Cookie Policy

This cookie policy (“Cookie Policy”) governs the use of cookies, social media plugins and similar tracking technologies on the Belgian Chambers websites (hereinafter: the “Websites”). Cookies are small text files which are stored on a device’s hard drive and which contain certain information and sometimes personal data. Social media plugins are small pieces of software developed and provided by social media service providers (such as LinkedIn and Twitter), which add social media integration to the Websites (such as a Twitter widget).

NOTE : If you want information on how we process your personal data on our Websites other than through the processing of cookies, social media plug-ins and similar tracking technologies, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

By continuing to use the Websites or by clicking on “OK” after having been informed of our use of cookies and social media plugins, you acknowledge that you have read this Cookie Policy carefully and that you agree with it without reservation. You may at all times change your cookie preferences through the cookie settings.

Short: Belgian Chambers is responsible for placing cookies on your device and collecting them when you use the Website. For some cookies this implies that personal data are being processed.

When you visit our Website, we – FEDERATION DES CHAMBRES DE COMMERCE BELGES – FEDERATIE VAN BELGISCHE KAMERS VAN KOOPHANDEL VZW (“Belgian Chambers”), having its registered seat at Belliardstraat 2, 1040 Brussels, RPR Brussels 0407.570.442 – are responsible for the use of cookies, social media plugins and similar tracking technologies as well as any subsequent processing of your personal data. You can contact us via e-mail: info@belgianchambers.be.

Short: We place a number of cookies when you visit our Website. These cookies are divided in 3 groups of cookies: functional cookies; analytical and statistical cookies; advertising and social media cookies. You may at all times withdraw your consent with our use of cookies by removing them from your browser.

  1. You can avoid cookies being placed by configuring your browser as such. Guidelines on how to do this, can be found here:

However, not allowing cookies when visiting the Websites may cause certain or all features of the Websites to stop working properly.

  1. When you visit the Website, Belgian Chambers places a number of cookies. Most data pertaining to these cookies, their placement and use, allow to identify you, and Belgian Chambers uses them to gain insight in how you and other visitors use the Websites by gathering statistical and usage data, enabling us among others to provide a better user experience on the Website.
  2. Belgian Chambers uses the following cookies on the Website:
  • Functional cookies

Name cookie

Lifespan

Purpose

“qtrans_front_language”

Up to 1 year.

This cookie retains your choice of language for the Website.

“SERVERID68971”

Session cookie

This a purely technical cookie.

  • Analytical and statistical cookies

Name cookie

Lifespan

Purpose

“_ga”, “_gat” and “_gid” (Google Analytics)

From 1 day up to 2 years (for the “_ga” cookie)

We use Google Analytics cookies to determine how you and other visitors use our Website.

  • Advertising and social media cookies

Name cookie

Lifespan

Purpose

“lang” (cdn.syndication.twimg.com)

Session cookie

This cookie is used to specify the language in which the Twitter widget should be rendered.

“NID” (google.com)

Up to 6 months

This is a personally identifying cookie which allows Google to retain and use your personal preferences.

 

  1. You may at all times withdraw your consent with Belgian Chamber’s use of cookies. To exercise this right, it suffices to delete the cookies, which have been placed on your device. To do so, you are kindly asked to refer to the appropriate instructions of your browser manufacturer, as listed above.

Short: We process your personal data through cookies for several different purposes: to improve our Websites and the experiences and services we offer; to provide information to third parties and to keep the web experiences we offer, our Website, you and us safe.

We process your personal data for the following reasons:

  1. to provide you a more personalized browsing experience;
  2. for statistical reasons so that we may improve our Websites and our services;
  3. for security reasons and misuse detection, prevention and reporting;
  4. to inform any third party in the context of a possible merger with, acquisition from/by or demerger by that third party, even if that third party is located outside the EU;
  5. to comply with our legal obligations as well as with any valid request from policy, judicial or governmental authorities.

Short: The law obliges us to specify which legal basis we rely on to process your personal data (e.g. your consent). For our use of cookies, with the exception of functional cookies, we first and foremost rely on your consent. However, with regard to the personal data derived from our use of cookies, we may also rely on other legal bases.

