COOKIES AND SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES POLICY
Introduction and Purpose of the Policy
This Policy is intended to inform visitors to our law firm’s website about the use of cookies and similar technologies for the storage and retrieval of data. The operation of these technologies within our online environment is dictated, on the one hand, by the need to ensure technical soundness and uninterrupted browsing and, on the other hand, by our intention to optimise users’ digital experience. All practices described below comply with the requirements of the applicable European Union and national legislation, in particular Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (General Data Protection Regulation), Law 4624/2019 and Law 3471/2006, as in force.
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files containing specific strings of characters and alphanumeric data. These files are sent by our website server and stored locally in the browser or terminal device used by each visitor, whether a computer, mobile phone or other smart device. Their primary function is to remember the user’s preferences, recognise the user’s device during future visits, and record certain information regarding interaction with the website’s content. In certain cases, alongside traditional cookies, technologies of a similar nature may also operate, such as local storage technologies, clear pixels and web beacons, which serve comparable technical, statistical or functional purposes and are subject to the same strict legal framework concerning the protection of personal data and the obligation to obtain consent.
Categories of Cookies We Use
For the sake of transparency, our law firm classifies the cookies it uses into four main categories, depending on the purpose they serve and the level of necessity attached to them. The first category concerns necessary cookies, which are regarded as technically indispensable for connecting to the website and providing the service expressly requested by the user. Without them, browsing the website, managing data security and accessing protected areas become practically impossible. The second category includes functionality cookies, which enable the website to remember the visitor’s choices, such as the interface language or the jurisdiction of interest, thus providing enhanced and personalised features. The third category consists of analytics and performance cookies, which collect anonymised or aggregated information about the way visitors interact with the website, such as the pages receiving the greatest volume of traffic and any error messages that may arise. Finally, the fourth category includes targeting and advertising cookies, which record the user’s online activity for the purpose of displaying content or advertisements aligned with the user’s interests, a technology which our firm uses with particular restraint and always subject to the strict condition of prior information and the data subject’s affirmative consent.
Legal Basis for Processing and Consent
The legal basis for the installation and operation of necessary cookies lies in Article 4(5) of Law 3471/2006, which permits such technical storage without the user’s prior consent, to the extent that it is necessary for the provision of the information society service expressly requested by the subscriber or user. For every category of cookies that is not strictly necessary for the technical operation of the website, their installation and use take place only following the user’s prior consent, in accordance with Article 4(5) of Law 3471/2006. To the extent that personal data are processed through such cookies, that processing is additionally governed by Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and by this Privacy Policy. Such consent is obtained through a specially configured choice-management mechanism, displayed in the form of a pop-up window during the user’s first visit to the website. Through that window, the user is invited to make an active and affirmative choice as to which categories of cookies he or she wishes to enable, while being equally afforded the possibility of rejecting all non-essential cookies with the same ease as that with which they could be accepted.
Management of Settings and Withdrawal of Consent
Each user has the possibility to manage, modify and withdraw the consent already given at any time, without any charge. The visitor may readjust his or her choices through the permanent cookie-management link embedded at the bottom of every page of the website. In addition, most modern browsers allow comprehensive control of cookies through their central security and privacy settings. We nevertheless draw users’ attention to the fact that any voluntary disabling, deletion or blocking of necessary technical cookies through browser settings may substantially degrade the digital experience, cause malfunctions in the website’s responsiveness, or even prevent access to certain digital tools and sections of the platform, for consequences of this nature our law firm bears no liability.
Third-Party Technologies and Disclaimer of Liability
Certain cookies and similar technologies operating on our website may be placed, managed and analysed by independent third-party service providers, such as data technology companies, providers of statistical tools and social media platforms. Our firm contracts exclusively with providers that are contractually bound to comply strictly with the European legal acquis concerning the protection of personal data. It is, however, particularly important to note that such third-party providers may maintain their own independent privacy and data management policies. In cases where data collected through third-party cookies or similar technologies are transferred to servers located outside the European Economic Area, our law firm ensures that all necessary legal measures are taken, such as the adoption of standard contractual clauses, in order to safeguard the required level of protection. Nevertheless, our firm bears no liability for any culpable, arbitrary or unlawful further processing of such data by the third-party providers themselves, where such processing falls outside our technical and contractual control.
Updates to the Cookies Policy
Our law firm reserves the right to review, expand and amend this Cookies Policy whenever such action is deemed necessary for the purpose of alignment with the evolving legal environment. Any amendment to this Policy shall be posted in due time and with full clarity on this page, accompanied by the exact date of its latest update. We encourage every visitor to check this website regularly so as to remain continuously informed about the manner, purpose and extent of the use of cookies and similar technologies during browsing.