracting with Trusted Lingo. "Certified Translation" means a translation whose accuracy and completeness are certified by a person authorised to do so under the applicable law (for example, a translator who is authorised, sworn or publicly appointed). "Text Form" has the meaning given in section 126b of the German Civil Code (BGB) and includes email and storable Platform messages attributable to their sender. "Working Day" means Monday through Friday, excluding public holidays at Trusted Lingo’s registered place of business in Frankfurt am Main. "Banking Day" means a day on which the credit institution instructed by Trusted Lingo ordinarily executes payment orders.
1.3 The Translator’s contractual counterparty for Assignments is Trusted Lingo alone, not the End Customer. These Terms are intended for persons acting in an independent professional or entrepreneurial capacity (section 14 BGB), not for consumers.
1.4 Individually agreed Assignment terms (particularly fees, scope, deadline, language pair, certification and delivery format) take precedence over conflicting provisions of these Terms. Conflicting terms of the Translator become part of the contract only if expressly accepted. Mandatory legal provisions remain unaffected.
§ 2 Registration, Platform Use and Verification of Authorisations
2.1 The Translator provides complete and accurate information about their identity, professional address, contact details, tax and payment details, languages, professional qualifications and, where relevant, judicial oath, authorisation or public appointment. On a reasonable request, the Translator provides suitable evidence and promptly reports material changes, particularly the loss, expiry or restriction of any authorisation.
2.2 For Certified Translations, Trusted Lingo verifies the Translator’s authorisation under the law pursuant to which it was granted: in Germany, the law of the relevant federal state (in Hesse, the Hessian Interpreters and Translators Act), and abroad, the law applicable there, in each case including the language pair, period of validity and scope of authority. The German Court Interpreters Act (GDolmG) governs the general swearing-in of interpreters only; an oath as an interpreter does not automatically authorise the certification of written translations. Whether a receiving authority recognises an authorisation granted abroad or in another German federal state is clarified before acceptance of the Assignment.
2.3 Trusted Lingo may deny or restrict access where justified doubts exist about identity, qualifications or authorisation. Account activation does not create any entitlement to Assignment offers. Login credentials must be protected; suspicious account access must be reported without delay to admin@trustedlingo.com.
2.4 The Platform may be used only for cooperation with Trusted Lingo. In particular, use by unregistered persons, automated queries, copying Platform content beyond the purpose of an Assignment, and interference with technical security are prohibited. Trusted Lingo may develop, restrict or discontinue Platform functions, provided accepted Assignments can continue to be handled.
2.5 Trusted Lingo endeavours to provide a reliable Platform but does not promise uninterrupted availability. Scheduled maintenance will be announced where practicable. In the event of a technical outage, the parties will promptly contact each other through an approved alternative channel. An adjustment to affected delivery deadlines will be made only insofar as the outage actually prevents or substantially impairs performance, and will be documented in Text Form; mandatory statutory rights remain unaffected.
2.6 Trusted Lingo may collect Assignment-related information about the Translator’s quality, punctuality and feedback, and use it to select Translators for future Assignments. The Translator may inspect that information and submit comments on it. Decisions about suspending or terminating access will not be made solely by automated means. Details are set out in Annex 2.
§ 3 Acceptance of These Terms and Individual Assignments
3.1 The framework contractual relationship begins once the Translator receives these Terms in a storable form, accepts them electronically by a clear affirmative action, and Trusted Lingo enables acceptance of Assignments. The Platform records the accepted version and the time of acceptance. A handwritten signature is not intended, unless mandatory law requires a particular form.
3.2 Trusted Lingo is not obliged to offer Assignments, and the Translator is not obliged to accept them. An individual Assignment becomes binding when the Translator actively accepts the Assignment-specific terms and the Platform or Trusted Lingo confirms acceptance. Silence does not constitute acceptance.
3.3 Before acceptance, at least the service, language pair, scope or documents provided, binding deadline, net fee and currency, type of any required certification, delivery format, agreed additional costs, and any communicated special requirements of authorities must be visible. Assignments for which exclusive rights of use under clause 12.1 are to be agreed must expressly indicate this. Changes after an Assignment is accepted require agreement in Text Form.
