Privacy Statement / Data Protection

Purpose

Our commitment is to provide our customers with agricultural services at the highest professional standards, and this also means implementing the highest standards in confidentiality and transparency regarding personal data that we process in our current activity.

This Privacy Policy aims to explain how we collect, store, use and disclose your personal data each time when you benefit from our services, access our website ameropa.ro together with all its subdomains (”Site”), or interact in any other way with Ameropa Grains or companies within Ameropa Group around the world.

We pay special attention to the processing of your personal data and will take all measures to ensure that data processing is made in line with the principles established in the data protection legislation applicable in Romania, including the Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC („GDPR”).

• Controller

The Controller is AMEROPA GRAINS S.A., with its headquarters in Constanţa, Port of Constanţa, Berth 54, 1st Floor, phone +40 241 625 539, fax +40 241 638 296, registered with the Trade Register under no. J13/933/1996, unique registration code RO8204170, postal code 900900 (hereinafter referred to as Ameropa Grains).  The data protection officer of Ameropa Grains is reachable by e-mail at the address grains.ro.privacy@ameropa.com.  

• General principles

„Personal data” includes any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person; an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.

The following principles are fundamental in the processing of your personal data:

• Transparency and clarity: when your personal data is collected and processed, you will be informed about the identity of the controller, data recipients and reasons for processing. Your personal data will be processed exclusively for the purposes and under the terms provided for in this Privacy Policy and will not be further processed in a manner incompatible with these purposes.
• Legitimacy: we collect and process personal data only when we have a legal ground. We use personal data only for adequate commercial purposes, when we have a legitimate interest or to comply with legal obligations.
• Minimization: we collect only adequate, relevant and necessary data in relation to processing purposes and take all measures to ensure that their processing is carried out in a way that ensures data security.

Obligation to provide the data

In the case of data processing carried out for the performance of commercial contracts, the fulfillment of legal obligations or in the legitimate interest of Ameropa Grains, data provision may be mandatory. In the case of processing based on the consent of the data subject (e.g. in the case of marketing communications), consenting and providing personal data is entirely voluntary; for these cases, there are no negative effects for you if you choose not to give your consent or not to provide personal data. There are however cases where Ameropa Grains cannot take measures without certain personal data, such as when such personal data is necessary to process your requests. In these cases, unfortunately, it will not be possible to offer what you request without providing the relevant personal data.

Please consult the section “Specific conditions for your personal data” below for details on purposes of data processing and the legal grounds of such processing.

Use of automatic means of processing

During our activities, we do not use automated decision-making processes for the purposes of Article 22 of GDPR. If we apply such processes in the future, we will inform the data subjects, separately, in accordance with the applicable provisions.

Data disclosure

Our policy is not to disclose, share, sell or rent data to third parties, other than provided for in this Privacy Policy.

It may be necessary to disclose personal data (including in the form of granting an access right) to partners of Ameropa Grains (e.g. service providers, legal and financial consultants) with which we have first concluded adequate contractual arrangements, under the terms established by the EU and national legislation. We will disclose data to third parties exclusively to the extent necessary to perform processing for the purposes for which the data has been initially collected and we will impose on them appropriate confidentiality obligations.

Ameropa Grains may disclose data in order to comply with obligations established for Ameropa Grains based on the applicable legal regulations or in response to the request by court or another public authority, such as a warrant or subpoena. Ameropa Grains may also disclose your personal data if we consider, in good faith, that such disclosure is necessary to prevent fraud, fight money laundering or financing of terrorism acts, as well as to protect the legitimate interests of Ameropa Grains.

Data transfer outside the EU/EEA

As a general rule, your data will not be transferred outside the European Union/European Economic Area (EEA). However, it may be necessary to send your personal data to other companies within Ameropa Grains Group within the EEA and Switzerland. In the case of transfer, we will protect and provide adequate protection to the transfer of your personal data to the recipients in the respective countries by concluding with data recipients data transfer agreements in the form of the standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission.

