Help
Technical aids
- Disclaimer
- Legislation (acts and regulations)
- Use of publications
- Use of image files and graphics from the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development’s website
- Browser compatibility and resolution
- Changing the font size
- Accessibility
- Java /Java Script
- Search function
- Printing documents
- Reading, saving and printing PDF files
- Cookies
- Further information about the Internet and security
Here, you will find important information and help on using the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development’s website. Please also read the terms and conditions and the privacy statement.
Disclaimer
The contents of this website are researched and published with the greatest possible care. However, errors cannot be totally ruled out. Please send any information and corrections to intenetredaktion@bmvbs.bund.de. Despite all the care we take, no liability can be accepted for the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of these webpages. In particular, the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development can assume no liability whatsoever for any damage or other consequences arising from the direct or indirect use of the contents provided.
We would like to avoid technical disruption wherever possible. However, errors may occur when data are digitized. We cannot assume any liability for interruptions or other disruptions caused by incorrectly created files or incorrectly structured formats.
As the content provider, the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development is responsible, under general legislation, for its own content that it makes available for use. However, our online service also includes links to websites operated by other providers. The Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development is not responsible for the contents of linked websites. The Ministry selected these links carefully and checked their contents when the link was first created. However, these external contents do not originate from the Ministry, nor is the Ministry able to exert any influence on the contents of other providers’ sites. Moreover, the contents of linked websites may have been altered without the knowledge of the Ministry. The Ministry does not intend to continually monitor these sites, nor is such monitoring feasible. The Ministry explicitly distances itself from any material that could give rise to criminal or civil liability or that may be offensive to some people. The contents of external sites to which the Ministry refers by means of links do not reflect the views of the Ministry; they are provided solely for information purposes and to enable readers to understand the wider context.
The provider of a linked website will assume sole liability for any damage resulting from the use of the website. If the Ministry refers to sites whose contents may be deemed objectionable, please inform the web team. We would also ask you to inform us if the Ministry's own contents are not accurate, up to date or complete. You can contact the web team by using the contact form or at internetredaktion@bmvbs.bund.de.
The Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development’s web team reserves the right to change, supplement or remove the information provided without prior notice.
Legislation (acts and regulations)
The legislation published on this website has been carefully compiled, but does not claim to be up to date, accurate or complete, and no guarantee can be given that it is such.
Acts and regulations are only valid and are only applied in their most recent official version, as published in the relevant official journal (in particular the Federal Law Gazette and the Federal Gazette). Any legal recommendations, information and references are non-binding. They should not be taken as constituting legal advice.
Use of publications
The publications issued by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development must not be used during an election campaign by political parties or by canvassers or electoral assistants for the purpose of canvassing. This applies to Bundestag, Landtag and local elections and elections to the European Parliament.
In particular, distributing the publications during electoral rallies or at information stands of political parties as well as inserting in them or printing/sticking on them party political information or other advertising material constitutes improper use. Nor must they be passed on to third parties for the purpose of canvassing.
Irrespective of when and how these publications have reached the recipient and the number of copies they have received, they must not be used in a way that could suggest that the Federal Government was taking sides in favour of individual political groups, even if no election is due to be held in the near future.
Use of image files and graphics from the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development’s website
The images and graphics published on the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development’s website may not be used or published by other persons without the prior consent of the web team (internetredaktion@bmvbs.bund.de).
This does not apply to images that are explicitly available for downloading from the press zone as press photos for reporting purposes. Here, the terms of use for the relevant image apply.
Browser compatibility and resolution
If different Internet browsers are used, and because of different software settings, there may be differences in the way in which data is displayed. The original material on which the information is based can, if necessary, be ordered from the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development.
Our webpages have been optimized for Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0 (or higher) and Mozilla Firefox 3.0 (or higher) with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels. Other browsers that support Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) will also not present any problems.
If older browser versions are used, there may be graphical differences in the way in which fonts and styles are displayed. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Changing the font size
You can adjust the font size in the browser to meet your own viewing needs.
If you are using Internet Explorer, click on the 'View' menu, then on ‘Text Size’ and select the size you require.
If you are using Mozilla Firefox, you can adjust the text size using the shortcuts Ctrl + (increase) or Ctrl – (decrease). Press Ctrl and 0 to return to the default size. This shortcut also works on Internet Explorer.
Accessibility
The website of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development has been designed in accordance with the guidelines of the Regulations on the Creation of Accessible Information Technology under the Equal Opportunities for Disabled Persons Act.
Accessible PDF documents
Most of the PDF files created since June 2007 on the website of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development are accessible. These PDF files are identified by the word "accessible". However, many of the PDF files on BMVBS.de are old documents of which the original is no longer available. These documents can, unfortunately, not be converted to make them accessible.
Original material from external sources cannot, unfortunately, always be made accessible. In this case, the Ministry will make every effort to provide alternative sources of information.
In the future, we aim – as far as possible – to provide accessible PDF documents or to make the contents available in HTML format.
