The Enterprise Europe Network Intranet includes information, software or media on which it is operated or contained, individually and collectively the "Information" which is made available by any users using Acrobat reader 7.0 and Macromedia Flash player 8. Our goal is to keep all information on this web site timely and accurate. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them.

However, neither the European Commission nor the Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI) accept any responsibility or liability what so ever with regard to the material on this site. This material is:

• common information only which is not intended to address the specific circumstances of any particular individual or entity;
• not necessarily comprehensive, complete, accurate or up to date;
• sometimes linked to external sites over which neither the EACI nor the European Commission has control nor for which the EACI or the European Commission could assume any responsibility;
• not professional or legal advice. If you need specific advice, you should always consult a suitably qualified professional.

It is our goal to minimize disruption caused by technical errors.

However, some data or information on our site might have been created or structured in files or formats that are not error-free and we cannot guarantee that our service will not be interrupted or otherwise affected by such problems.

The EACI and the European Commission do not accept any responsibility with regard to such problem, or the consequences thereof, incurred as a result of using this site or any linked external sites.

This disclaimer is not intended to contravene any requirements laid down in applicable national law or to exclude liability for matters that may not be excluded under that law.

The Enterprise Europe Network Intranet contains information and the software and media on which it is operated or contained, individually and collectively known as the "Information", which is made available by the Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI).

The information on this web site has been supplied by European Commission or EACI staff and/or by companies or organisations involved in the Enterprise Europe Network.

All title and intellectual property rights, including, but not limited to, trademarks, copyrights in and to the information, and any copies thereof in whatever form, are owned by the information suppliers and/or by the EACI and/or by other parties, and are protected by the applicable national or transnational laws.

Any trademarks or names being used are for editorial purposes only, and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringing upon that trademark.

Except where otherwise noted, all site contents are: European Communities - All rights reserved.

The purpose of this privacy notice is to inform users of the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet web site about what information might be collected about them when they visit this site, how this information is used, if it is disclosed and the ways in which we protect users' privacy.

Legal sources *

The Internet is overturning traditional market structures by providing a common, global infrastructure for the delivery of a wide range of electronic communications services. Publicly available electronic communications services over the Internet open new possibilities for users but also new risks for their personal data and privacy. **

The policy on "protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions" is based on Regulation (EC) N 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18th December 2000. This general policy acts the requirements from the art.286 of the EU Treaty, Directive 95/46/EC and Directive 97/66/EC concerning the processing of personal data and the protection of privacy in the telecommunications sectors and most of all Directive 2002/58/EC.

This general policy covers the European Union "family" of institutional web sites, including the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet web site and EACI (Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation) services.
You can browse freely through our Intranet without giving any information about yourself. However, in some cases, personal information may be required in order to enable us to provide the e-services you request (brokerage tools, Who is who, etc.).

In such cases, the personal information is treated according to the policy described in the above-mentioned Regulation. Please note that we collect no personal information about you when you visit our Intranet unless you choose to provide us with that information.
* Freedom, Security and Justice
** Directive 2002/58/EC

Personal Data Protection Policy

The European Union is committed to user privacy.

To better protect your privacy, we provide this notice explaining our on-line information practices and the choices you can make about the way your information is collected and used by the bodies of the European Commission such as the EACI.

Each Network Partner should inform its users about the national act(s) for the protection of personal data:

Whereas art.15 of Directive 2002/58/EC and Directive 97/66/EC requires that each EU Member State adopts legislative measures related to this.

Whereas The provisions applicable to the Community institutions and bodies should correspond to those provisions laid down in connection with the harmonisation of national laws or the implementation of other Community policies, notably in the mutual assistance sphere. It may be necessary, however, to specify and add to those provisions when it comes to ensuring protection in the case of the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies.

Whereas each national law is applied to the national user concerned by the use of the web site without of the principles the international law.

Data Protection by third-party sites

Some of the pages of this Intranet may contain links to other, external sites whose information practices may be different from those of the Enterprise Europe Network. Neither the EACI nor the European Commission is necessarily responsible for the privacy practices of any of these other sites. You should be aware of this when you leave the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet and we encourage you to read the privacy statements on other web sites you visit, as we have no control over information that is submitted to, or collected by, these third parties.