Retention period

In general, personal data collected and used will be stored as long as we have a justified interest in retaining such data, or for any other longer period provided by law, by an applicable regulation of record keeping or by the public authorities. In case of disputes, we can retain your personal data until the end of the lawsuit, including during the potential remedies.

Immediately after the expiry of the applicable storage period, the data will be: (a) safely deleted or destroyed; or (b) transferred to an archive (unless this is prohibited by law or an applicable regulation of record keeping). In any case, your personal information will not be kept in a form allowing your identification more than necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected or processed, or according to the relevant legislation in force.

Security

We have taken organizational and technical measures to ensure an adequate security level against risks arising from processing, especially through destruction, loss, modification, disclosure, unauthorized acquisition or access, willful or accidental manipulation, access by third parties, deletion or alteration of personal data. You will be notified in case of data security breach, in a reasonable time after discovering the breach, unless the competent body establishes that the notification would prevent a criminal investigation or endanger national security. In this case, the notification will be delayed as instructed by the competent body. We will promptly answer to any requests on breaching data security.

Rights of data subjects

As a data subject, you benefit from a number of rights, detailed next.

• Withdrawal. If your express consent was requested for a certain processing, you can withdraw your consent at any time.
• Access. You may request access to your personal data. If you send such a request, we will provide you with all the information about the purposes of processing, the categories of data processed, the categories of recipients, the data retention period, your rights to rectify, erase and restrict the data accessed, where appropriate. Insofar as such an option is technically available, we will provide you with the possibility to access an interactive interface that can give you direct access to your personal data.

Access restriction: In certain situations, there is a possibility not to be able to give you access to all or part of your personal data due to legal restrictions. If we refuse your access request, we will inform you of the reason of such refusal.

• Portability. You can obtain a copy of the personal information we have recorded in a compatible format and in a structure allowing you to exercise your right to data portability. If you request several copies of your personal data, we may charge a reasonable fee related to the administrative costs.
• Restriction. You may request restriction in the following cases: for a period allowing us to verify the accuracy of your personal data if you challenge it; if the processing is unlawful and you prefer to restrict your personal information instead of erasing it; if you want us to keep your personal data, when you need such data to defend a right in court. If you objected to processing, Ameropa Grains will verify whether there are legitimate interests for processing prevailing the rights you invoke, following to inform you of the outcome of such verifications.
• Rectification/Erasure. You may request the correction, modification, erasure of any information that is incomplete, expired or inaccurate. You may request the erasure of your personal information in the following cases:

• if your personal data is no longer necessary for the purpose of processing;
• if you have withdrawn your consent for data processing, in the case of processing based on consent;
• if you objected to data processing and there are no legitimate grounds to prevail in regard to the processing.
• if the data must be erased to fulfill a legal obligation applicable to Ameropa Grains.
• your data has been unlawfully processed.

We will take all measures necessary to inform the authorized representatives of Ameropa Grains involved in data processing about this erasure.

We will not comply with your request when data processing is necessary:

• for exercising the right of freedom of expression and information;
• for complying with a legal obligation we have;
• for archiving purposes for public, scientific interest, for historical studies or for statistical purposes;
• for the establishment, exercise or defense of a right in court.

• Opposition. You may oppose to the processing of your personal data, for grounds relating to your particular situation, within the limits and under the terms established by law. In this case we will no longer process your personal data, unless:

• we can prove legitimate and compelling reasons that justify processing and prevail over your interests, rights and freedoms.
• the purpose is the establishment, exercise or defense of a right in court.

If you object to processing, please specify whether you want your personal data to be erased; otherwise, we will only restrict it.

You can always object to the processing of your personal data for marketing purposes based on our legitimate interest, irrespective of your reason. If marketing was based on your consent, you may withdraw your consent.

• Referral. You also have the right to submit a referral or complaint at the National Supervisory Authority for Personal Data Processing (www.dataprotection.ro).

Please contact us immediately if you consider that your personal data has been provided without consent, by written and dated request, together with the proof of your identity, using the contact details from the section Controller of this Privacy Policy.

You may exercise at any time the above mentioned rights, freely, or you may ask any additional questions about how we process your personal data, by written and dated request, together with the proof of your identity, using the contact details from the section Controller of this Privacy Policy.

Requests for access, correction, restriction or erasure of processing must be made in writing and are subject to the legal restrictions in force. We will make sure that all adequate measures are taken to solve your request without delay and, in any case, within 30 (thirty) days of receipt of the request. The information will be sent by electronic means if possible, unless you request in writing otherwise.

Amendments

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time. The amendments are posted on our Website, so that you have permanent access to the details on data we collect, on how and under what terms it is used. Any material change or of other nature shall enter into force within 15 (fifteen) days of the date of publication on the Website.

Specific conditions regarding the processing of your personal data

This section describes how we obtain and use your data (purpose of processing), the legitimate ground of processing for these purposes and the specific conditions of such processing. Please read the sub-sections of interest carefully, so that processing is as clear as possible, transparent and secure.

1. Information on Data Privacy for Website Visitors
2. Information on Data Privacy for Applicants
3. Information on Data Privacy for Business Partners (Clients/Suppliers/Partners)
4. Information on Data Privacy for The Purchase of Products with Precursors (pesticides and fertilizers)
5. Information on Data Privacy for Access to Ameropa Grains Premises

Information on Data Privacy for Website Visitors

Using the ameropa.ro Website together with all its subdomains represents your approval and consent regarding the practices stipulated in this sub-section of the Privacy Policy, as well as in the Cookie Policy, which is an integral part thereof. Our Website is addressed to persons who are at least 18 years old, so we do not deliberately process data of minors.

• Processed data

You may browse our Website without disclosing any personal data. However, if you want to contact us to ask any questions, make comments or suggestions, you can do so by filling in the form in the „Contact” section of the Website, providing your name and a valid e-mail address, as well as a phone number.

We use the cookie technology on our Website, without associating however the use of cookies with the personal identification information. For more information on the use of cookies please read the Cookie Policy.

• Purpose of processing

The information provided by filling in the contact form will be used exclusively to analyze your request and, if it is accepted by Ameropa Grains, to take all measures necessary in order to provide an answer or adopt the adequate measures. Refusal to provide the requested information prevents the completion of the process of registration of the request and makes communication between you and Ameropa Grains impossible.

Also, it is possible to use your IP address to help diagnose problems related to our servers and to manage our web page, to analyze trends, to track visitor movements and to gather general demographic information helping us in identifying visitor preferences according to the Cookie Policy.

• Legitimate ground of processing

We process your personal data based on your consent, according to the provisions of Article 6(1)(a) of GDPR.

• Data retention period

Your data is retained for one year from the collection date. However, we will keep you data for a 3-year period (the general limitation period according to the Romanian law) in all situations where, according to the subject matter of your request, your data may be necessary to find, exercise or defend a right in court, whether it takes place within a court proceeding, within an administrative proceeding or within an extrajudicial proceeding. Upon expiry of this period, your data will be erased.

Information on Data Privacy for Applicants

If you wish to be part of Ameropa Grains team, please read the information presented next about the registration, storage and processing of your data.

• Processed data

If you are interested in a position with Ameropa Grains S.A., we will retain your contain details (first and last name, phone number, e-mail address etc.), as well as the information presented in your CV (data on your education and professional experience).

You may apply for a position with our company:

• • online, by filling in the form in the „Career” section of our Website;
  • by e-mail, at the address:  grains.ro.jobs@ameropa.com

• Purpose of processing

We will process this data (contact details, information on education and professional experience) exclusively for: staff recruitment, when we identify possibilities of collaboration, assessing the applicants’ qualification for a position with Ameropa Grains, organizing interviews, verifying the knowledge necessary to hold certain positions and establishing the conditions of the employment offer.