§ 4 Independent Professional Activity; No Exclusivity
4.1 The Translator works independently and is responsible for deciding whether to accept or decline Assignments and for determining their place, hours and methods of work within the agreed deliverables and deadlines. There is no minimum availability, minimum number of Assignments or exclusivity. Trusted Lingo does not issue employment-type instructions about the Translator’s daily work routine.
4.2 Work for other clients, including competing agencies, is permitted, provided accepted Assignments are performed properly and data-protection, confidentiality and lawful customer-protection obligations are observed. The Translator is responsible for taxes, social security contributions, insurance and professional permits to the extent required by law.
4.3 Social security status depends on how the relationship is actually performed. Either party may, where appropriate, initiate a status determination procedure under section 7a of the German Social Code Book IV (SGB IV), and both parties will cooperate. The Translator may not enter into legal transactions on behalf of Trusted Lingo without separate authority.
§ 5 Service Standards and Certified Translations
5.1 The Translator accepts only work for which they possess sufficient subject-matter and linguistic qualifications and, where applicable, the necessary authority to certify. Translations must be complete, carefully prepared and accurate in substance; names, dates, numbers, official annotations and identifiable ambiguities must be handled with particular care and, where necessary, marked as such.
5.2 For ordered Certified Translations, only a person genuinely authorised to do so may issue the certification, including the legally permissible certification statement, signature and, where applicable, stamp. Authorisation must not be misrepresented or delegated to unauthorised third parties.
5.3 Special requirements of an authority or destination country apply only if communicated and agreed before acceptance. Neither party guarantees whether a receiving body in Germany or abroad will recognise a translation.
§ 6 Due Care, Deadlines and Communication
6.1 Promptly after acceptance, the Translator checks whether the documents, scope and deadline appear plausible and reports without undue delay missing pages, ambiguities, conflicts of interest, identifiable security risks or anticipated delays.
6.2 Agreed delivery deadlines must be met. Changes require confirmation in Text Form; statutory provisions apply in the event of delay. Additional services and expenses are payable only where agreed in advance.
6.3 Assignment-related questions about customer documents are clarified through approved communication channels. The Translator must decline Assignments that cannot be properly carried out because of insufficient competence, a conflict of interest or a professional-law impediment.
§ 7 Delivery and Shipping of Physical Documents
7.1 Digital deliverables must be submitted in the agreed format through secure transmission methods approved by Trusted Lingo. For hard copies, the individual Assignment and agreed shipping process determine the number of copies, signatures, delivery address, deadline, shipping method and allocation of costs.
7.2 The Translator must protect entrusted originals and hard copies against loss, damage and unauthorised access. Unless an individual Assignment provides otherwise, confidential paper documents and certified copies must be sent by a trackable method to the agreed address; for valuable originals, or originals that cannot readily be replaced, the parties must agree an appropriate insured shipping method and, if necessary, special packaging before dispatch. The Translator must retain posting and tracking evidence and provide it on request. Statutory provisions, particularly section 644 BGB, govern risk during transit; no blanket transfer of risk to Trusted Lingo merely upon handover to the carrier is agreed. Statutory liability provisions apply to incorrect addressing, unsuitable packaging and deviations from the agreed shipping method.
7.3 Postage and shipping costs will be reimbursed only if provided for in the individual Assignment or approved beforehand in Text Form. Apostilles, notarial certifications, legalisations or recognition by public authorities are not owed unless expressly commissioned.
§ 8 Information Security, CAT Tools and AI
8.1 The Translator uses appropriately secured devices, current security updates, access controls and secure transmission channels. Access to documents is restricted to persons and devices necessary for the Assignment.
8.2 Customer documents, personal data or draft translations must not be transferred to external generative-AI systems, public translation services, cloud-based CAT tools, externally hosted translation-memory systems or other third-party platforms without Trusted Lingo’s prior express consent in Text Form. Permitted local software may be used provided protected content is not transmitted to third parties.
8.3 Approval may be limited to particular applications, providers, purposes, safeguards or Assignments and does not replace any applicable data-protection requirements. The Translator remains responsible for quality, human review and certification permissible under the applicable professional rules.
