Policy on browser cookies

This note is intended to inform you about the characteristics and purposes of the cookies that we use. We also invite you to read our privacy policy which sets out rules regarding privacy protection which apply to our websites.

Our use of cookies

BNP Paribas Fortis uses on its websites, for a variety of reasons, session record-keepers known as ‘cookies’. There are two main types of cookie, which should be carefully distinguished: functional cookies and what are known as ‘convenience cookies’. Functional cookies are necessary for technical reasons, mainly to ensure proper, secure connection to the website. Convenience cookies on the other hand are used to record your preferences, either for statistics purposes or to facilitate, speed up and optimise your browsing session, or to be able to offer you a range of suitable products or services. The general aim of using cookies is therefore to ensure that you are able to use our websites to the best possible advantage and that we provide you with a high-quality service during your site visits.

This note is intended to inform you about the characteristics and purposes of the cookies that we use. We also invite you to read our Privacy Policy which sets out rules regarding privacy protection which apply to our websites.

What is a cookie

A ‘cookie’, variously known as a web cookie, browser cookie or HTTP cookie, is a small data file sent by the BNP Paribas Fortis sent to the hard disk of your computer or to any mobile device with Internet connection, such as a smartphone or a tablet. A cookie does not directly disclose your identity; it does however enable us to recognise the computer or device which you are using to browse the Internet.

Types of cookies

In addition to the legal distinction between functional cookies and convenience cookies, cookies may also be subdivided into categories according to their origin, function and lifetime.

First-party cookies: these are cookies set by BNP Paribas Fortis during your visit to our sites.
Third-party cookies: this refers to cookies that are set by a third party when you visit BNP Paribas Fortis websites, e.g. cookies set by Google, Twitter or Facebook.
Functional cookies: are used to ensure that the website functions properly. These include login cookies, registration cookies and language preference cookies. Functional cookies are first-party cookies.
Convenience cookies: these are set on the website for statistical, social or advertising purposes or to enable visitor profiling. The purpose of convenience cookies is basically to make your browsing session easier, more convenient and more enjoyable.

Cookies set for statistics purposes enable the site managers to see which website pages you have visited and to geographically locate the computer/device used, e.g. Google Analytics.
Cookies set for social purposes enable users to share website content on the social networks – Twitter, Facebook, et al – if they wish.
Cookies set for advertising purposes record the advertisements that have been displayed during a user’s browsing sessions and their frequency. A number of cookies of this kind are used by Google Analytics.

Convenience cookies may be either first-party or third-party cookies.

Persistent cookies: also known as ‘tracking cookies’, these outlast an individual session and remain on your hard disk for a predefined period of time or until you choose to delete them. They are activated each time you visit the website that set the cookie, e.g. cookies set by one of the social media. Persistent cookies are usually convenience cookies.
Session cookies: these enable the visitor to proceed quickly and easily around the site during a browsing session. A browsing session begins when the visitor opens his browser and ends when s/he closes the screen. Session cookies are temporary. As soon as you close the browser, all session cookies are deleted. Session cookies generally fall into the category of functional cookies.

To give you a example, the cookies set by Google Analytics are categorised as non-functional, third- party, persistent cookies.

For more info on cookies

The site http://www.allaboutcookies.org/ will provide you with more detail on how cookies work.
The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB), the digital marketers federation, has published a variety of useful information and advice on behavioural advertising and personal privacy: go to http://www.youronlinechoices.eu/.

What types of cookies

Functional cookies

These cookies are indispensable to the proper functioning of the website and they do not reveal your personal identity.
Thanks to these cookies, you do not have to re-enter certain types of information each time you log on to the site. These include language preference, font type, your user name, etc.

Name	Purpose	Lifetime	Details on use of the cookie
	Choice of language		This cookie enables our website to remember your language preferences and to display the homepage automatically in your language of choice whenever you visit us.
	Login or registration		This cookie enables our website to remember your user name and password and so to personalise your browsing session.
	Font type		This cookie enables our website to remember your choice of character font and so to personalise your browsing session.
	…

Convenience cookies

These cookies are set for statistics, advertising, social or profiling purposes.
They help to ensure that you will receive information that is most relevant and appropriate for you personally. You may also, for example, share this information on the social networks with a single click.

Name	Purpose	Lifetime	Set by	Details on use of the cookie
_utma	Statistics	2 years	Google Analytics	These cookies enable us to observe how you use our website, see where you’re based and so improve our site. This information is anonymous.
_utmb		30 mins
_utmc		Session
_utmz		6 months
	Statistics		comScore	These cookies enable us to observe how you use our website, see where you’re based and so improve our site. This information is anonymous.
	Social networks		Facebook
	Social networks		Twitter
	Geolocation
	Device recognition			This cookie can detect the type of device – computer type, smartphone, etc – used to log on to the website.

* Regarding cookies set by third parties – Google Analytics, among others – we suggest that you refer to the statements on their own websites (see hyperlinks above). Please note: BNP Paribas Fortis has no influence whatsoever either on the contents of these statements or on the actual content of the cookies set by these organisations.

Your consent

When you visit our website for the first time, we direct you to this policy, so that if you wish you may configure your browser so as to limit or block the use of cookies. We also inform you how to consent to their use. You are quite free to accept or reject the cookies. However, you should be aware that if you do refuse to accept cookies this might make your browsing session on our website less enjoyable, or even impossible if you reject functional cookies.
Whatever you decide to do, you can always alter your choice by clicking on the Cookies hyperlink to be found at the bottom of every page of our website.

Reconfiguring your browser

We would like to draw your attention to the fact that you can reconfigure your browser so as to change the parameters for accepting cookies. These parameters can generally be found in your browser’s Options or Settings menu. To obtain a clearer understanding of these parameters we suggest you use the links below or click on the Help tab in your browser: