Please note: The TMG has been replaced by the DDG, and the content of this article is up to date. You can find an overview here. Please note: The TMG has been replaced by the DDG, but the decision likely remains relevant. An overview can be found here.
Legal Notice (Impressum) Obligation for the Website of a Registered Association (e.V.)
A registered association’s (e.V.) website must also include a legal notice (Impressum). Like all legal entities, an Impressum is required to comply with legal regulations.
What is a Registered Association?
An association is a group of people that is organized as a corporation and designed to last. It pursues a common goal and is independent of changes in its membership. Once an association is entered into the register of associations, it is considered a „registered association“ and gains legal capacity according to § 21 of the German Civil Code (BGB).
With legal capacity, the association is only liable with its association assets towards creditors. Additionally, the association can sue or be sued. In contrast, an unregistered association does not have legal capacity, and in such a case, the members are personally liable for any debts of the association.
Legal Notice (Impressum) Obligation for Registered Associations
If a registered association operates a website or homepage, it is required under § 5 of the Digital Services Act (DDG) to provide a legal notice (Impressum). This must be easily recognizable, directly accessible, and always available. The Impressum obligation applies to all business-related telemedia, typically offered for a fee.
What Must Be Included in an Association’s Impressum?
The Impressum of a registered association must include the following information:
1.Complete Address of the Association::
Name of the association, street, house number, postal code, and city.
2.Contact Information::
Telephone number, fax number (if available), and email address.
3.Legal Representation::
Information about the board that legally represents the association. The representation rules can be found in the association’s statutes and must be strictly followed.
4.Entry in the Register of Associations::
The name of the responsible registry court and the association’s registration number.
5.Person Responsible for Content (for journalistic or editorial content): (for journalistic or editorial content):
If editorial content is published on the website, a person responsible for the content must be named with their full name and address.
6.Source Information for Images and Media::
Source information for the images used on the website, depending on the respective licensing agreements.
Tip: Easily Generate an Impressum
The easiest way to create a legally compliant Impressum for a registered association is to use an Impressum generator. You can find one [here]. Imprint-Generators. You can find such a generator [here].
With the Imprint generator you can create the legal notice for your registered association step by step and then simply integrate it into your website.
Important Note: The content of this article has been prepared to the best of our knowledge and belief. However, due to the complexity and constant evolution of the subject matter, we must exclude liability and warranty. Important Note: The content of this article has been prepared to the best of our knowledge and understanding. However, the complexity and constant evolution of the subject matter make it necessary to exclude liability and warranty. This cannot replace legal advice. The use of the templates provided here is at your own risk.
If you need legal advice, feel free to call us at 0221 – 80187670 or email us at info@mth-partner.de.