Terms of Service

Last updated: 6 March 2026

1. Scope

These Terms of Service govern the use of the SciPort platform (hereinafter “Platform”), operated by SciPort GbR, Nathanaelstr. 17, 04177 Leipzig (hereinafter “Operator”).

The Platform provides a digital directory for research infrastructure and facilitates connections between providers and interested parties. The Platform itself is not a contracting party to any agreements between providers and interested parties.

The Platform is intended exclusively for companies, research institutions, universities, and other legal entities and public bodies. Use by consumers within the meaning of § 13 BGB (German Civil Code) is neither intended nor permitted. By registering, the user confirms that they are not acting as a consumer.

2. Registration and User Account

The use of certain features requires registration. Truthful information must be provided during registration. Each user may only create one user account.

The user is responsible for keeping their login credentials confidential and is liable for all activities carried out through their account.

3. Obligations of Providers

Providers are responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and lawfulness of the content they publish (organisation details, equipment, services, contact information).

The provider indemnifies the Operator against any third-party claims arising from a breach of this obligation.

4. Content Moderation (DSA Art. 14)

The Operator reserves the right to review content and to remove or restrict access to content if:

• it violates applicable law,
• it violates these Terms of Service, or
• an official order requires it.

Affected users will be informed of any measures taken, together with the reasons for such measures.

5. Reporting Illegal Content (DSA Art. 16)

Any person may report illegal content on the Platform. Reports should be sent by email to the contact point listed below and should include the following information:

• A description of the content in question and its location (URL),
• An explanation of why the content is considered illegal, and
• The name and email address of the reporting person.

The Operator will review reports without undue delay and inform the reporting person of the outcome.

6. Contact Point pursuant to DSA Art. 11 / § 12 DDG

The designated contact point for Member State authorities, the European Commission, and the European Board for Digital Services, as well as for users, is:

Torsten Brammer
Email: torstenbrammer@icloud.com
Languages: German, English

7. Liability of the Operator

The Operator is fully liable for intent and gross negligence, as well as for damages resulting from injury to life, body, or health.

In cases of slight negligence, the Operator is only liable for breaches of material contractual obligations (cardinal obligations), limited to the foreseeable damage typical for this type of contract.

The Operator is not liable for the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of content published by providers.

8. Platform Availability

The Operator endeavours to ensure uninterrupted availability of the Platform but does not guarantee that it will be accessible at all times. Maintenance work, technical disruptions, force majeure, or other circumstances may temporarily restrict or interrupt availability.

The Operator is not liable for damages arising from temporary unavailability, limited functionality, or loss of data due to technical disruptions, unless the Operator caused such circumstances intentionally or through gross negligence.

9. Termination and Suspension

Users may request the deletion of their user account at any time without stating reasons.

The Operator may suspend or terminate user accounts if the user violates these Terms of Service or applicable law. The user will be notified in advance, unless this is not possible for legal or security reasons.

10. Usage Rights in Published Content

By publishing content (texts, images, documents, logos, specifications, and other materials) on the Platform, the provider grants the Operator a non-exclusive, free-of-charge right, limited in territory and duration to the period of publication, to store, display, reproduce, and present such content in search results, insofar as this is necessary for the intended operation of the Platform.

The provider warrants that they are entitled to grant these rights and that the published content does not infringe the rights of third parties. The Operator is not obliged to store or permanently retain published content.

Upon deletion of the user account or individual content by the provider, the granted usage right expires; the Operator will remove the relevant content from the Platform without undue delay.

11. Prohibited Use; Ban on Automated Access and Reproduction

Use of the Platform is permitted exclusively for the purposes set out in these Terms of Service. In particular, the following is prohibited:

• the use of automated means (e.g. crawlers, bots, scrapers, spiders, or comparable technologies) to retrieve, index, or analyse content on the Platform;
• the systematic or bulk copying, downloading, storing, redistribution, or other reproduction of content on the Platform, regardless of whether this is done manually or by automated means;
• the use of content from the Platform to build proprietary databases, directories, or service offerings;
• any use that impairs or excessively burdens the operation of the Platform.

This applies regardless of whether the content in question is protected by copyright. The Operator is entitled to all statutory claims in the event of violations, in particular under the UrhG, the GeschGehG, and the UWG.

12. Amendments to the Terms of Service

The Operator may amend these Terms of Service with at least 30 days' notice. Registered users will be notified of changes by email to their registered address. If the user does not object to the amended terms within 30 days of receiving the notification, the changes are deemed accepted. This consequence will be specifically noted in the notification. In the event of a timely objection, the Operator is entitled to terminate the usage relationship with ordinary notice.

13. Applicable Law and Jurisdiction

The law of the Federal Republic of Germany applies. The place of jurisdiction is Leipzig, to the extent permitted by law.

14. Data Protection

The collection and processing of personal data in connection with the use of the Platform is governed by the separate Privacy Policy, which forms part of the usage relationship. Users are asked to review it before registering.

15. Severability Clause

Should any provision of these Terms of Service be or become wholly or partially invalid or unenforceable, this shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions. The invalid or unenforceable provision shall be replaced, where possible, by a valid provision that most closely reflects the economic purpose of the invalid provision. The same applies to any gaps in these Terms of Service.