• Legitimate ground of processing

We process your personal data at your request, to take any steps in order to conclude an individual employment contract (according to Article 6(1)(b) of GDPR), for the purpose of Ameropa Grains’ legitimate interests, for staff recruitment (according to Article 6(1)(f) of GDPR) or based on your consent (according to Article 6(1)(a) of GDPR).

• Data retention period

To be able to return with potential employment offers to you, we will keep the data for a 2-year period. Upon expiry of this period, your data will be erased.

You may request us at any time to erase the data if a position with Ameropa Grains is no longer of interest for you, by sending a request at the e-mail address grains.ro.privacy@ameropa.com.  

Information on Data Privacy for Business Partners (Clients/Partners/Suppliers) and their representatives

• Processed data

In the context of conclusion and performance of commercial contracts, Ameropa Grains will process, as an independent controller, the personal data belonging to:

• natural person business partners. Data collected and processed for this purpose concern the national identification numbers (CNP, ID series and number, passport or driver’s license number), contact details (e-mail, phone, fax, address), financial data (bank accounts), data on the goods held (e.g. in the case where concluding a contract with you involves the establishment of guarantees).
• associates, representatives (legal or conventional) and contact persons designated for this purpose by the legal person contractual partners, sent by the partner or collected in any other way by Ameropa Grains. Data collected and processed for this purpose concern data usually written on business cards (first and last name, position, company, phone number, e-mail address) and, under certain circumstances, national identification numbers (CNP, ID series and number, passport or driver’s license number).

If you are about to conclude or have already signed, as client, supplier or partner, a contract, agreement, understanding or any other convention or partnership with Ameropa Grains, please ensure the adequate information of your own staff (legal or conventional representatives, contact persons designated for the actual performance of the contracts or any other persons that act for you and on your behalf) regarding the disclosure of personal data to Ameropa Grains, according to the contract you have concluded with us.

Note: When the performance of the contract requires, for any reasons, your access the access of your representatives to Ameropa Grains premises where we carry out our activity, please also read the “Information on Data Privacy for Access to Ameropa Grains Premises” section of the Privacy Policy.

Note: If you are a client that purchases products with precursors (pesticides and fertilizers), please also read the “Information on Data Privacy for the Purchase of Products with Precursors” section of the Privacy Policy.

• Purpose of processing

The above mentioned data is collected and processed for the conclusion and actual performance of the contracts by Ameropa Grains.  We use the data of the representatives for communications on contract performance and execution of services and to manage the contractual relationship with the business partner.

We can use your information to contact you, if we have your consent in this regard, to send you various communications through the channels you have approved to keep you updated on the latest offers in agriculture, announcements and other information about Ameropa Grains services, products, events and projects or to invite you to participate in customer satisfaction surveys.

In addition, we may use this data to find, exercise or defend a right in court, whether it takes within a court proceeding, within an administrative proceeding or an extrajudiciary proceeding.

• Legitimate ground of processing

We process the personal data belonging to natural person business partners for the conclusion and performance of contracts concluded with them, according to Article 6(1)(b) of GDPR.

We process the data of representatives (conventional or legal), of the contact persons designated and of the persons empowered by the legal person business partners for the legitimate interests of Ameropa Grains, in accordance with the provisions of Article 6 (1)(f) of GDPR.

It is possible to process some of your data in the context of preparing the financial-accounting documentation and providing information to state authorities, based on the applicable legal provisions or to fulfill certain obligations required by law (e.g. obligations to report to the tax authorities). In this case, the basis of processing is represented by the existence of legal obligations, according to Article 6(1)(c) of GDPR.

Marketing communications will be sent based on your consent, according to Article 6(1)(a) of GDPR. Conducting customer satisfaction surveys is based on the legitimate interest of Ameropa Grains, according to Article 6(1)(c) of GDPR, in order to analyze and improve our services and communications to you.