§ 9 Personal Performance and Subcontracting
9.1 Assignments or customer data may be passed to subcontractors only with Trusted Lingo’s prior express consent in Text Form. For translations requiring personal certification, applicable statutory and professional requirements for personal performance remain unaffected.
9.2 Where subcontracting is authorised, equivalent duties relating to qualifications, confidentiality, IT security and data protection must be secured contractually; the Translator remains responsible for proper performance. Where processing on behalf of another party is involved, the requirements of Annex 1, clause A7, concerning authorisation of further processors also apply.
§ 10 Confidentiality
10.1 Non-public information concerning customers, documents, prices, business processes, credentials and work products is confidential and may be used only to carry out Assignments. Disclosure is permitted only where contractually authorised or legally required.
10.2 Exclusions apply to information demonstrably lawfully public, already lawfully known, or required to be disclosed by law. Legally required disclosure must be notified to Trusted Lingo in advance insofar as permitted.
10.3 The duty continues after the contractual relationship ends for as long as a legitimate interest in secrecy or statutory duty of confidentiality exists. Statutory record-keeping and retention requirements remain unaffected.
§ 11 Data Protection and Customer Documents
11.1 Both parties comply in particular with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG). Customer personal data may be processed only to the extent necessary and legally permissible for the specific service; use for the Translator’s own advertising, external training databases or unapproved purposes is prohibited.
11.2 Before any first access to End Customer data, the parties document their data-protection roles based on their actual activities, generally by type of service and, where special circumstances arise, for the individual Assignment. Where the Translator processes data exclusively on Trusted Lingo’s behalf and under its documented instructions, the Translator acts as a processor; Annex 1, bindingly agreed upon acceptance of these Terms, then applies to that processing. If Trusted Lingo itself acts as a processor for an End Customer, the Translator may be engaged as a further processor only after the necessary customer authorisation has been obtained, and equivalent obligations must be passed down. Where the Translator is an independent controller for certain activities due to actual circumstances or professional-law responsibilities, this must be recorded in Text Form before access to the relevant data and an appropriate arrangement must be made. The labels used in these Terms do not conclusively determine the parties’ roles. The relevant End Customer data will not be released without the required documentation and agreement.
11.3 Any actual or reasonably suspected loss, unauthorised access or other data-protection or security incident must be reported without undue delay, preferably within 24 hours after becoming aware of it, to admin@trustedlingo.com. Statutory notification deadlines remain unaffected. The Translator must assist with necessary investigation and containment measures.
11.4 Upon completion, working copies and personal customer data must be securely deleted or returned as instructed, subject to statutory retention requirements; unauthorised copies must not remain. Access from, and transfers to, countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA) are permitted only after prior documented assessment and approval. Where an adequacy decision under Article 45 GDPR validly applies to the recipient and the specific processing, it may provide the transfer basis. Otherwise, appropriate safeguards must be arranged separately before access, including, where applicable, fully executed EU Standard Contractual Clauses, assessment of third-country risks and supplementary protective measures. These Terms do not contain or replace any such Standard Contractual Clauses. Annex 2 provides information about processing of data in the Translator’s account.
§ 12 Rights in Work Products
12.1 To the extent that work products are protected by copyright (section 3 of the German Copyright Act, UrhG) or otherwise, upon delivery the Translator grants Trusted Lingo the transferable and sublicensable rights of use, unlimited in time and territory, necessary to store and reproduce the results, transmit them to the End Customer and competent bodies, and enable the End Customer to use them as contractually intended. For Certified Translations and translations of personal or official documents, non-exclusive rights of use are granted. Exclusive rights in other content arise only if expressly agreed in the individual Assignment before its acceptance. Uses outside the agreed purpose of the Assignment are not covered.
12.2 Trusted Lingo and the End Customer may, within the purpose of the Assignment, edit, revise, format, abridge, update and combine the work products with other content (section 23 UrhG), including through third parties, for example revision by a second translator. In the case of Certified Translations, substantive changes to, or renewed certification of, the certified version may be carried out only by a duly authorised person; an altered version must not be presented as having been certified by the original Translator. The rights granted continue after the relationship ends; moral rights and mandatory remuneration rights (sections 32 and 32a UrhG) remain unaffected.
