WHAT ARE COOKIES?

Cookies are small files downloaded to a device when websites are accessed. Cookies are used to store statistical information about users between sessions.

Mostly, cookies complete convenient tasks such as populating forms, keeping track of username so that users do not have to log into a website every time it is visited, and storing usage preferences.

Where used, these cookies are downloaded automatically, and stored on your computer.

Cookies are widely used to make websites work efficiently and to provide service information to the owners of the site.

COOKIES & HOW WE USE THEM

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users of our site. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you use our site and also allows us to improve our site.

We use the following cookies for the following purposes:

• Strictly necessary cookies. These are cookies that are required for the operation of our site. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of our site.
• Analytical/performance cookies. They allow us to recognise and count the number of visitors and to see how visitors move around our site when they are using it. This helps us to improve the way our site works, for example, by ensuring that users are finding what they are looking for easily.
• Functionality cookies. These are used to recognise you when you return to our site. This enables us to personalise our content for you and remember your preferences.
• Targeting cookies. These cookies record your visit to our site, the pages you have visited and the links you have followed to allow us to improve the page layout and navigation preferences.

You can block cookies by activating the setting on your browser that allows you to refuse the setting of all or some cookies. However, if you use your browser settings to block all cookies (including essential cookies) you may not be able to access all or parts of our site.

In order to optimise our service we apply Google Analytics and our own statistical analyses.

• Google Analytics is a web analysis service provided by Google, which is used for purposes of market research and ensuring that the service meets user requirements. Google Analytics uses “cookies”, which are placed on your computer to make it possible to analyse how you make use of the service. The information generated by the cookies about your use of the service (including your pseudonymised IP address) is as a rule transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States . Google uses this information in order to evaluate your use of the service and to create reports on activities for the operator of the service. Google may also transmit this information to third parties if this is prescribed by law, or if third parties process the data on behalf of Google. On no account will Google connect your IP address with other Google data. At https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de you can, with effect for the future, opt out of the recording and saving of your data at any time. In addition we use Google Analytics remarketing and reports on demographic features and interests in order to display to website visitors relevant advertisements on the partner websites of the Google display and search network. The saving of cookies makes it possible to analyse user behaviour and activate interest-based advertising.

USEFUL INFORMATION

• A number of websites provide detailed information on cookies, including AboutCookies.org and AllAboutCookies.org.
• The European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance website Your Online Choices allows you to install opt-out cookies across different advertising networks.
• Google has developed a browser add-on to allow users to opt-out of Google Analytics across all websites which use it. This is also available in the Chrome web store.
• Some browsers include a feature known as ‘Do Not Track’ or DNT. This allows you to indicate a preference that websites should not track you. However, whilst DNT is available in many browsers, websites are not required to recognise its request, so it may not always work. You can get help on how to use DNT in Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera.
• Internet Explorer has a feature called Tracking Protection Lists which allows you to import a list of websites you want to block.
• For more information on how private browsing works as well as its limitations, visit the support pages for your browser: Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari (mobile and desktop) and Opera.