Companies without a location in the European Union that sell goods or services within the borders of the European Union and collect personal data must appoint a representative based in the EU. This also applies to companies that collect and process data of EU citizens for online use, for the use of online media and advertising. Providers of free websites and apps are likewise subject to the requirement to appoint an EU representative.
The controller designates the corresponding representative, who from then on handles any communication with data protection supervisory authorities and data subjects. Under Section 44 BDSG, this representative is also authorised to receive service of documents in civil court proceedings concerning actions for a breach of data protection law.