12.3 General non-confidential terminology and the Translator’s own professional knowledge may be reused. Customer data and identifying elements of translation memories must not be used elsewhere without authorisation. Naming Trusted Lingo or End Customers as references requires prior consent in Text Form.
12.4 The Translator warrants, to the extent within their control, that elements independently created by them do not infringe third-party rights; statutory rules on responsibility apply to source materials provided to the Translator.
§ 13 Contact with End Customers and Customer Protection
13.1 Contact with End Customers in connection with Trusted Lingo Assignments will generally take place through Trusted Lingo unless direct communication relating to a particular Assignment is authorised. Customer data may not be used for the Translator’s own advertising.
13.2 During the cooperation and for six months thereafter, the Translator must refrain from deliberately soliciting for directly competing follow-up Assignments those End Customers with whom the Translator first came into contact exclusively through an Assignment from Trusted Lingo. This does not cover pre-existing business relationships, general advertising or unsolicited approaches initiated by the End Customer without targeted solicitation.
13.3 Work for other clients remains permitted. No contractual penalty is agreed; any claims arise solely under applicable law.
§ 14 Fees, Invoices and Payment
14.1 The remuneration agreed before acceptance of each individual Assignment applies. Net amounts are exclusive of legally payable value-added tax, where applicable. At registration and upon material changes, the Translator must inform Trusted Lingo of their tax status relevant to invoicing and their tax residence or business establishment. An exemption under section 19 of the German VAT Act (UStG) or reverse-charge liability of the service recipient under section 13b UStG is to be applied only where the relevant statutory conditions are met; required statements must appear on the invoice. Additional services, extra copies and expenses are payable only if agreed.
14.2 After full performance in accordance with the contract, the Translator issues a proper invoice under the law applicable in each case, indicating the Assignment number. Invoices must be sent to contact@trustedlingo.com or through the invoicing function provided by Trusted Lingo. Trusted Lingo can receive structured electronic invoices (in particular XRechnung or ZUGFeRD with a structured data component). Where an alternative invoice remains legally permissible under applicable transitional or exemption provisions, Trusted Lingo consents to delivery by PDF to the stated address. Invoice issuers established in Germany are subject to the statutory structured e-invoicing requirements under sections 14 and 27(38) UStG; exceptions, including for certain invoices issued by small businesses, remain unaffected. Self-billing arrangements require separate agreement.
14.3 Trusted Lingo will initiate a bank transfer of the undisputed, contractually payable fee within seven calendar days after both the complete agreed service and a proper invoice have been received. This voluntarily shortened payment period applies regardless of formal acceptance under clause 15; statutory rules on when payment becomes due, rights relating to defects and rights of retention remain unaffected. If the final day falls on a day on which the instructed bank does not execute payment orders, the transfer will be initiated on the next Banking Day. Mandatory statutory rules on late payment remain unaffected.
14.4 Trusted Lingo will communicate specific complaints concerning quality or invoices promptly. Undisputed partial amounts will be paid on time; disputed amounts will be settled following clarification in accordance with the law. Merely forwarding an End Customer complaint does not automatically extinguish a claim to remuneration. Each party bears the fees of its own payment service provider; fees of intermediary banks for transfers to accounts outside the SEPA area are borne by the Translator unless otherwise agreed.
14.5 Set-off and rights of retention are governed by statutory provisions without additional contractual restrictions. Statutory rights to refuse performance, reduce remuneration and assert counterclaims arising from defects in the same Assignment are expressly preserved.
§ 15 Inspection, Acceptance of Work and Remedies for Defects
15.1 Trusted Lingo will inspect the fully delivered work within a reasonable period. Acceptance of work (Abnahme) takes place through an express declaration in Text Form or in accordance with statutory requirements, particularly section 640(2) BGB. Merely forwarding the work to the End Customer, or its use by the End Customer, does not by itself constitute express acceptance. Acceptance expressly declared by Trusted Lingo in Text Form may also be given through a suitably documented Platform function. The payment period under clause 14.3 remains unaffected.
