Effective Date: 24 May 2018
Last Updated: 04 February 2025
Information about our use of cookies
During a visit to our website, cookies may be placed on the hard drive of the user's computer in order to better adapt the website to the needs of the returning user.
This cookie policy provides you with information about the cookies that Close the Gap uses and their purpose.
In our Cookie Policy,we share information about the following topics:
- What is a cookie?
- What kind of cookies are there?
- What cookies are used?
- How can you manage your consent to the use of cookies?
- Need more information about cookies?
1. What is a cookie?
A cookie is a small text and number file that is stored in the browser or on the hard disk of the user's computer. In this way it is possible to remember the preferences of the user when using the website.
Cookies do not perform any actions on the user's computer, they only provide his browser with additional information. Cookies actually work as 'memory supports' for websites. They can remember user settings and other data (a choice of language,login details, selected municipality...), but do not store names, addresses,ages or other personal data (except in some cases the user's IP address).
Unless the user has adjusted his browser settings so that those cookies will refuse, Close the Gap will place cookies as soon as the user visits the website, on condition that you have explicitly agreed to this in advance as a user.
2. What kind of cookies are there?
Cookies are subdivided according to their origin, function and lifetime.
Origin
First-party cookies are cookies that are placed by the website that the user is currently visiting.
Third-party cookies are cookies that are placed by a third party via a website when a user visits the website (e.g. cookies placed by Google,Twitter and Facebook).
Function
Necessary cookies are cookies that are essential to visit the website. Thanks to these cookies, you can, for example, navigate between the different parts of the website or fill in forms. If you refuse these cookies,some parts of the website may not work properly.
Functional cookies are cookies that ensure that the website functions properly (e.g. log-in cookies, language preferences, municipal selection window, etc.). Functional cookies are logically first-party cookies.
Non-functional cookies are cookies that are placed for statistical,social, targeting and commercial purposes. They have nothing to do with the mere technical support of the website. Non-functional cookies may be first-party or third-party cookies. Below you can find more information about the different purposes of these non-functional cookies.
- Cookies for statistical purposes make it possible to determine which pages of the website are visited, where a user's computer is located, ...
- Social cookies allow the user to share the content of the visited website directly with others via social media.
- Targeted cookies allow a profile to be built on the basis of a user's surfing behaviour so that the advertisements displayed are tailored to the user's interests.
- Cookies for commercial purposes keep track of how many and which advertisements have been shown to a user.
Lifetime
Permanent cookies: these cookies remain on the user's device for the duration determined in the cookie. They are activated each time the user visits the website that has placed this cookie (e.g. Cookies placed by social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Google Analytics...). Most non-functional cookies are permanent cookies.
Session cookies: these cookies allow you to simplify the actions of a user and to link them together during a browsing session. A browser session begins when a user opens the browser screen and ends when the user closes the browser screen. Session cookies are placed temporarily. As soon as the browser closes, all session cookies are deleted. Most functional cookies are session cookies.
3. What cookies are used?
Our website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. Google Analytics sets cookies to analyze how visitors interact with our website. These cookies collect information anonymously and report website trends without identifying individual visitors.
· utma:Tracks unique visitors and visit timestamps (2-year expiration).
· utmb& utmc: Work together to track sessions (30-minute/session expiration).
· utmz:Stores traffic source details (6-month expiration).
· utmv:Custom variable tracking (2-year expiration).
You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
4. How can you manage your consent to the use of cookies?
When you visit our website for the first time, you are asked to accept different types of cookies.In order to be able to use our website in the best possible way, the user must accept these cookies. You can change the cookie settings for our website at anytime and thus withdraw your consent by means of your browser settings. For further information on how to delete or block cookies, the user can visit the following website: www.allaboutcookies.org.
You block cookies by activating the browser setting which allows you to refuse to place cookies. However, if you use your browser settings to block those cookies, you may not be able to access (certain parts of) the website.
How to change your browser settings? Web browsers allow you to change cookie settings. These settings are usually found in the 'Options' or 'Preferences' menu of the web browser. The 'Help' function of the web browser gives the user more details about this.
5. Need more information about cookies?
Further useful information about cookies: www.allaboutcookies.org.The Digital Marketers' Association has produced a guide to online behavioural advertising and online privacy: www.youronlinechoices.eu.