• Data retention period

We will retain the data throughout the performance of the contractual relationship, plus an additional period of 3 (three) years (the general limitation period according to the Romanian law in order to establish or defend against legal claims).  We will immediately end the transmission of marketing communications if you withdraw your consent for such processing by sending an e-mail at the address grains.ro.privacy@ameropa.com or by accessing the existing unsubscribe links to each of the communications received by e-mail.

In any circumstance, data is erased if the purpose of collection or processing has been reached. If the personal data must be kept to comply with a legal obligation (e.g. the obligation to prepare and keep financial-accounting documents for a 10-year period), such data will be kept until the end of the relevant period.

Information on Data Privacy for the Purchase of Products with Precursors (pesticides and fertilizers)

• Processed data

Certain products that we sell, such as pesticides and fertilizers, may contain ammonium nitrate (substance classified as explosives precursors). The regime of these products is strictly regulated, the provision of the products being subject to the reporting mechanism for suspicious transactions established by the Regulation (EU) No. 98/2013 on the marketing and use of explosives precursors and Law No. 49/2018 on explosives precursors, as well as amending and supplementing certain legislative acts.  For these reasons, we will keep a strict record of transactions with products that contain this precursor, in the form of a register specifically designed, where we will write for each transaction performed at least the following:

• the identification data of the seller/buyer – company/sole trader name, registered office, unique registration code, as well as the identification data of the representative who performs the sale/purchase – first and last name, series and number of the identity card;

• data on the restricted explosive precursor sold/purchased, such as quantity, type, date of sale and date of delivery respectively, place of delivery, method of payment, first and last name of the person who makes the sale/purchase;

• information regarding the buyer, resulting whether it is the final buyer or a reseller buyer.

Any employee of an economic operator who plans to sell or to buy the products must be identified with ID and prove that he/she acts as representative of the economic operator, through supporting documents, such as, but without limitation to, Articles of Association, any document certifying the capacity of representative of an economic operator. If the sale or purchase is made without personal contact, Ameropa Grains will request the transmission of copies of the documents certifying the capacity of representative of the economic operator.

We reserve the right to refuse the marketing of such products if you fail to provide accurate and complete data and the right to report any suspicious transaction according to the legal obligations of Ameropa Grains.

• Purpose of processing

The aforementioned data is processed in order to prevent the unlawful operations with explosives precursors, to report the suspicious transactions, thefts and significant disappearances of explosives precursors, as well as to provide the data on orders and operations carried out with such precursors, on the occasion of verifications made by the competent public authorities and institutions (General Inspectorate of Romanian Police, National Environmental Guard, General Customs Directorate and the National Consumer Protection Authority or the units subordinated to them) on compliance with the requirements established for the control and supervision of explosives precursors.

• Legitimate ground of processing

We process the data for the above mentioned purpose to fulfill the legal obligations established for Ameropa Grains on compliance with the requirements set for control and supervision of explosives precursors, according to the Regulation (EU) No. 98/2013 on the marketing and use of explosives precursors and Law No. 49/2018 on explosives precursors, as well as amending and supplementing certain legislative acts, according to Article 6(1)(c) of GDPR.

• Data retention period

The register of transactions with products containing precursors is archived for 5 years from its completion, according to the applicable legal provisions. Copies of the supporting documents presented by the employee of the economic operator that plans to sell or buy restricted explosives precursors shall be kept for a period of at least 5 years, according to the legal provisions. Upon expiry of the storage term, records will be destroyed or erased, as the case may be, depending on the media on which they were stored.

Information on Data Privacy for Access to Ameropa Grains Premises

• Processed data

Access to spaces for carrying out the activities is made through specially arranged access points and is monitored. If you want to access, for any reasons, Ameropa Grains premises where products containing precursors are stored, we will request you to provide the following personal data upon entering the premises: first and last name, signature, series and number of the identity document. We will also process data on your image collected through the video surveillance systems.

