This privacy policy describes the collection, use and processing of personal data by the COTANCE, acting as the data controller of this information as defined by the General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union (https://www.eugdpr.org.)
1. About COTANCE and your data privacy rights
1.1 COTANCE represents the European leather producing industry towards EU institutions and Brussels-based stakeholders. Through research, publications and advocacy, COTANCE aims at improving industry’s competitiveness, sustainability and image towards EU policymakers and stakeholders.
COTANCE is established as a non-profit making international association under Belgian law (aisbl). COTANCE’s address is: Avenue Washington 40, B-1050 Brussels.
1.2 Your data privacy rights - COTANCE is committed to the high data privacy standards and to protecting the personal data it collects and processes. COTANCE has to that end deployed this data privacy policy and organisational measures to prevent data breaches and unlawful use.
As a data controller, our responsibility notably implies that we provide you with the right to consult, correct or remove any of your personal data.
→ Should you wish to consult, complete, rectify or remove any of the information that we hold about you or your organisation, please contact us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
→ To know more about your data protection and privacy rights please consult the Belgian supervisory authority - the Commission for protection of privacy - at https://www.privacycommission.be/en.
2. About the personal data we collect and the way we use them
2.1 Personal data – As a member of COTANCE or an external stakeholder, you may provide us with personal data information when using our website, interacting with us on social media, registering for information or events.
The data we collect can include your organisation’s name, title (or gender), job title, first name, family name, function, telephone number, mailing address, e-mail, social media account (s) and web address or photo.
Some of this data is considered as personal data under the EU GDPR. In most instances, we collect personal data directly from the data subjects, but we may sometimes obtain personal data from third parties such as directories or EU institutions websites.
2.2 Purpose of use and processing - the information that you provide us with will be used for the purpose of contacting you and/or providing you with relevant and updated information about our organisation, its activities and positions. More specifically, as part of its general mission, COTANCE processes personal data for the following purposes:
For membership management and general administration: COTANCE has legitimate interests in the processing of personal data of the contact persons across its membership for the purpose of administering or informing its membership or for the governance of the association (such as the organisation of Assembly Generals and Council meetings). COTANCE also processes the personal data of representatives and contact persons of entities with which COTANCE contracts, such as consortiums, services providers or consultancies.
For research, publication and advocacy purposes: COTANCE processes contact details of journalists, Members of European Parliament, officials from the European Commission and from EU Member States, academics, consultants and industry experts and European affairs stakeholders for the purposes of carrying out its research and advocacy activities.
For events organisation: COTANCE processes identification details of individuals who register to participate to events and conferences it organises for the purpose of managing the registration, invoicing and participation to such events under the general terms and conditions that are expressly accepted by the individuals and/or based on consent for certain personal data.
For websites security and content access: COTANCE processes identification data from individuals who register themselves on websites managed by COTANCE and give their express consent to receive newsletters or information from COTANCE. COTANCE also processes identification data from members or content subscribers to facilitate their personal access to the meeting documents or subscribed content.
2.3 Explicit consent, retention and right of consultation + modification – Your prior informed, explicit, consent for the use and processing of your personal data will be requested for registering to COTANCE mass communication such as newsletters or event participation. Your consent will also be specifically asked for photos or multimedia content that may enable the recognition of participants at events.
Your personal data will be kept as long as you are a designated person of your organisation in relation with COTANCE or its members and, otherwise provided by law, for the time that is strictly necessary to achieve the purpose(s) for which they were collected.
Should you wish to withdraw your prior informed consent, consult, complete, rectify or remove any of the information that we hold about you or your organisation, please contact us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
2.4 Data sharing - As a non-profit organisation COTANCE does not share or sell any personal data to third parties for any commercial purposes.
Your personal data will not be shared with any other third parties unless we would be required to do so by law or to comply with a court order served upon us in connection with our website(s), social media, the implementation of the EU GDPR or to protect and defend our legal rights and interests and those of our members.
Personal data may be shared with COTANCE members for the same legitimate interest and purpose COTANCE uses them.
2.5. Risk assessment - The processing of your personal data was self-assessed as presenting limited risks for your fundamental rights considering that only professional information is used and that adequate measures are in place to prevent data breaches.
3. About our websites and social media
3.1 Cookies - Our websites or social media channels may use tracking techniques such as cookies for collecting technical information about your use for the purpose of improving and tailoring their content and making it more user-friendly.
Cookies are stored on your computer and enable us to track your computer’s use of the website and, for registered users, to manage their access to specific content.
It is possible for you to disable or delete cookies within your specific browser options, although this may impair your use of the website or will require you to resubmit your credentials to access member’s or subscriber’s content.
Check our Cookies Policy for a full list of cookies used on this website and to change your Preferences.
3.2 Social media privacy policies - When interacting with our social media channels (Twitter, Facebook) your consent and personal data use are covered by the terms and conditions and privacy policies of each of these social media platforms.
3.3. Third parties websites and social media - Our website (s), social media channels and electronic communication tools may also contain links to websites or social media channels of third parties. These links are provided for your information and convenience only. COTANCE does not endorse, approve or take any responsibility for the websites or social media channels which we provide links to. We also does not endorse, approve or take any responsibility for their availability, performance, content or for the use of such websites or social media channels or any information contained therein.
COTANCE’s data privacy policy applies only to COTANCE’s databases, website(s), and electronic communication media and not to any other websites or media that you would access by hyperlink from our website (s) or our social media. When you leave our website by linking to another site or through social media, you should read the privacy policy, if any, provided by such website or media.