If you require contents from older documents in a format that is accessible for you, please mail us at the following address: internetredaktion@bmvbs.bund.de. We will do everything we can to provide you with the contents in a different way.
Java /Java Script
Some of the pages on our website were created with the help of Java Script. For users who have deactivated Java Script, an identical version without Java Script is available. This version is automatically downloaded.
Search function
The Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development offers you a comprehensive search function which can be used to search the entire website for any word or phrase.
To do so, use the quick search in the top right-hand corner of the page, which will also take you to the advanced search. If you do not find the information you are looking for on our website, you can widen your search to include the Ministry’s executive agencies. To do so, you should activate the “Executive Agencies” heading.
You can also refine your search using the following options (the search is not case-sensitive):
Date
Here you can specify a period within which the document was published.
Policy area
Here you can narrow your search to specific policy areas of the Ministry.
Document type
This option is useful if you know that you are looking for a press release or publication.
AND operator
If you link two search terms using the AND operator, the search will find those documents that contain both terms. For instance, “transport AND safety” will find those documents in which both terms appear.
OR operator
If you link two search terms using the OR operator, the search will find those documents containing either the first term or the second term. For instance, “transport OR safety” will find all documents in which either “transport” or “safety” appears.
Excluding terms
If you link two search terms using the NOT operator, you will find documents in which the first term appears but not the second term. For instance, “transport NOT safety” will find all documents in which “transport” appears but not “safety”.
Exact phrase search
If you put a sentence or a string of words in double quotes (“ ”), the search will look for this exact phrase. For instance, a search for “frequently asked questions” will find all those documents that provide answers to frequently asked questions on specific subjects and use exactly this phrase.
Wildcard for parts of words or phrases
By using an asterisk (*), you can also look for parts of words or phrases. For instance, if you type “*safety”, the search will find all documents in which "transport safety" appears, but also all documents in which “safety” appears as part of a phrase, for instance “building safety”. You can also use the wildcard if the word you are looking for has different spellings. For instance, if you type “sul*ur”, the search will find all documents that contain “sulphur” or “sulfur".
Printing documents
You can print documents as they appear on our webpages. In the top right-hand corner of the document, you will also find a link to the print view. This makes it possible to print a text in DIN A4 format without the navigation bar and header being displayed. Left-click on the link and then select the ‘Print’ option in your browser.
Reading, saving and printing PDF files
To read PDF files, you need a PDF viewer. This software, which is available free of charge, enables you to view and print PDF documents on all common operating systems. If a PDF viewer has not been installed on your computer, you can get information about the software and you can download one from wikipedia: List of PDF software.
If a PDF viewer has been installed on your computer, you can view PDF documents directly in your browser by clicking on the appropriate link. If your browser does not support the software, save the file to your hard drive and open the file from there.
If you have problems displaying a PDF document, do not open it directly in your browser. Instead, save it on your computer and open it from there.
To download a PDF file to your computer, right-click on the file and then left-click on ‘Save Target As’. Select the directory/folder in which you wish to save the file and confirm by clicking on the ‘Save’ button.
If you want to print a PDF file, open the file in your browser and then select the ‘Print’ option in your browser.
Please note that some of the downloads on our pages are read-only versions.
Cookies
Cookies allow a web server to store information on a user’s computer. If you have visited a website that leaves cookies on your hard drive, it is possible that when you next visit this website you will find that personal settings (e.g. email address, name, topics selected) have been remembered and that you do not have to enter them again. There is no risk of viruses being transmitted.
One drawback of cookies is that third parties can access information about your private life and surfing habits.
You can decide yourself how you wish to manage cookies.
- Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE)
If you are using Microsoft IE (7.0 or higher) as a browser, click on the ‘Tools’ menu and than on ‘Internet Options’. Select the ‘Privacy’ tab. You can then decide how your browser handles cookies. - Mozilla Firefox
If you are using Mozilla Firefox (3.0 or higher), click on the ‘Tools’ menu and then on ‘Options’. Click on ‘Privacy’ in the toolbar. If you select ‘Use custom settings for history’, you can decide how your browser handles cookies.
Our website has been designed to use very few cookies. The only time when your browser has to accept cookies is if you wish to use the shopping basket function to order publications or take part in one of our surveys. Please also read our privacy information.
Deleting cookies
If you wish to remove any personal data or settings that might have been stored, you can delete the cookies.
- Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE)
If you are using Microsoft IE as a browser, click on the ‘Tools’ menu and then on ‘Internet Options’. Select the ‘General’ tab. You can then delete cookies. - Mozilla Firefox
If you are using Mozilla Firefox, click on the ‘Tools’ menu and then on ‘Options’. Click on ‘Privacy’ in the toolbar. Click on ‘remove individual cookies’. Here, you can display the cookies that have been stored and remove them
Further information about the Internet and security
More information about the Internet and security can be found on the Federal Office for Information Security’s website. Among other things, this site contains links to free anti-virus programs.