• Purpose of processing

The above mentioned data is processed in order to ensure the security and protection of persons, goods and values, of immovable property and installations, as well as the related yards, in order to find the breach of obligations and security measures and of the rules of conduct applicable within the premises where Ameropa Grains carries out its activity and to prevent and combat crime.

The video surveillance cameras will be mounted in visible places, appropriately signaled with representative pictograms with sufficient visibility and positioned at a reasonable distance from the places where the video surveillance equipment is located.

• Legitimate ground of processing

The processing of the data collected by Ameropa is based on the legitimate interests of the company, according to Article 6(1)(f), respectively the fulfillment of the legal obligations established for Ameropa Grains to ensure physical protection measures for the restricted explosives precursors in places where they are made available, produced, used, experimented, processed or stored, according to Law No. 49/2018 on explosives precursors, as well as amending and supplementing certain legislative acts, Law No. 333/2003 on the security of objectives, assets, values and protection of persons, republished, as amended and supplemented, and Article 6(1)(c) of GDPR.

• Data retention period

The visitors’ registers will be stored for 5 years, except for situations expressly regulated by law or the duly justified cases.

The duration of storage of the data obtained through the video surveillance system is proportional with the purpose for which the data is processed, but not longer than 30 days, except for situations expressly regulated by law or the duly justified cases (such as investigating crimes, situations in which the images will be stored throughout the performance of investigations and the application of measures by the competent bodies). Upon expiry of the storage term, records will be destroyed or erased, as the case may be, depending on the media on which they were stored.

Information Security Management System Policy

Cookie Policy

1. Cookie Policy

It is important to be transparent and open about how we collect and use the data referring to you.

In the spirit of transparency, this policy provides detailed information on how and when we use Cookie files.

This policy regarding Cookie files applies for any agricultural service offered on the webpage operated by SC Ameropa Grains S.A., with its registered office in Port of Constanţa, Berth no. 54, 1st Floor, Constanţa County, postal code 900900, Romania (hereinafter referred to as Ameropa SA), which is related to this policy or incorporates a reference.

2. What are Cookies?

Cookie is a small file consisting of letters and numbers which is stored on user’s terminal (e.g. computer, mobile phone or other equipment of a user from which Internet is accessed).

The cookie is installed by a request issued by a web-server to a browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari, Chrome etc.) and is completely “passive” (does not contain software, viruses or spyware and cannot access the information on the user’s hard drive).

Cookies play an important role in facilitating access and delivering the multiple services you enjoy on the Internet, such as the correct display of a website when you visit it using the computer, mobile terminal or other equipment from which you access the Internet, customizing certain settings (language, country, prices displayed in national currency etc.), allowing access to the website etc.

Cookies provide the website holders with a valuable feedback on how their websites are used by users, so as to make them more efficient and more accessible for users and be able to include applications or features in the website that create an easier, more useful and more pleasant browsing experience.

3. What are Cookies used for?

Cookie files make possible recognition of user’s terminal and presenting the content in a relevant manner, adapted to user’s preferences.

Cookies ensure for users a pleasant browsing experience and support the efforts of Ameropa Grains S.A. to provide comfortable services to users, e.g.: – preferences in terms of online privacy or relevant advertising. Also, they are used to prepare aggregate anonymous statistics that help us understand how a user benefits from our web pages, allowing us to improve their structure and content, excluding the personal identification of the user.

4. What Cookies do we use?

We use two types of Cookies: session cookies and persistent cookies.

Session cookies are temporary files that are active and remain in the user’s terminal until the session is terminated or the application is closed (the web browser).

Persistent cookies are files stored, depending on the predetermined duration, on the storage medium of a computer or equipment. Persistent cookies include those placed by another website than the one visited by the user at the time – known as “third party cookies” – which can be used anonymously to memorize the interests of a user, so as to deliver more relevant advertising for users.