The information we collect from visitors to the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet

Log files

Traffic data may, inter alia, consist of data referring to the routing, duration, time or volume of a communication, to the protocol used, to the location of the terminal equipment of the sender or recipient, to the network on which the communication originates or terminates, to the beginning, end or duration of a connection. They may also consist of the format in which the communication is conveyed by the network. *

Log files allow us to record visitors' use of the site. The EACI puts together log file information from all our visitors, which we use to improve our understanding of user needs and patterns of behaviour, and to make improvements to the layout of the site and to the information in it, based on the way that visitors navigate through it. Log files do not contain any personal information about you.

The non-personal information we collect automatically includes:

• the type and version of the operating system of your computer (e.g. MS Windows 2000);
• the type and version of the browser (e.g. Internet Explorer 7) used to access the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet;
• the Internet domain (e.g. "xcompany.com" if you use a private Internet access account or "yourschool.edu" if you connect from a university's domain);
• the IP address from which you access the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet (NB: an IP address is a number that is assigned to your computer whenever you are surfing the Web - it may be the always the same or different each time, depending on how your web access is configured.);
• the date and time you access the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet;
• the pages you visit;
• if you have followed a link to the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet from another web site, the address of that web site;
• if you follow a link from the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet to another web site, the address of that web site.

* Directive 2002/58/EC

Any visitor to the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet may voluntarily register their details if they wish to.
In some cases, the Intranet may require users to register in order to access certain pages or e-services.

The types of personally identifiable information that may be collected on registration include:

• information we need to provide the e-service you require (mandatory) - e.g. name, organisation, address, email address, etc.;
• information you may choose to provide, and which can help us to have a clearer understanding of the Intranet user community as a whole - e.g. telephone number, fax number, age group, information about your interests in, and use of, various products, programmes and services, etc.

 

Update of personal data

The user recognises that he has all the necessary tools for:

• updating his own information, and in particular his postal and electronic addresses;
• modifying his subscriptions to various communication supports (newsletters, alerts, flash, etc.);
• suppressing all or part of his account.

A user engages himself to modify his personal data if needed in order to remain identifiable and reachable by the EACI and by other Network Partners.

 

Feedback Facilities and Help Desk

The Enterprise Europe Network Intranet seeks to provide a high level of interactivity among Network Partners, as well as between Partners and the EU Institutions.

Personal information may be required in order to enable us to properly understand your situation, and of course to provide you with the particular response or information you expect.

In these cases, only the personal information required to respond is solicited - e.g. name, e-mail address, etc. and of course your comments and questions.

 

Data Records

Some of the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet databases contain personal information that you have already provided to other Network Partners (e.g. information concerning your involvement in an EU-funded R&D project).

This information is considered as "public information", and is published by the Network, as provided by the European Institution concerned, in good faith. Such "public information" is not subject to the present privacy notice.

 

Cookies

What is a cookie?

In general, a cookie is a small file a web site creates on your computer to store information, such as your preferences when visiting that site.

For example, a cookie might contain a record of the pages you looked at within the site you visited, to help the site customise the view for you the next time you visit.

Cookies can also store personally identifiable information that can be used to identify or contact you, such as your name, email address, home or work address, or telephone number.

However, a web site only has access to the personally identifiable information that you provide - for example, the Enterprise Europe Network site cannot determine your e-mail address unless you provide it. Also, a web site cannot use a cookie to gain access to other information on your computer.

Once a cookie is saved on your computer, only the web site that created the cookie can read it.
There are several types of cookies:

• A persistent cookie is one stored as a file on your computer. It remains there even after you have closed your browser (MS Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, etc.) and can be read by the web site that created it when you visit that site again.
• A temporary or session cookie is stored only for your current browsing session, and is deleted from your computer when you close your browser.
• A first-party cookie either originates on, or is sent to, the web site you are currently viewing. These cookies are commonly used to store information, such as your preferences when visiting that site.
• A third-party cookie either originates on, or is sent to, a web site different from the one you are currently viewing. Third-party web sites usually provide some content on the site you are viewing. For example, many sites use advertising from third-party web sites and those third-party web sites may use cookies. A common use for this type of cookie is to track your web page use for advertising or other marketing purposes. Third-party cookies can either be persistent or temporary.
• Unsatisfactory cookies are cookies that might allow access to personally identifiable information that could be used for a secondary purpose without your consent.

Most browsers allow you to choose whether to allow some, none, or all cookies to be saved on your computer.
Please check your browser's "elp" function to understand the available options and how to manage these.

