Nowadays, a majority of websites use cookies in order to improve user experience. Even though the use of cookies is usually harmless, some people may perceive the cookie technology as intrusive and may wish to block certain or all cookies or even delete the cookies that have already been sent.

What is a cookie?

Cookies are small text files that are stored onto your computer or mobile device by the websites you visit. Cookies have various functions. Cookies help a website remember your settings, e.g. language, font size, and other settings that you made on your computer in relation to the viewing of a certain website so that you do not have to reconfigure the settings upon subsequent visits. In this way, websites may remember your preferences, the information that you already participated in a website’s survey, or merely the fact that you are already logged in to the website. Certain cookies are necessary for the functionality of the website (e.g. the login cookie, the shopping cart cookie) while others are aimed at improving user experience (e.g. by saving user preferences) or at monitoring website visits, thus helping the website administrator to continuously improve both the website and user experience. Some cookies allow for the tracking of users across multiple websites.
The cookies, therefore, simplify web browsing while facilitating a faster and more streamlined user experience. They are utilized by the vast majority of websites.

They contain website settings, profile information, and other data. We distinguish between the following two types of cookies:
– domain cookies are set by the domain of the website in the title bar;
– third-party cookies are from other sites present in the domain through various elements, such as advertisements or images.

To help you decide how to handle cookies, we have provided additional explanatory information. Please bear in mind that by using the website and supporting services you consent to the use of cookies.

The setting and storage of cookies

Cookies may be determined by the website you visit (“own cookies”) or by a third-party website that manages content on the website you are viewing (“cookies from elsewhere”).
Cookies can be stored for various lengths of time, only for the duration of the browsing session or for much longer.

Types of cookies

Cookies are a type of files created by the website you visit that are used to store data, ensuring that your subsequent visit provides you with a significantly improved and faster user experience. We distinguish between the following two types of cookies:
– Session cookies are created only temporarily and record the data during your browsing.  Once you close your browser window, these cookies are deleted.
– Persistent cookies remain on your computer or any other device and are activated every time you visit a website.

Different types of cookies

– Necessary cookies are essential to navigate the website and use its features or to provide the services you requested (for instance, to save the item you added into the on-line shopping cart). We do not need your permission to use these cookies.

– Functionality cookies enable the website to store your selections (such as username, language, and region you are located in) and provide you with improved and personalized functions (the website may, for instance, offer localized weather forecasts or traffic news using a cookie to store information about the region you are currently located in, and it may also store the changes you make with regards to font size, font type, and other parts of the website that are customizable and provide the services you demand, such as watching a video or making a blog comment). The data collected by these cookies can be rendered anonymous, and these cookies cannot track your browser activity on other websites.

– Implementation cookies collect data on how you use the website (for instance, which pages you visit more often and if you receive an error notification from them). These cookies do not collect information that identifies you. All information collected by these cookies is aggregated and therefore anonymous. This information is used solely to improve the performance of the website.

– Target cookies or third-party advertising cookies are used to deliver ads that are more relevant to you and your interests. They are also used to limit the number of times an individual ad is displayed as well as to help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They are usually installed by advertising networks with the permission of the website operator. They remember that you visited the website, and this information is passed on to other organizations (i.e. advertisers). Targeted or advertising cookies are often related to the functionality of a website provided by another organization. For more information on advertising cookies and on-line privacy, see the guide provided by the on-line advertising industry that is available at youronlinechoices.com.

Which cookies do we use?