Terms of use of ECMWF web sites

Introduction

The web sites of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) present numerical weather predictions, news and the latest information on ECMWF activities to a broad spectrum of users interested in medium-range weather forecasting.

The web sites offer users the possibility to learn more about ECMWF's organisation, to research specific areas and programmatic themes, and to access ECMWF products and services. They also serve as channels to link visitors to ECMWF's more specialised scientific and technical sites, which are of interest to various weather and climate-related communities.

Access to ECMWF’s web sites is provided from ECMWF’s headquarters in Reading, UK.

Disclaimer

Use of ECMWF web sites constitute acceptance of the following general terms and conditions.

• Any user of any information, text, or electronic images contained within our web sites accepts full responsibility for its use.
• Neither ECMWF nor any other party involved in creating, producing or delivering the web site shall be liable for any direct, incidental, consequential, indirect or punitive damages arising out of users' access to, or use of, the web site.

Although ECMWF uses the best technical standards to control its site, material on this web site may inadvertently include technical inaccuracies or other errors. ECMWF would be grateful if users would notify us of any errors or inaccuracies they may find.

ECMWF does not warrant that the functional aspects of the web sites will be uninterrupted or error free or that the web sites, or the servers that makes them available, are free from viruses or other harmful components.

ECMWF may change material on the site without prior notice.

External web sites

The ECMWF site may contain links and references to external web sites. These are provided for the convenience and interest of users and on the part of ECMWF this implies neither responsibility for, nor approval of, information contained in these web sites.

ECMWF makes no warranty, either express or implied, as to the accuracy, availability or content of information, text, graphics which are not under the 'ecmwf.int' domain.

ECMWF has not tested any software located on other sites and does not make any representation as to the quality, safety, reliability or suitability of such software.

Login and access to protected documents

Some content and page areas on the ECMWF web sites are protected by access control and require an ECMWF user-id in order to view. ECMWF user-ids are not available to members of the public.

Personal data privacy

By accessing the ECMWF web site, certain information about users, such as Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, navigation through the site, software used and time spent, as well as other similar information, will be stored on ECMWF servers. These will not specifically identify users and any information stored will be used internally for web site traffic analysis only. If users provide unique identifying information, such as name, address and other information on forms stored on this site, or use an ECMWF user-id, this information will be used for statistical purposes only and will not be published or made available to a third party.

ECMWF does not sell or rent its web site users' names, addresses, email addresses or other personal information.

If you are registered in an ECMWF database and would like your name to be removed, please contact our call-desk calldesk@ecmwf.int.

Limiting access to our web sites

The nature of some of the data and services provided via ECMWF's web sites means that in certain circumstances it is possible for individual users to affect the functionality, availability or response of the web site for other users. ECMWF will attempt to resolve such issues without adversely affecting use but in such cases where it is not possible to resolve the issues, ECMWF will have the option to regulate, limit or ban access to part of, or all of, our web sites, based on incoming IP address, user-id or any other access characteristic ECMWF feels is necessary to solve the problem. When ECMWF has taken such action, reasonable attempts will be made to communicate the issue to the user in order that full service may be restored.

Use of IP address

The IP address is a number that is automatically given to your computer and is used when you are browsing web sites on the Internet. Web servers that host web pages automatically identify your computer through its IP number. It is possible to derive users' locations from their IP addresses. ECMWF uses IP addresses and the derived location of users, in order to carry out statistical analysis of the use of its web site.

Use of cookies

Cookies are the information that a web site transfers to users’ hard drives for record-keeping purposes; passwords are not saved in cookies. Cookies help ECMWF to ensure that its web site responds to users' needs, allowing us to provide easier access to protected pages, and personalisation and data persistence features.

If you do not wish to receive a cookie, or if you wish your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie, you may use the preferences/options in your web browser to change the way that cookies are handled. Click on the 'help' section of your browser to learn how to change cookie preferences. However, please note that if you disable all cookies you may not be able to take advantage of all the features available on ECMWF’s web sites.

ECMWF does not use personal identification details transferred through cookies either for promotion or marketing purposes, nor will such information be shared with a third party.

Forums and discussions

The ECMWF web site may contain bulletin boards, chat rooms, access to mailing lists and other message and communication facilities (collectively termed 'forums'). Users agree to use forums solely to send and receive messages and materials that are strictly related to the particular forum.

When using an ECMWF forum, users agree not to do any of the following:

• Users may not download, distribute or otherwise publish through the ECMWF web site any content which is libellous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, abusive or which, in any way, violates any laws;
• Forums are for non-commercial use only. Users may not distribute or otherwise publish any material containing any solicitation for funding, advertising or solicitation for goods or services without requesting and receiving prior written approval from ECMWF;
• Users shall not delete any author attributions, legal notices, proprietary designations or labels from any file that is downloaded nor falsify the origin or source of software or other material contained in a file that is downloaded.

ECMWF does not and cannot review every message posted by users on forums and is not responsible for the content of any messages posted. ECMWF reserves the right to delete, move or edit, at its sole discretion, messages that it deems abusive, defamatory, obscene, in violation of copyright laws or otherwise unacceptable. Users shall remain solely responsible for the content of their messages.

Users acknowledge that any submissions may be edited, removed, modified, published, transmitted and displayed by ECMWF.

Users should be aware that all forums and discussion groups are potentially public and should not be considered to be private communications. Furthermore, users acknowledge that chats, postings, conferences and any other form of communication by other users are not endorsed by ECMWF, and that such communications shall not be considered as having been reviewed, screened or approved by ECMWF.

Copyrights

Unless stated otherwise or under explicit agreement with ECMWF, all information, text, and electronic images contained within the ECMWF web sites are the intellectual property of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and may not be used, reproduced, executed, copied or modified in any way, other than for personal use, without ECMWF’s permission.

Use of the ECMWF logo

Owners of external web sites who would like to link to the ECMWF web sites may use the ECMWF logo for the link but for no other purposes.