If you do not allow cookies at all, you may not be able to view some web sites or to take advantage of certain customisation features.

 

The Enterprise Europe Network Intranet cookie policy

1. The Enterprise Europe Network Intranet does not use cookies in any systematic manner, but only in a limited number of specific circumstances in which the user benefits from the use of particular cookies - for example by not having to repeatedly enter a password.

2. No use is made of cookies by the Intranet to gather any personal information about you. Any personal information you provide (e.g. by registering for use of certain services) is not connected with cookies, is solely for use by the Intranet service, and will not be communicated to third parties.

3. The Enterprise Europe Network Intranet does not permit the use of third party cookies.

4. Users should be aware that by following links provided in the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet pages they may arrive on web pages that are not part of the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet web site and thus not under our control or responsibility. Some of these pages may be published by organisations with different cookie policies and may set cookies.

5. The Enterprise Europe Network Intranet reserves the right to modify its policy and practice in the use of cookies at any moment without prior notice - however, our objectives to respect the privacy of each user and to use cookies solely for the purpose of improving the service provided (e.g. by saving the user time, reducing inconvenience, anticipating requirements, etc.) will remain unchanged. We will also notify users of any changes in cookie policy by announcement on the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet.

6. Users who set their PC browsers to block cookies (either in general, or - in some browsers - just for a particular web site URL such as the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet) will still be able to view and use the Intranet pages. However, by blocking cookies, the user may experience inconveniences such as having to enter passwords repeatedly, or to be refused an automatic transaction request. (NB: We have observed that users working with some older browser versions may experience some operating difficulties with cookies.)




Confidentiality and security

Any personal information you provide on the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet will be held securely, and your personal details will not normally be disclosed to third parties.
In some circumstances however we may need to disclose your personal details to a third party so that they can provide a service you have requested, or fulfil a request for information. Any information about you that we pass to a third party will be held securely by that party, and used only to provide the services or information you have requested.

The Enterprise Europe Network Intranet will not divulge your personal data to third parties for direct marketing purposes. We will disclose information we maintain when required doing so by law, for example in response to a court order. We also may disclose information in response to a legitimate request from an official law enforcement agency (e.g. the police, or an investigating magistrate).

We have put in place, and we regularly review and update, appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and help prevent unauthorised access, maintain data security, and correctly use the information we collect on-line. Agents and contractors of the European Union who have access to personally identifiable information held by the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet are required to protect this information in a way that is consistent with this privacy notice by, for example, not using the information for any purpose other than to carry out the services they are performing for the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet.

Although we take appropriate measures to safeguard against unauthorised disclosures of information, we cannot guarantee that personally identifiable information will never be disclosed in a manner that is inconsistent with this Privacy Notice.

Inadvertent disclosure may result, for example, when third parties misrepresent their identities in asking the site for access to personally identifiable information about themselves for purposes of correcting possible factual errors in the data.

The Enterprise Europe Network Intranet features a number of automatic checking systems (e.g. to see if an email address provided still exists) that may indicate if a particular registered user appears to be no longer making use of the service. In the event that such a case is detected, we will make every effort to contact the registered user concerned before deleting the information, but the EACI reserves the right to delete personal information records, and associated service and access rights, that appear to be no longer in use and/or valid.

 

The Enterprise Europe Network e-mailing action

The Enterprise Europe Network service respects the principles of privacy in electronic communications.

It strictly follows the protocol below in order to accomplish its mandate within legal and ethical guidelines.

 

Basic principles

• Legal mandate
  
  

  The European Commission, through the instrument of the Framework Programmes, has a mandate to seek to improve the research and innovation environment throughout Europe.

  In doing so it undertakes many interventions and actions including, via the Enterprise Europe Network services, both passive publication and active communication.

  These are information services undertaken in the public interest. The Enterprise Europe Network does not have any commercial interests or make any commercial solicitations.

  As supra-national bodies the Commission and the Publications Office are not subject to the laws of any specific Member State. However, in the area of data protection and electronic communication they comply with Directive 2002/58/EC and its predecessor directive 1995/46/EC on privacy and electronic communications, and undertake to adopt current accepted best practice as agreed by international treaties.

  
  
• Application of opt-in and opt-out principles
  
  

  All mailings, including those to registered subscribers, will contain an opt-out option.

  The exercise of this option will be as simple as is practicable, and will be immediately, globally, and permanently effective for that e mail address. It is a 'positive' opt-out in that the address is stored in an opt-out list against which all newly acquired addresses are checked and any matches removed.