15.2 Where specifically identified errors, omissions or other deviations from agreed requirements exist, the Translator is to be given an opportunity to remedy them without charge within a reasonable period appropriate to the urgency and nature of the defect, unless the law permits or requires otherwise.
15.3 If subsequent performance is not provided, fails or is refused, statutory remedies for defects (sections 634 et seq. BGB) apply subject to their respective requirements, including self-remedy, reduction of remuneration, rescission and damages. Limitation periods are governed by section 634a BGB. Acceptance does not automatically eliminate remedies for defects discovered only later; statutory consequences of accepting work with knowledge of a defect remain unaffected. There will be no blanket withholding of remuneration for other properly completed Assignments.
15.4 Evaluation and complaints will, wherever possible, be documented with reference to the source file, agreed requirements, specific passages and correction history. Mandatory statutory rules on acceptance and limitation periods remain unaffected.
§ 16 Cancellation, Termination of an Assignment and Impediments
16.1 Changes to accepted individual Assignments should be agreed mutually in Text Form. Statutory termination rights remain unaffected. If Trusted Lingo terminates a contract for work (Werkvertrag) before completion, remuneration and the deduction of saved expenses or alternative earnings are determined by applicable law, in particular section 648 BGB. No fixed cancellation charges or automatic forfeiture of all remuneration are agreed.
16.2 In the event of termination, the Translator must, upon reasonable request, document progress made and necessary expenses. Cancellation by an End Customer or failure of the End Customer to pay does not automatically extinguish statutory payment claims that have arisen against Trusted Lingo.
16.3 In the event of extraordinary impediments to performance for which neither party is at fault, the affected party must notify the other promptly, reasonably mitigate loss and agree on the next steps. Statutory rules on delay, impossibility and frustration of the basis of the contract remain applicable.
§ 17 Liability and Professional Indemnity Insurance
17.1 Both parties’ liability is governed by statutory provisions, taking account of fault, causation and contributory fault. The Translator is not subject to a blanket strict-liability obligation to indemnify in full.
17.2 No clause restricts claims that cannot legally be excluded, including claims arising from wilful misconduct, gross negligence, injury to life, body or health, or the German Product Liability Act. No contractual penalty, lump-sum damages or automatic forfeiture of earned remuneration is agreed.
17.3 No additional blanket limitations or caps on liability for ordinary negligence are agreed. In particular, statutory claims for breaches of material contractual obligations, data-protection and confidentiality violations, and the special liability rules under Article 82 GDPR remain unaffected. Any different individually negotiated liability agreement for a special Assignment requires a separate legally permissible arrangement.
17.4 Suitable professional liability or financial-loss liability insurance is recommended for all Translators, particularly for Certified Translations. These Terms do not impose a general obligation to demonstrate a specified minimum coverage amount. Any insurance requirement imposed by statute or professional rules remains applicable. For particular or higher-risk Assignments, Trusted Lingo may require specified insurance and proof of appropriate coverage as a condition of that individual Assignment, disclosed before acceptance.
§ 18 Duration, Suspension and Termination
18.1 The framework contractual relationship is entered into for an indefinite period. Either party may terminate it in Text Form on 14 calendar days’ notice. The right to terminate for good cause without notice remains unaffected.
18.2 Trusted Lingo may temporarily suspend Platform access to a proportionate extent where specific security risks arise, there is a justified suspicion of serious contractual breaches, or required professional authorisations are lost. Reasons will be communicated where permissible, and an opportunity for clarification will be provided. Payment claims already accrued remain unaffected.
18.3 Termination of the framework relationship does not retroactively extinguish accepted Assignments or existing obligations relating to settlement, confidentiality, copyright and data protection. Outstanding Assignments will be handled by agreement or in accordance with applicable law.
§ 19 Amendments and Electronic Documentation
19.1 Amended Terms will be made available in a storable form before they take effect and will apply to new Assignments only after the Translator actively accepts them again. Silence, lack of objection or mere continued Platform use does not constitute acceptance. Assignments already accepted remain governed by the previously agreed version unless the parties agree otherwise.