5. How are Cookies used by this website?

A visit on this Website can place Cookies for the following purposes:

• Website performance Cookies
• Visitor analysis Cookies
• Geotargetting Cookies
• Advertising Cookies

These Cookies may be our own or come from third parties, such as Google Analytics, Facebook or other platforms/websites that monitor your activity for marketing purposes.

Performance Cookies

This type of Cookie retains the user’s preferences on this website, so that it is no longer necessary to set them up with each website visit. For example: setting the volume for video player, the video streaming speed with which the browser is compatible.

Visitor analysis Cookies

Each time when a user visits this website the analytics software provided by a third party generates a user analysist Cookie. This Cookie tells us whether you have visited this website before. The browser will tell us if you have this Cookie and, if not, we will generate one. It allows us to monitor unique users who visit us and how often they do it. As long as you are not registered on this website, this Cookie cannot be used to identify natural persons, being used only for statistical purposes. If you are registered we could also know the details you have provided to us, such as the e-mail address and the username – which are subject to privacy and the provisions of the Privacy Policy and the provisions of the legislation in force regarding the protection of personal data.

Geotargetting Cookies

These Cookies are used by a software that determines the country you come from. It is completely anonymous and is used only to target the content – even when you are on our page in Romanian or in another language you receive the same advertising.

You may refuse the use of Cookies on this website and in this case refusal or deactivation of Cookies may make certain functions on this website to be impracticable or difficult to visit and use.

Also, you may delete the Cookies at any moment through the settings of the browser used.

6. Do Cookies contain personal data?

Cookies themselves do not require personal information to be used and, in most cases, do not personally identify Internet users.

Personal data collected by using Cookies may only be collected to facilitate certain features for the user. Such data is encrypted in a way that makes it impossible for unauthorized persons to access it.

7. Deleting Cookies

In general, an application used to access web pages allows Cookies to be saved on the terminal by default. These settings can be changed so that the automatic management of Cookies is blocked by the web browser or the user to be informed each time when Cookies are sent to his/her terminal. Detailed information on the possibilities and methods of manage Cookies can be found in the settings area of the application (the web browser).

Limiting the use of Cookies may affect certain features of the web page.

8. Why are Cookies important for the Internet?

Cookies represent the central point of the efficient functioning of the Internet, helping to generate a friendly browsing experience and adapted to the preferences and interests of each user.

Deactivation and refusal to receive Cookies may make certain websites impracticable/inaccessible or difficult to visit and use.

Refusal or deactivation of Cookies does not mean you will no longer receive online advertising – but only that it will no longer be able to take into account your preferences and interests, highlighted through your browsing behavior.

Examples of important uses of Cookies (which do not require user authentication through an account):

• Content and services adapted to user preferences – categories of products and services.
• Offers adapted to user interests – remembering passwords.
• Retaining child protection filters on Internet content (family mode options, safe search functions).
• Limiting the frequency of advertising dissemination – limiting the number of times an advertising is displayed for a particular user on a website.
• Provision of advertising more relevant for the user.
• Measurement, optimization and analytics features – such as confirming a certain level of traffic on a website, what kind of content is viewed and how a user reaches a website (e.g. through search engines, directly, from other websites etc.). Websites run these analyzes of their use to improve the websites for users’ benefit.

9. Security and confidentiality issues

Cookies are NOT viruses! They use plain text formats. They are not made up of pieces of code so they cannot be executed nor can they self-run. Consequently, they cannot duplicate or replicate on other networks to run or replicate again. As they cannot fulfill these functions, they cannot be considered viruses.

Still, Cookies can be used for negative purposes. As they store information about the preferences and browsing history of users, both for a certain website and on several other websites, Cookies can be used as a form of Spyware. Many anti-spyware products are aware of this and constantly mark Cookies to be deleted within anti-virus/anti-spyware delete/scan procedures.

In general, browsers have integrated privacy settings that provide various levels of Cookie acceptance, validity period and automatic deletion after the user has visited a particular website.

