The Single Contact Point (ZASt)
The Single Contact Point (German abbreviation “ZASt”) coordinates the cross-border cooperation of the German Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Fredom of Information (BfDI) and the data protection authorities of the federal states ("Länder") with the other Member States of the European Union, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) and the European Commission.
In the federal system, which is unique throughout Europe, the Single Contact Point enables the data protection supervisory authorities of the EU Member States, the EDPB and the European Commission to communicate and cooperate with the German data protection supervisory authorities without knowledge of the distribution of competences.
Although established at the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI), the Single Contact Point (ZASt) is organisationally separated from the latter. This organisational separation is intended to counteract any conflict of interests and ensure that the German federal and "Länder" data protection supervisory authorities are treated equally with the flow of information to and from Europe.
The tasks of the Single Contact Point (ZASt) are limited to supporting the federal and "Länder" data protection supervisory authorities in their tasks. In doing so, the ZASt does not perform data protection supervisory responsibilities itself. The ZASt is not responsible for the external relationship with citizens, authorities and companies and cannot take action in this regard.