  1. The data protection laws require us to precisely indicate to you which legal option we rely on to make the processing of your personal data legitimate. We need to clarify this for each of the purposes listed in section 3 above.
  2. For the purpose mentioned under 3.1 (a) above, we rely on your consent.
  3. For the purposes (b) to (d) we process your personal data because it is necessary for purposes of our legitimate interests, which in this case concern:
    • gaining insights in how the Websites and its features are used;
    • our security and safety interests;
    • being able to conclude corporate transactions.
  4. For purpose (e) we need to process your personal data to comply with our legal obligations.

Short: Your personal data are shared with a limited number of parties, such as our own service providers, and are thus sent abroad. In this section we explain to whom we send your personal data and how we ensure that your personal data are kept safe when sent abroad.

  1. Your personal data may be sent to the following categories of recipients:
    • yourself;
    • our service providers;
    • our shareholders and potential acquirers;
    • governmental, judicial and other competent bodies.
  2. Your personal data are transferred to the United States of America, for which model contract clauses on the basis of European Commission decision 2004/915/EC have been put in place or the American service provider is certified under EU-US Privacy Shield (for more information, visit https://www.privacyshield.gov).

Short: We only retain your personal data as long as required to achieve the purposes listed in section 3.

Your personal data are only processed for as long as needed to achieve the purposes listed in section 3 above. We will de-identify your personal data when they are no longer necessary for these purposes, unless there is:

  • an overriding interest of Belgian Chambers or any other third party in keeping your personal data identifiable;
  • a legal or regulatory obligation or a judicial or administrative order that prevents us from de-identifying them.

Short: You have a right to access, correct or erase your personal data or limit or oppose the processing of your personal data. You also have a right to data portability. In this section we explain how and under which conditions you may exercise these rights.

  1. You have the right to request access to all personal data processed by us insofar it pertains to you. We reserve the right to refuse multiple requests for access that are clearly submitted for causing nuisance or harm to us or others.
  2. You have the right to ask that any personal data pertaining to you which are inaccurate, are corrected free of charge. If a request for correction is submitted, such request must be accompanied of proof of the flawed nature of the data for which correction is asked.
  3. You have the right to request that personal data pertaining to you will be deleted if they are no longer required in light of the purposes outlined above. However, you need to keep in mind that a request for deletion will be evaluated by us against:
    • our own or a third party’s overriding interests;
    • legal or regulatory obligations or administrative or judicial orders which may contradict such deletion.

Instead of deletion you can also ask that we limit the processing of your personal data if and when (a) you contest the accuracy of that data, (b) the processing is illegitimate or (c) the data are no longer needed for the purposes which are outlined above, but you need them to defend yourself in judicial proceedings.

  1. You have the right to oppose the processing of personal data for the purposes (b) to (d) in section 3, but you are required to explain your particular circumstances on which your request for opposition is based.
  2. You have the right to receive from us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format all personal data you have provided to us.
  3. Each request addressed to us can be send via e-mail to info@belgianchambers.be.

An e-mail requesting to exercise a right will not be construed as consent with the processing of your personal data beyond what is required for handling your request. Such request should clearly state and specify which right you wish to exercise and the reasons for it, if such is required. It should also be dated, signed and accompanied by a digitally scanned copy of your valid identity card proving your identity.

Without prejudice to the allocation of responsibilities as outlined in section 1, we will promptly inform you of having received this request. If the request proves valid, we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and at the latest thirty (30) days after having received the request.

If you have any complaint regarding the processing of your personal data by Belgian Chambers, you may always contact us via the e-mail address mentioned in the first paragraph of this clause. If you remain unsatisfied with our response, you may file a complaint with the competent data protection authority, i.e. the Belgian data protection authority.

Meldekanal

Laut Gesetz zum Schutz der Hinweisgeber sind Organisationen dazu verpflichtet, einen Kanal für die Meldung mutmaßlicher Verstöße einzurichten

Kontakt

Verband der Belgischen Industrie- und Handelskammern

Rue Belliard 2, 1040 Brussels
whistleblowers@belgianchambers.be