Protection of personal data

The following information relates to the protection of your personal data. This is the data that allows you to be identified, directly or indirectly, such as your first name, surname, e-mail address and IP address.

Personal data is collected when:

  • You surf on the pages of the Federal Public Service Economy, S.M.E.s, Self-employed and Energy. In your browser, those pages begin with “https://economie.fgov.be”. When a link takes you to another website, a portal site, an online application or a social network, you must check the terms and conditions for the processing of personal data used by those responsible for those websites or services.
  • You contact us (by phone, e-mail, social media).

You are protected in accordance with:

  1. Legal bases and purposes of the processing operations

    Personal data is collected and processed with the aim of:

    • Informing you
    • Answering your questions
    • Handling the files and records that concern you


    Data is also collected and processed anonymously: 

    • For statistical and qualitative purpose, with the aim of improving our services
    • To provide you with an answer in your language


    If your request for information or services is intended for another department, we provide you with the particulars of that department and you are free to choose whether or not to contact them.

  2. Processed data

    In the three situations listed in the table below, personal data is collected and processed automatically.

    Situations

    Data collected and processed

    You visit one or more pages

    IP address

    You contact us through an electronic form or e-mail

    Surname, first name and e-mail address that you have provided

    Exchange of e-mails through the contact form and exchanging messages

    Meta data that may or may not be related to your e-mail

    You contact us on social media The information on your profile on social media according to your privacy settings on this social media

    The other personal data that may be processed is listed in the data processing register.

    Data that is not of a personal nature is automatically collected without linking it to your IP address and therefore with respect for your privacy. It is used to generate statistics and to improve the content of the portal site:

    • Language selection
    • Search engine used
    • Keywords used
    • The website from which you came
    • The pages you viewed
    • The duration of each page view
    • The list of files downloaded
    • The date and time of access
    • The browser used
    • The platform and/or operating system installed on your computer
  3. Storage duration

    The data are kept for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which they are processed. In exceptional cases, such as a legal procedure, these personal data may be kept longer.

    The data kept for archival purposes in the public interest may also be kept for longer than is necessary for the purposes for which they are processed. Even in the case of personal data, the law on Archives applies.

    In order to determine which documents, databases, etc. are to be transferred to the National Archives of Belgium, it is necessary to refer to the sorting table of the Federal Public Service Economy, SMEs, Self-Employed and Energy or FPS Economy (select FPS Economy: all the sorting lists are listed by Directorate-General and Support Service).

  4. Use of cookies

    To learn more about our use of cookies, see our Cookie Policy.

  5. Security

    The Federal Public Service Economy, S.M.E.s, Self-employed and Energy guarantees the security (integrity and confidentiality) of your personal data. It is protected against unauthorised access, unauthorised use, loss and unauthorised changes.

    To this end, we use security methods and procedures that we will not describe in detail here for security reasons. 

    Please note: Appropriate physical, technical and organisational measures are taken to guarantee a level of security that is appropriate with regard to the risks.

  6. Right of inspection, modification, limitation, objection and deletion

    You have certain rights relating to the personal data that we use: the right of inspection, the right of modification, the right to object and the right to have data deleted.

    Your application will be processed within 30 calendar days. If your application is complex or if our department has to deal with a large number of applications, that period may be extended by 60 days.

    Please send an e-mail or letter to our Data Protection Officer together with a scanned copy or paper copy of your identity document containing your signature to the following address in order to exercise your rights:

    By e-mail:

    DPO@economie.fgov.be

    By post:

    FPS Economy, S.M.E.s, Self-employed and Energy
    Data Protection Officer - Chairman’s Office
    Office 9 B17
    Rue du Progrès 50
    1210 Brussels
  7. Complaints

    If you consider that the Federal Public Service Economy, S.M.E.s, Self-employed and Energy has not processed your personal data in accordance with the applicable regulations, you are entitled to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Authority:

    Data Protection Authority
    Rue de la Presse 35
    1000 Brussels

    E-mail : contact@apd-gba.be

  8. Contact

    For more information about our data protection policy, you can contact our Data Protection Officer

    By e-mail:

    DPO@economie.fgov.be

    By post:

    FPS Economy, S.M.E.s, Self-employed and Energy
    Data Protection Officer - Chairman’s Office
    Office 9 B17
    Rue du Progrès 50
    1210 Brussels