Other security aspects related to Cookies:

As identity protection is very valuable and represents the right of each Internet user, it is indicated to know what potential problems Cookies may cause.

Because information is constantly transmitted in both ways between browser and website, if an attacker or unauthorized person intervenes during the data transmission, the information contained in the Cookie may be intercepted.

This can happen, for example, if the browser connects to the server using an unencrypted network (e.g. an unsecured Wi-Fi network).

Other attacks based on Cookie involve incorrect Cookie settings on servers. If a website does not request the browser to use only encrypted channels, the attackers may use this vulnerability to trick the browsers into sending information through unsecured channels. Attackers then use the information in order to access in an unauthorized manner certain websites.

It is very important that you pay attention to the choice of the most suitable method of personal information protection.

10. Advice for safe and responsible browsing, based on Cookies.

Due to their flexibility and the fact that most of the most visited and largest websites use Cookies, they are almost unavoidable.

Here are some tips that can ensure you browse without worry but with the help of Cookies:

• Customize your browser settings in terms of Cookies to reflect a comfortable level for you of Cookie use security.
• If you are not bothered by Cookies and you are the only person who uses the computer, you can set long expiry terms for the storage of browsing history and personal access data.
• If you share access to the computer, you may consider setting the browser to erase the individual browsing data each time when you close the browser. This is an option to access the websites that place Cookies and delete any visiting information upon terminating the browsing session.
• Install and constantly update antispyware apps.

Many of the applications for spyware detection and prevention include the detection of attacks on websites. Thus, the browser prevents you from accessing websites that could exploit the vulnerabilities of the browser or download dangerous software.

Make sure your browser is always updated to the latest version.

Many of the Cookie-based attacks are made exploiting the weaknesses of the older versions of browsers.

Cookies are everywhere and cannot be avoided if you want to enjoy access to the Internet sites – local or international. With a clear understanding of how they work and of the benefits they bring, you can take the necessary security measures so that you can confidently browse the Internet.

It is possible to set from the browser that these Cookies are no longer accepted or you can set the browser to accept Cookies from a certain website. But, for example, if you are not registered using Cookies, you cannot make comments.

All modern browsers provide the possibility to change Cookie settings. These settings are usually found in “options” or in the “preference” menu of your browser.

To understand these settings, the following links may be useful; otherwise, you can use the “help” option of the browser for more details.

Cookie settings in Internet Explorer

Cookie settings in Firefox

Cookie settings in Chrome

Cookie settings in Safari

For settings of Cookies generated by third parties, you can also consult the website:

http://www.youronlinechoices.com/ro/ where you will find more information on privacy regarding online advertising.

For information about the use of cookies used by Google Analytics you can visit https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/analyticsjs/cookie-usage

Ameropa SA uses the services of the following third parties to provide functionalities, for analysis and for advertising. It is possible that these third parties set and use similar cookies and/or technologies on websites and in applications operated by Ameropa SA, as well as on websites and in applications other than those operated by Ameropa SA.

For more details, see the data protection policies and the guidelines on user preference management and the possibilities for deactivation provided by companies that manage these services, as appropriate.

Google Analytics
Category: Analysis
Purpose: Web analytics
Policies: https://www.google.com/analytics/terms/gb.html, https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245

Google Maps API
Category: Functionality
Purpose: Display of Ameropa SA location
Policies: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Facebook
Category: Advertising
Purpose: Remarketing
Policies: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/explanation

11. Useful links

If you want to learn more information about Cookies and how they are used, we recommend the following links:

All About Cookies

https://www.youronlinechoices.com/ro/

12. Amendments and updates to this cookie policy

This cookie policy may be amended depending on the legal regulations or to follow the recommendations provided by the National Supervisory Authority for Personal Data Processing.

If you need more information and it could not be found in the information presented, you can contact us directly at:

e-mail: grains.ro.privacy@ameropa.com