Cookie policy

What are cookies and why are they important?

Cookies are small text files that websites store on your computer or mobile device. They collect information about - for example - your personal preferences, website visits and device in order to improve the functionality and user experience of those websites. Some cookies collect personal data directly or indirectly and are therefore privacy-sensitive. Therefore, they are also subject to European and Belgian legislation. The use of cookies is regulated by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union through e-Privacy Directive 2002/58/EC.

All EU member states have now transposed that directive into national law. This implies that cookie use and cookie legislation is regulated differently in each European country.

In Belgium, this is done through a modified version of Article 129 of the Act of 13 June 2005 on electronic communication.

Use of cookies

During your visit to the Website, cookies may be used, which are small pieces of information placed on the hard disk of your computer. When you next visit this site, they make it easier for you to browse because, for example, you do not have to log in again or re-enter your preferences or password. The information collected by these cookies can be used to create a profile that ensures that the information offered is better tailored to your needs and preferences. For example, the website may

What cookies does BASL use, for what purposes?

Types of cookies
Different types of cookies may be used on the Website:

Essential cookies
Essential cookies are cookies that are necessary for the Website to function (better). Without these cookies, some parts of the Website will not work or will not work optimally. These cookies do not collect data that can be used for marketing purposes or to remember your browsing history.

Functional cookies
Functional cookies collect information about visitors' choices and preferences and provide the ability to remember and personalise language and other local settings. The information these cookies collect is stored anonymously.

Tracking cookies
These cookies will outlive user sessions. When the maximum age of a persistent cookie is set to 1 year, within that year the initial value recorded in that cookie will be sent back to the server every time the user visits the server. This is done to store essential information (such as how the user initially came to the website). This is why they are also called tracking cookies. For example, when you have chosen your preferred language, the Website will record your preference in a permanent cookie and store it on your browser. When you subsequently revisit the Website, the Website will use that persistent cookie to ensure that content is delivered in your preferred language.

Performance cookies
These cookies help to improve the performance of the Website to ensure a better user experience. BASL uses Google Analytics for this purpose. Google Analytics uses cookies to help us analyse how users use the Website. It records the number of visitors and gives us information about overall visitor behaviour - such as the typical length of a visit to the Website or the number of pages a user views on average.

Targeting or advertising cookies
Targeting or advertising cookies track (the browsing behaviour of) visitors to build customer or user profiles. These profiles are usually used to show relevant and personalised advertisements that match the interests of matching users. In addition, they are used to measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns and to perform market analysis.

Third party cookies
To support its forms of communication, BASL has embedded its content in social media channels, such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. BASL also uses sharing options on social networks. The channels used by BASL may contain cookies from these websites. Would you like more information about these cookies? Then you should consult the relevant website of these 'third parties'.

Social media and their plug-ins
Many social media (such as Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Google+, Tumblr, etc.) receive information about your surfing behaviour via social plug-ins on their websites (e.g. via the "Like" or "Share" buttons). These buttons may also be located on the Website. If you want to protect yourself against this, it is recommended (by Centrum voor de Bescherming van de Persoonlijke Levenssfeer, among others) to take one of the measures below.

Install a browser add-on that blocks tracking. Examples of such browser add-ons are:

- Privacy Badger (http://www.eff.org/privacybadger)
- Ghostery (https://www.ghostery.com)
- Disconnect (https://disconnect.me/disconnect)

Make use of your browser's incognito or "private nagivation" mode. Recent versions of the most common browsers offer such a private mode as functionality:

This feature forces the browser to erase traces of your browsing behaviour (cookies, history, etc.) after the window is closed, thus protecting you from being tracked by third parties (note: this feature does not make you anonymous on the web). There are also special privacy-protecting browsers, such as Epic Privacy Browser (www.epicbrowser.com). Social media and other websites use information about its users' browsing behaviour to offer them targeted advertising. If you no longer want to be tracked for targeted advertising, you can opt out of targeted ads via the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance's opt-out website (www.youronlinechoices.eu).

Unsubscribing from targeted ads does not mean that information about your browsing behaviour will no longer be collected. If you also want to protect yourself from the collection of this information, you are advised to additionally use the incognito mode of your browser or use one of the above-mentioned browser add-ons.