19.2 Trusted Lingo records the accepted version identifier, time of consent and Assignment-specific terms and will provide a copy on request. Security or operational instructions may not unilaterally alter mandatory rights.
19.3 If the Translator does not agree to an amended version, no new Assignments may be accepted from the stated effective date; ongoing Assignments will continue under the previous version. Either party may in this case terminate the framework relationship under clause 18.1.
§ 20 Applicable Law, Jurisdiction and Annexes
20.1 German law applies to this agreement to the extent mandatory provisions do not provide otherwise. Application of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods is excluded insofar as relevant.
20.2 Place of jurisdiction and international jurisdiction are determined by statutory law, in particular the German Code of Civil Procedure (ZPO) and, where applicable, relevant EU jurisdiction rules. These Terms do not agree any different forum; legally permissible individually agreed jurisdiction clauses for particular contractual relationships remain possible.
20.3 Declarations may be made in Text Form where legally permissible. If individual provisions are invalid, the validity of the remaining provisions is unaffected in accordance with statutory rules.
20.4 The English version is intended to correspond in substance to the German version. To the extent legally permissible, the German version prevails in the event of differences of interpretation.
20.5 Annexes: Annex 1 (Data Processing Agreement) is a binding component of these Terms insofar as and from the time the Translator acts as a processor following the documented role assessment under clause 11.2. Annex 2 (Privacy Information for Translators) provides information on processing of profile and contract data; it does not form part of the contractual performance obligations. For third-country transfers not covered by an applicable adequacy decision, the required transfer instruments must be validly agreed separately; no Annex 1a forms part of this version.
Annex 1 | Data Processing Agreement
Application: By accepting the Translator Terms of Service, the parties enter into this Annex as a binding agreement for Assignments in which the Translator acts as a processor or further processor following the documented role assessment under clause 11.2. To the extent that the Translator is an independent controller for separable activities, the separately documented arrangements apply to those activities; statutory obligations remain unaffected.
A1. Parties, Roles and Subject Matter
Trusted Lingo (Deepak Sharma, trading as Trusted Lingo, contact details as stated in clause 1.1) is a controller where it itself determines the purposes and essential means of the processing concerned. If Trusted Lingo acts as a processor for the End Customer, the Translator acts as a further processor within authorised subcontracted processing within the meaning of Article 28(4) GDPR; Trusted Lingo is responsible for obtaining the necessary authorisation and passing on applicable instructions. The allocation of roles must be documented under clause 11.2 before data is released. The processor is the independently operating person or business identified in the accepted Platform profile. The subject matter is the secure handling, translation, review and transmission of documents released for each individual Assignment.
A2. Duration, Purposes and Nature of Processing
Processing begins no earlier than release of the relevant Assignment and ends when the data is returned or deleted after completion, subject to statutory retention requirements. Processing may include accessing, reading, structuring, copying to the necessary extent, translating, quality assurance, secure transmission and deletion. Its sole purpose is performance of the individual translation Assignment.
A3. Categories of Data and Data Subjects
Data categories may include names, contact details, birth and identity information, document numbers, education and employment data, family and financial information, and the contents of official documents. Depending on the documents submitted, special categories of personal data under Article 9 GDPR (such as health, religion or trade-union membership) and data concerning criminal offences under Article 10 GDPR may be affected; such data may be processed only insofar as necessary and lawful for the Assignment. Data subjects may include End Customers, their relatives, employees, contractual partners or other persons identified in the documents.
A4. Instructions and Lawfulness
The processor processes personal data solely on documented instructions from Trusted Lingo, including agreed rules on permissible access channels, storage media, deletion and possible third-country access. Assignment-specific instructions may be given through the Platform in a storable form; persons authorised to issue instructions are those designated on the Platform by Trusted Lingo. If the processor considers an instruction to infringe data-protection law, the processor must notify Trusted Lingo without undue delay; the processor must give advance notice of any legal obligation to process, insofar as permitted. Trusted Lingo remains responsible for lawful commissioning and instructions.
A5. Confidentiality and Access Rights
All authorised persons must be bound by confidentiality or subject to a suitable statutory obligation of secrecy. Access is limited to the persons and Assignments requiring it; disclosure of account credentials is prohibited.
