Cookie Policy 🍪
The present cookie policy (hereinafter, the “Cookie Policy”) governs the use of cookies and other trackers (such as tracking pixels) (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Cookies”) by EUROPEAN PARTNERSHIP FOR DEMOCRACY ASBL, a nonprofit organisation registered in the Belgian Crossroads Bank for Enterprises under the number 0648.708.779, with registered offices at B-1040 Brussels, Rue Froissart 123-133 (hereinafter referred to as “EPD”, “we”, “us” or “our”).
When you visit our website, its subdomains, and directories (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Platform”) or when you interact with us via any other means relating to information or communication technology, a variety of information may be placed or read by your device via our use of Cookies. A “device” being any internet-enabled device through which you may access our Platform, among others, your computer, smartphone, tablet, etc.
The present Cookie Policy forms an inherent part of our Privacy Policy. Platform The purpose of our Cookie Policy is to provide you (hereinafter the “User”, “you” or “your”) with all the necessary information regarding the placement and use of Cookies on your devices when you visit our Platform. This policy additionally aims to let you know how we, as well as third-party service providers, use those Cookies to collect information about you.
Please note that Cookies may be placed on and read by your device as from your first visit to our Platform. We refer to article 4 of our Cookie Policy for more details regarding any choices you have regarding the management of Cookies on your devices.
1- Contact and claims
Should you have any questions about this Cookie Policy or wish to file a complaint, or should you have any question relating to the processing of your personal data, you can address all your questions to us by sending an e-mail to [email protected] or by sending a letter to our postal address, as referenced above.
Should you ever have any questions regarding our use of Cookies or wish to file a complaint in this regard, we invite you to first contact us, in order for us to resolve any issues you might encounter.
If you are unsatisfied with the way your question or complaint was handled, you have the right to file a complaint with the competent data protection authority, being the authority in the Member State of your habitual residence, your place of work, or the place of the alleged infringement of the applicable Data Protection Legislation.
The applicable Data Protection Legislation refers to the Belgian Act of 30 July 2018 on the protection of natural persons in relation to the processing of personal data, the Act of 13 June 2005 on the electronic communication, and the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of 27 April 2016 or “GDPR”), including future adaptations and revisions of the previous.
Notwithstanding the previous, the lead data protection authority is the Belgian Data Protection Authority (“Autorité de protection des données” or “Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit”), which can be reached via the following means of communication:
by following the instructions and filling in the form accessible via this link;
- by sending a letter to Drukpersstraat 35, 1000 Brussels, Belgium;
- by calling the following number +32 (0)2 274 48 00;
by sending an email to [email protected].
2. How do we use Cookies?
A. What are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files that are placed on or read by your device when you visit our Platform.
Cookies generally do not contain personal data allowing us to directly or indirectly identify you. However, the personal data we collect and hold on you may be linked to the information collected by the Cookies in order to execute the purposes set out in the Privacy Policy. Please refer to article 5 below to read about your rights in this respect.
Should you wish to receive more information regarding Cookies, please refer to http://www.allaboutcookies.org/ or https://www.aboutcookies.org/.
B. Why do we use Cookies?
Cookies allow our Platform to collect and store information relating to your visit. That information may then be used for various goals. You will find some examples below:
- some Cookies are used to retain your preferences regarding the storage of Cookies on your terminal when you visit our Platform;
- other Cookies on our Platform are used to identify and track user navigation of our Platform, enabling us to tailor information to fit your interests and needs. These Cookies may for example follow your use of certain pages on the Platform;
- the Cookies we use may additionally refer to Cookies detecting fraudulent activities in order to allow you to safely visit our Platform.
You can find out more about the various purposes relating to our use of Cookies on the Platform by scrolling down to the table in article 4.
3. Types of Cookies
A.Distinction based on ownership
A distinction can be made based on the person or entity owning the Cookie found on the Platform. Our Platform uses both first-party and third-party cookies.
- First-party Cookies are placed on your device directly by the Platform.
- Third-party Cookies are placed on your device by other websites or services.
Third-party Cookies are generally used to give you access to additional services on our Platform. We endeavour to identify these Cookies before they are placed so that you can decide whether or not you wish to accept them. However, we are not the owners of these Cookies and that we only exercise limited control over them. The functionalities and modalities of these Cookies are for the most part subject to the decisions of their owner:
- We use Cookies for the collection of anonymous statistical information provided by Google Analytics. Information about your use of our Platform (including your IP address, login information, browser type, operating system, the full URLs, referring URLs and information on actions taken or interaction with our Platform) may additionally be transmitted to Google and stored on their servers. To learn more about Google Analytics’ use of Cookies, you can follow this link. For more information on how Google uses information from sites or apps that use its services, you can visit the following link. To opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites, click here.
- Our Platform also makes use of social media pixels (X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram). When you visit our social media pages or otherwise share content on or with such social media, these third-party services may place Cookies on your device. You can use the following links to obtain more information regarding the use of Cookies by these third parties (X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram).
B. Distinction based on purpose
Cookies may be distinguished based on the purpose for which they are used:
Strictly necessary Cookies: these cookies allow you to navigate our Platform or allow us to provide certain features necessary to its functioning. These Cookies are pre-enabled as they do not require your consent. You are however free to switch them off (for more information, scroll down to article 4). Please note that in such instance, our Platform would not be able to provide its basic functions and would therefore not properly operate. E.g. Cookie allowing to remember the chosen option in the Cookie banner
Functionality Cookies: these Cookies improve your experience by retaining your preferences and the choices you make on our Platform. E.g. Cookies allowing to remember your language preferences on our Platform
Performance Cookies : these Cookies help us gather data about how you use our Platform and enable us to improve the performance of our Platform. E.g. Cookies helping us to gather statistical data on how you use our Platform, such as the time you spend on a page, which pages you visit etc.
Marketing Cookies : these Cookies are used to gather information about you and display ads that are relevant and engaging for you so that our Platform can be better tailored to your interests and needs. These Cookies can follow you when you use other websites since they are usually installed by third parties.
C. Distinction based on duration
Cookies may be distinguished based on the duration for which they are stored before they expire. In terms of duration, we may use two different types of Cookies on our Platform:
- Session Cookies: These Cookies are temporary Cookies that remain on your device until you leave our Platform; and
- Persistent Cookies: These Cookies remain stored on your device for much longer or until you manually delete them. How long the Cookie remains on your device will depend on the duration or “lifetime” of the specific Cookie, as well as your browser settings, as set out below.
4. Which Cookies do we use?
| Cookie name | Cookie purpose | Cookie owner | Retention period/duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cookie cookieyes-consent | To remember users’ consent preferences so that their preferences are respected on subsequent visits to this site. It does not collect or store any personal information about the site visitors | CookieYes | 1 year |
| Cookie _ga_* | To store and count page views | Google Analytics | 1 year 1 month 4 days |
| Cookie _ga | To calculate visitor, session and campaign data and track site usage for the site’s analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognise unique visitors | Google Analytics | 1 year 1 month 4 days |
Cookie _pk_id.1.b38b | Used to store a few details about the user such as the unique visitor ID | Matomo | 1 year 1 month |
| Cookie _pk_ses.1.b38 | Short lived cookies used to temporarily store data for the visit | Matomo | 1 hour |
5. Consent
When you visit the Platform for the first time, we ensure that we obtain your consent to the Platform our use of Cookies on the Platform by way of the Cookie banner (“Cookie Banner”), after which the banner will disappear.
You will be prompted to accept or refuse the use of Cookies on our Platform. You may also restrict their use by choosing which Cookies you allow on your device.
We’ll remember your choices for your entire Platform visit and during a three-months’ period. You may change your Cookie settings or withdraw your consent at any time by following the instructions referenced under article 6 below.
To the extent required by the applicable law, we will always request your consent before collecting personal data using Cookies.
6. Cookie management
Some people prefer not to allow Cookies to be installed on their devices. You have the right to refuse the placement of Cookies, or the Cookies being read by your device. Below, we set out some options you have at your disposal in that regard.
Please note that if you choose to restrict or disable the use of Cookies, some areas of our Platform and/or our services, as well as the features, may not function as intended.
A. Cookie settings tool
You can resummon the Cookie Banner at any time to recalibrate the Cookies you wish to be placed on or read by your device. This can be done through our Cookie settings tool.
B. Cookie management in your browser
You may also restrict or disable the use of Cookies through your web browser. It is possible to delete currently installed Cookies on your device. Each type of web browser offers ways to be notified about, to restrict, and delete Cookies. Please visit the websites of the different browsers to learn how to block the storage of Cookies:
If you use multiple devices to view and access our Platform, such as your computer, smartphone, tablet, etc., you may have to ensure that each browser on each device is adjusted to suit your Cookie preferences. Please note that if you choose to restrict or disable the use of Cookies through your browser, some areas of our Platform and/or our services, as well as the features, may not function as intended.
C. Your rights
Should we collect personal data through our Cookies, please note that there are certain rights that you can exercise:
- Withdrawal of consent (article 4 above).
- Right of access.
- Right of rectification.
- Right of erasure.
- Right to restrict the processing.
- Right to object to the processing.
- Right to data portability.
For more information regarding the exercise of your rights, we refer to the applicable article in our Privacy Policy.
7. Changes to the Cookie Policy
We may bring adaptations and improvements to the Cookie Policy from time to time. These changes will mainly be made to account for new case law and practices developing in the data protection field, and in order to ensure your control over your personal data.The most current version of the Cookie Policy will always be displayed on the Platform and can be requested via [email protected]. On top of this Cookie Policy, you will be able to check the date on which we last implemented changes to the policy. Please contact us should you wish to consult earlier versions thereof.