We recommend that you regularly consult the following privacy and cookie statements

Specific overview Below is a list of cookies that may be used on the Website:

Google Analytics
Cookie “_ga”

Purpose: distinguishing users
Type: analysis / performance
Retention period: 2 years

Cookie “_gat”

Purpose: track and manage number of requests
Type: analysis / performance
Retention period: 10 minutes

Cookie “_gali”

Purpose: tracking statistics (pages visited)
Type: analysis / performance
Retention period: 30 seconds

Cookie “_utma”

Purpose: distinguish and track users and sessions
Type: analysis / performance
Retention period: 2 years

Cookie “_utmb”

Purpose: differentiate and track sessions and visits
Type: analysis / performance
Duration: 30 minutes

Cookie “_utmz”

Purpose: tracking traffic sources or referring campaigns
Type: analysis / performance
Retention period: 6 months

Cookie “_utmv”

Purpose: tracking custom variable data at the visitor level
Type: analysis / performance
Retention period: 2 years

Click here for more information on Google analytics cookies.

Google adwords
Goal: measure effectiveness of marketing campaigns https://support.google.com/adwords/topic/3119141?hl=nl&ref_topic=3181080,3126923

Google Tag Manager
Purpose: tracking how the User visits the Website, with a view to improving services and online portals. By using this cookie, tags on the Website can be managed to ensure that they are correctly identified by search programmes. More information on possible rejection can be found at: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245
Retention period: 1 day

Facebook
Purpose: tailoring advertising to target audience
Facebook may send you advertisements if you have consulted the Website. Those ads are then tailored to your interests based on your browsing behaviour and the pages consulted. In order to improve marketing content, the cookie can therefore transmit data to Facebook. You will find information on Facebook's advertising policy and the procedure to oppose the collection of your data on this page: https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=ads
Retention period: 550 days

YouTube
As part of the Google group of companies, cookies originating from the YouTube domain are subject to Google's general cookie policy.
More information on this can be found here: https://www.google.com/policies/technologies/cookies/

With whom we share data

We do not transmit your personal data in an identifiable manner to third parties if this is not required to provide the Services, without your explicit consent to do so.

However, we may use third-party processors to provide you with the Website and/or Services. We ensure that third party processors may only process your personal data on our behalf, and upon written instructions from us. We ensure that all third-party processors are selected with due care to ensure the security and integrity of your personal data.

How we process data

We will process your personal data in a lawful, fair and transparent manner. Furthermore, we will make every effort to keep personal data accurate and up-to-date. Your personal data will only be processed for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy or until such time as you withdraw your consent to its processing. Please note that withdrawal of consent may imply that you are no longer able to use all or part of the Website and/or Services. If you have registered with the Website, we will delete your personal data when you delete your profile, unless a legal or regulatory obligation or a court or administrative order would prevent us from doing so.

We will take appropriate technical and organisational measures to keep your personal data secure against unauthorised access or theft and against accidental loss, manipulation or destruction. Access by our staff or staff of our third-party processors is only possible on a need-to-know basis and is subject to strict confidentiality obligations. However, you understand that care for safety and security are only best-efforts obligations that can never be guaranteed.

Your rights

You have the right to request access to any personal data we process about you. However, requests for access made with the apparent intention of causing inconvenience or damage to us will not be processed.

You have the right to request that any personal data about you that is incorrect or inaccurate be corrected free of charge. If you have registered on our Website, you can correct many of these details yourself via your profile. If such a request is made, you must also enclose with this request proof that the personal data for which correction is requested is incorrect.

You have the right to withdraw your previously given consent to the processing of your personal data. You may withdraw your consent at any time by sending an e-mail to basl@basl.be, or by deleting your profile (if applicable).

You have the right to request that personal data relating to you be deleted if it is no longer necessary in light of the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy or if you withdraw your consent to its processing. However, you should note that a deletion request will be assessed by us in light of legal or regulatory obligations or administrative or court orders that may prevent us from deleting the personal data in question.

In lieu of deletion, you may also request.

You have the right to oppose the processing of personal data if you can prove that there are serious and legitimate reasons related to special circumstances that justify such an opposition. However, if the intended processing is classified as direct marketing, you have the right to oppose such processing free of charge and without justification.

Where your personal data are processed on the basis of consent or on the basis of a contract and the processing is carried out by automated means, you have the right to receive the personal data you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and, if technically feasible, you have the right to transmit such data directly to another service provider. The technical feasibility of this will be assessed solely by us.

If you wish to make a request to exercise one or more of the above rights, please send an e-mail to basl@basl.be. This request must clearly state which right you wish to exercise and why. It should also be dated, signed and accompanied by a digitally scanned copy of your valid ID card proving your identity. We will immediately inform you of the receipt of such request. If the request proves to be well-founded, we will process it as soon as reasonably possible and http://www.privacycommission.be.

How can I manage my cookies?

You can always manage cookies in your browser settings. Below you will find instructions for:

Questions or comments?

Should you still have questions or comments around cookies after reading this Cookie Policy, you can always contact us at basl@basl.be.