A6. Technical and Organisational Measures
Appropriate technical and organisational measures must be implemented in proportion to the risks, including in particular: protected user accounts and strong passwords; multi-factor authentication for the Platform and, where supported by the provider, communication accounts used for customer data; current security updates; encryption of portable storage media and devices where personal Assignment data is stored locally; automatic screen locking; separation of private and professional access; no sharing of access credentials; secure transmission; appropriate backups and secure deletion. Paper documents must be protected against unauthorised access. If a committed safeguard cannot be implemented, this must be reported before access to the data and an equivalent or stronger alternative agreed in Text Form; processing without adequate safeguards is prohibited. External cloud, AI and CAT services require prior authorisation in Text Form.
A7. Further Processors
Engaging additional processors requires Trusted Lingo’s prior separate approval in Text Form. Approved subcontractors must undertake at least equivalent data-protection obligations; the initial processor is liable for their compliance to the extent provided by law. Software and services transmitting data to external servers (including cloud-based CAT tools, online storage and AI services) are subject to approval as further processors. Where Trusted Lingo itself acts as processor, it obtains the End Customer’s approval before granting its own approval.
A8. Data Subject Rights, Security and Data Protection Impact Assessments
The processor supports Trusted Lingo by appropriate technical and organisational measures in addressing requests from data subjects under Chapter III GDPR, security obligations under Articles 32 to 36 GDPR and, where applicable, a data protection impact assessment. The processor must not respond independently to requests from data subjects unless required to do so by its own legal obligations, and must forward them to Trusted Lingo without undue delay.
A9. Personal Data Breaches
The processor reports security and data-protection incidents to admin@trustedlingo.com without undue delay after becoming aware of them, preferably within 24 hours, and supplies available information about affected data, scope, consequences and remedial actions. Further information must be provided as it becomes available. Statutory notifications to supervisory authorities or data subjects are the responsibility of the party designated by applicable data-protection law.
A10. Audits and Evidence
The processor makes available the information required by Article 28(3)(h) GDPR and permits reasonable and proportionate audits subject to prior notice; an expedited audit may be needed in the event of a specific security incident. Statutory duties of secrecy, third-party rights and protection of other customers’ documents must be respected. Experts carrying out audits must themselves be bound by confidentiality.
A11. Return, Deletion and Third-Country Transfers
At the end of an Assignment or processing, the processor returns or deletes personal data as chosen and documented by Trusted Lingo, unless statutory retention requirements prevent this; data retained must remain subject to security and purpose-limitation rules. Access from a third country or transfer to a third country requires prior documented authorisation and a valid transfer mechanism under Chapter V GDPR. The applicability and scope of any adequacy decision under Article 45 GDPR must be assessed for the recipient. In the absence of an applicable adequacy decision, the appropriate EU Standard Contractual Clauses under Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/914 must be entered into in a separate agreement with completed annexes before the transfer begins; relevant third-country risks must be assessed and any necessary supplementary safeguards agreed. This Annex does not replace the Standard Contractual Clauses or their annexes. No third-country transfer or corresponding access may occur until these conditions are satisfied.
A12. Liability and Priority
For damage caused by processing in breach of this Annex or the GDPR, the parties are liable under Article 82 GDPR and statutory law; clause 17 of the Translator Terms of Service applies accordingly insofar as it does not conflict with Article 82 GDPR. This Annex supplements clauses 8 to 11 of the Translator Terms of Service. In case of conflict, this Annex prevails for processing carried out on behalf of another party; mandatory GDPR obligations remain unaffected. Different individual records of purpose, affected data and technical and organisational measures have priority only insofar as agreed by both parties in a storable form before access to the data.
Annex 2 | Privacy Information for Translators
Information under Articles 13 and 14 GDPR concerning management of the Translator account and the cooperation (as of 22 October 2026). This information concerns the Translator’s profile and contractual data, not the processing of End Customer documents as part of an Assignment.