  Where an electronic communication is sent to a recipient who has not had a previous relationship with the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet it will make a specific request to obtain the permission of that recipient for further communications.

  If a negative reply is received the same principles will apply as if the recipient had unsubscribed. If no reply is received the address will be stored in a reserve list.

  The reserve list will not be used for normal mailing communications, but may be used a maximum of two times per year for the communication of significant information. Each such request will be regarded as a first time mailing and will again request the permission of the recipient.

  
  
• Reasonableness of communication
  
  The Enterprise Europe Network Intranet will always endeavour to ensure that:

  *message content is inoffensive;

  
  
  *communication to any one recipient is not undertaken more frequently than is reasonable;

  
  
  *other than in special circumstances, such as a general new announcement that may be of interest to all users, mailings will always contain selected content that meets the user's known preferences.

Registration and opt-out

Individuals may register with the various the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet services.

All such registrations are kept centrally as a single record and are used to build a composite profile of the user and their requirements in order that the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet can design and deliver services that are relevant and avoid unwanted communications.

All users who opt-in as a result of an electronic communication are registered as a 'the Enterprise Europe Network Intranet users'.

Registered users have a password-protected account. They are able to enhance or edit their profile, to cancel their registration, or to request "un-subscription" from specific services. A Help Desk Support is provided to deal with other user enquiries or problems, and the contact details of the Help Desk are provided in every automated communication.

The EACI will take all reasonable steps to protect the privacy of registered users.
It will not release any individual user details to third parties.

Should the legal mandate for its actions cease, the EACI will under supervision of the European Commission erase the data or will seek the permission of the registered users, on an individual basis, for whatever alternative action is proposed.

Contractors operating information services on behalf of EACI are legally bound by confidentiality clauses.

 

Message format

By default all messages will be HTML unless the recipient had opted-in for other formats.

All messages will:

• Identify the sender.
• Identify the source of the recipient's e-mail address including a special message if this is the first contact.
• Make clear the purpose and draw attention to the opt-out facility.
• Contain the message content.
• Give contact details (or those of a mailing partner in the case of a joint mailing).

 

Mailing delivery

In order to avoid unnecessary Internet traffic, and wastage of server resources, all mailing addresses will be checked for integrity and validity. All non-working addresses will be de-activated.

All sources will be checked against the central database and de-duplicated such that users do not receive multiple mailings if an identical address is obtained from more than one source.

The frequency of mailings in certain subscription services is determined by the availability of data and speed is in some cases of the essence in getting information to subscribers in a timely fashion.

Other mailings will be governed by a mailing plan constructed such that users generally only receive mailings about once per month and never receive two mailings closer than two weeks apart.

The Enterprise Europe Network cannot avoid sending bulk mail in response to its users' subscriptions. However, each email is a customised collection of information for an individual subscriber and so is sent separately and never as a bulk addressed single email.

In addition the Network will when possible:

• avoid sending bulk mail at times when the Internet traffic levels are known to be high;
• batch deliveries and spread them over time so that it does not overload servers;
• notify major ISPs that the Enterprise Europe Network bulk e-mail is from a known and respectable source and should be delivered to the recipient;
• send automated messages from a special address and server in order to avoid anti-spam systems blocking normal correspondence between the EACI and Intranet users.

 

How You Can Access or Correct Information

You have the right to request a copy of your personal details at any time to check the accuracy of the information held, and/or to correct or update this information. You may also delete your personal information completely - this will mean that you will also terminate all services and access rights that may be linked to this information. (NB: To assist users who accidentally delete their personal information, the Enterprise Europe Network Help Desk support keeps an archive of deleted data)

To protect your privacy and security, we will take reasonable steps to help verify your identity before granting access or making corrections.

If you wish to access or correct your personal information, you may either do this yourself on-line, or ask It support to help you.




Contact details :

Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI)
Unit 3 - Enterprise Europe Network Animation
Location: Square Frère Orban 10, 1040 Bruxelles, Belgium
Phone : +32 (0)2 299 77 70
fax : +32 (0)2 297 95 05
E-mail : eaci-network-animation@ec.europa.eu

 

 

 

Changes to this Privacy Notice

If this Privacy Notice changes in any way, we will place an updated version on this page.

Regularly reviewing this page ensures that you are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we will share it with other parties.