Privacy Policy

1.1. This is the privacy policy of PIA Group (hereinafter "PIA Group", "we" or "us"). Our contact and company details can be found in article 3 below.

1.2. We attach great importance to your privacy. We take all appropriate measures to protect your personal data in accordance with the applicable data protection legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

1.3. This privacy policy applies to the processing of your personal data by PIA Group via our website available at [hyperlink]. This privacy policy explains, among other things, which personal data we process via the website, how we do this, why we do this, which rights you have as a data subject and with whom we may share your data. We try to inform you in a transparent way.

We advise you to read this privacy policy carefully. You can consult this policy at any time under the heading 'Privacy Policy' on our website.

For questions or requests, please send an e-mail to privacy@pia.be.

1.4. Attention. This policy does not cover any privacy policies, statements or terms and conditions of any third parties or any websites referenced by hyperlinks on our website.

1.5. We may change this privacy policy at any time. Therefore, please consult it regularly. The amended privacy policy will be announced on our website.

1.6. This privacy policy is subject to Belgian law. Only the courts of Ghent (Ghent section(s)) are competent in case of a dispute.

Wij (PIA Group). Wij zijn de zgn. ‘verwerkingsverantwoordelijke’ om het met een moeilijk woord te duiden. Dit betekent dat wij het doel en de middelen van de verwerking bepalen en instaan  voor de rechtmatige en correcte verwerking van jouw persoonsgegevens via onze website

4.1. PIA Group processes the following personal data from you via the website:

4.2. PIA Group kan jouw gegevens rechtstreeks van jou ontvangen, bv. omdat je ze bezorgt via het contactformulier op onze website. Ook kunnen wij jouw persoonsgegevens verwerken via cookies op onze website. Onze cookie policy kan je raadplegen op: Cookie Policy – PIA Group.

5.1. PIA Group processes your personal data for the following purposes:

– Contact, information:
We process your personal data via the website in order to contact you, to process and answer any questions you may have and to provide you with the necessary information and details about PIA Group, our members/affiliated accountancy offices, our services, our website or other information related to our services or activities.

The processing of your data for these purposes is based on the legitimate interests of PIA Group, if and to the extent that these interests override your (privacy) rights or interests.

If you fail to provide certain personal information, such as your identification data, it is possible that we will not be able to contact you, provide you information or provide any services to you.

– Direct marketing:
Your personal data may be used for direct marketing purposes. We can send you commercial and advertising messages or emails, e.g. in the form of a newsletter, about PIA Group, its accountancy offices, our services and activities or other information which could be interesting or useful to you.

If you are a member of PIA Group or a client of one or more of iour affiliated accountancy offices, for the processing of your personal data for direct marketing purposes we can rely on our legitimate interests, which may override your (privacy) rights or interests as you can reasonably except such processing. If you are not a member or client, your prior consent is required for unsolicited electronic or digital marketing messages and/or processing of your personal data for direct marketing purposes (e.g. via our website by [opt-in]). Your consent is, where applicable, free and can be withdrawn at any time (e.g. by unsubscribing as provided for in the newsletter or in the e-mail itself or by sending an e-mail with your unsubscription request to privacy@pia.be).

If you wish that we no longer process your personal data for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time (unsubscribe or oppose to such processing), free of charge and without assigning any reasons (see also section 8.3 below). To opt-out you can always contact PIA Group: privacy@pia.be.

– Ensuring the optimal functioning of our website:
When you visit or consult the PIA Group website, we may process certain electronic data, such as cookies and IP addresses (see also section 4.1 above). Cookies facilitate the interaction between you as a visitor and our website and are used to improve the user experience and for the gathering of statistics among the visitors of our website. Cookies also make it possible to store your personal settings and preferences or for images and sound to be played. Certain cookies may be placed by a third party, e.g. for measuring the use of our website.

You can find more information about the use of cookies in our cookie policy: Cookie Policy – PIA Group.

– We may process your data for possible transmission to third parties such as our web administrator or hosting provider or other IT partners in the context of the use of the website for the execution of the above mentioned points.

– We may process your data to comply with applicable legislation or lawful requests or orders by supervisory authorities, courts or government agencies.

5.2. The processing of your data via the PIA Group website is not subject to so-called "automated individual decision-making" or profiling.

6.1. Your data will also be processed by our partners, service providers or suppliers with whom we cooperate in connection with the website, e.g. our web administrator(s), hosting provider(s) and/or IT partners who will only process your data in connection with your visit to and use of the website.

6.2. We shall not be liable for the processing of your data by third parties not acting on behalf of PIA Group, but for which they are responsible themselves.

6.3. PIA Group may be obliged to provide or process your data on the basis of a legal obligation and/or following a request to do so from supervisory authorities or government bodies.     

Your data will not be transferred outside the EU/EEA.

We will not keep, collect, handle or process your data longer than necessary for the purposes described in section 5 above, unless retention or processing is subject to specific legal provisions. For more information on the retention periods for data processed through cookies on our website. Specific statutory retention periods may apply to certain data. In any case, the general principle always applies that we do not keep your data longer than necessary. If your personal data is no longer needed for the purposes intended, we will delete or anonymise it if necessary.

9.1. You have the right to be informed about the processing of your data through the website. This is communicated to you via this privacy policy. You can also request us to provide you with additional information at any time (via privacy@pia.be).

9.2. You have the right to request:
– access to your data.
You may obtain one copy of the requested information free of charge. If you request additional copies, we may charge you a reasonable fee as an administrative expense.

– correction of your data (if necessary);

– deletion of your personal data if:

-       restriction of processing that relates to you in cases specified in the applicable data protection legislation.
You have the right to request a restriction on the processing of your data if

9.3. You have the right to object to the processing of your data.
You have the right to object, at any time and free of charge, to the processing of your data for direct marketing purposes (see also section 5.1 above).

9.4. You have the right to the data portability (transfer of your data to another data controller (if applicable), but it is only possible if our processing is based on your consent or if the processing is carried out by automated means.

9.5. If the processing of your personal data is based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

9.6. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Authority (Drukpersstraat 35, 1000 Brussels - T: +32(0)2 274 48 00 - E: contact@apd-gba.be). In the event of a complaint, you can always contact PIA Group: privacy@pia.be.  

9.7. The exercise of your rights, as set out above, is always subject to the requirements and conditions set out in the applicable data protection legislation (such as the GDPR).

9.8. To exercise your rights, you can simply send a request to PIA Group at privacy@pia.be. In doing so, you must identify yourself adequately. If we have any reason to doubt your identity, we may ask you for additional information in order to verify and confirm your identity. Generally, we will request a copy of your identity card in order to verify who is actually making the request. Please ensure that any information or data not required for the verification and confirmation of your identity is blacked out or otherwise removed or rendered illegible.