B1. Controller and Contact Details
Deepak Sharma, trading as Trusted Lingo, Käthchen-Paulus-Straße 2, 60486 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; email: contact@trustedlingo.com. For data-protection-related security incidents: admin@trustedlingo.com. Where the law requires appointment of a data protection officer, that person’s contact details will be communicated separately.
B2. Purposes, Categories of Data and Legal Bases
For registration, verification of professional authorisations, account administration, matching of Assignment offers, and contract and payment processing, Trusted Lingo processes in particular personal and contact details, qualification and activation data, bank and invoice details, communications and evidence of contractual declarations (Article 6(1)(b) GDPR). For quality control and selection for future Assignments, objective information about punctuality, complaints, corrective work and feedback may be processed insofar as necessary for performance of the contract or supported by an overriding legitimate interest in suitable Assignment allocation and quality assurance (Article 6(1)(b) or (f) GDPR). The Translator may inspect this information and have inaccurate or disputed information corrected or annotated. Tax and statutory retention obligations support processing under Article 6(1)(c) GDPR; IT security, abuse prevention and legal defence may be based on Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.
B3. Sources, Provision of Data and Identity Verification
Information is obtained primarily from the Translator, Assignment-related communications and, where applicable, publicly accessible professional and authorisation registers. Where data is not collected directly from the Translator, the applicable information obligations under Article 14 GDPR will be observed. Identity documents are generally only examined or verified using appropriate procedures. A copy will be created only insofar as necessary for a specific lawful purpose, in compliance with the rules applicable to the particular type of identity document and the data-minimisation principle, and where possible deleted immediately after verification; unnecessary details will be redacted. Without information strictly necessary to verify identity, authority and payment details, Trusted Lingo cannot release Assignments.
B4. Recipients and Service Providers
Access is granted only to authorised persons and, where necessary, providers of hosting, authentication, data storage, communication services, payment services, bookkeeping and legal advice. Service providers are contractually bound where required. Information may be disclosed to authorities or courts where legally required. End Customers receive the Translator’s name, language pair and details of authorisation insofar as necessary for a Certified Translation or verification by a receiving body.
B5. Third-Country Connections
The IT and communication services actually used may, in certain cases, involve transfers or access involving third countries. Trusted Lingo carries out such transfers only where a valid basis under Chapter V GDPR exists, such as an adequacy decision applicable to the recipient and processing or appropriate safeguards including fully executed Standard Contractual Clauses. Before such a transfer begins, Trusted Lingo will make available in a storable form information about the relevant third countries, safeguards and how to obtain a copy of those safeguards; no transfer takes place without the necessary basis. The categories of recipients involved include, in particular, hosting and data storage, user authentication, communication, payment processing and bookkeeping.
B6. Retention Periods
Active Translator profile data is generally processed during the cooperation. After the contractual relationship ends, profile and qualification documents that are no longer required are deleted according to a deletion policy; contractual evidence may generally be retained until the expiry of applicable limitation periods where necessary to bring or defend specific claims (typically three years from the end of the calendar year under sections 195 and 199 BGB). Documents subject to statutory retention requirements are kept for the relevant period, commonly eight years for accounting vouchers, ten years for certain books and annual accounts, and six years for commercial or business correspondence (section 147 of the German Fiscal Code (AO); section 257 of the German Commercial Code (HGB), where applicable). Retention requirements and limitation periods may differ in individual cases. Data relating to unsuccessful applications is deleted within a reasonable period unless a longer period is specifically necessary. Unnecessary copies of identity documents are removed after verification is completed.
B7. Rights of Data Subjects
To the extent provided by law, data subjects have rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, data portability and objection; where processing relies on consent, consent may be withdrawn with effect for the future. Requests may be directed to contact@trustedlingo.com. Complaints may be lodged with a competent data-protection supervisory authority, in particular the Hessian Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information.
B8. Automated Decisions and Updates
The allocation of Assignment offers may be prepared automatically based on language pair, authorisation, availability and the quality information specified in B2; a person makes decisions concerning account suspension, restriction or termination. No decision based solely on automated processing within the meaning of Article 22 GDPR that produces legal effects or similarly significant effects takes place. If such functions are introduced, this privacy information will be updated in advance. Changes to this privacy information will be communicated in an appropriate manner.