E3P Cookies Policy

What are cookies?

A cookie is a small text file that a website stores on your computer or mobile device when you visit the site.

  • First party cookies are cookies set by the website you’re visiting. Only that website can read them. In addition, a website might potentially use external services, which also set their own cookies, known as third-party cookies.
  • Persistent cookies are cookies saved on your computer and that are not deleted automatically when you quit your browser, unlike a session cookie, which is deleted when you quit your browser.

Every time you visit the Commission’s websites, you will be prompted to accept or refuse cookies.

The purpose is to enable the site to remember your preferences (such as user name, language, etc.) for a certain period of time.

That way, you don’t have to re-enter them when browsing around the site during the same visit.

Cookies can also be used to establish anonymised statistics about the browsing experience on our sites.

How do we use cookies?

European Commission websites mostly use “first-party cookies”. These are cookies set and controlled by the Commission, not by any external organisation.

However, to view some of our pages, you will have to accept cookies from external organisations.  

The 3 types of first-party cookie we use are to:

  • store visitor preferences
  • make our websites operational
  • gather analytics data (about user behaviour)

Visitor preferences

These are set by us and only we can read them. They remember:

  • if you have agreed to (or refused) this site’s cookie policy
  • if you have already replied to our survey pop-up (about how helpful the site content was) – so you won't be asked again
NameServicePurposeCookie type and duration
eu_cookie_consentCookie consent kitStores your cookie preferences (so you won’t be asked again)First-party session cookie deleted after you quit your browser
Ecsi, Eurostat-SearchFeedbackWebsite survey toolsStores information on whether you have already replied to a survey pop-up – so you won't be asked again.First-party persistent cookie, 1 month
cck3Cookie consent kitStores your preferences for 3rd-party cookies (so you won't be asked again)First-party session cookie deleted after you quit your browser
cck1Cookie consent kitStores your cookie preferences (so you won’t be asked again)First-party persistent cookie, 6 months
eu_optoutCookie consent kitStores your opting out preferences (so you won’t be asked again)First-party persistent cookie, 6 months

Operational cookies

There are some cookies that we have to include in order for certain web pages to function. For this reason, they do not require your consent. In particular:

  • authentication cookies
  • technical cookies required by certain IT systems

Authentication cookies

These are stored when you log in to a Commission site, using our authentication service (EU Login). When you do this, you accept the associated privacy policy.

NameServicePurposeCookie type and duration
MyECASDomainIdentity Management ServiceRemembers your domainFirst-party session cookie, deleted after you quit your browser
__Secure_CASTGCIdentity Management ServiceIdentifies your sessionFirst-party session cookie, deleted after you quit your browser
__Secure_ECAS_SESSIONIDIdentity Management ServiceIdentifies the current Central Authentication Service sessionFirst-party session cookie, deleted after you quit your browser
ECAS_PREFSIdentity Management Service

Remembers your settings and preferences:

user id, user name, acknowledged cookie policy, high contrast mode, privacy mode, view account details after login, last strength selected

First-party session cookie, deleted after you quit your browser

The names of these cookies may change, for technical reasons (particularly __Secure-CASTGC and __Secure-ECAS_SESSIONID).

Technical cookies

NameServicePurposeCookie type and duration
has_jsCorporate content management platform, based on Drupal open source software

Determines whether Javascript is enabled in your browser.

This allows our websites to function properly.

First-party session cookie, deleted after you quit your browser
SESS+md5PHP IT platform / Drupal CMSMaintain a secure session for you, during your visit.First-party session cookie, deleted after you quit your browser

Analytics cookies

We use these purely for internal research on how we can improve the service we provide for all our users.

The cookies simply assess how you interact with our website – as an anonymous user (the data gathered does not identify you personally).

Also, this data is not shared with any third parties or used for any other purpose. The anonymised statistics could be shared with contractors working on communication projects under contractual agreement with the Commission.

However, you are free to refuse these types of cookies – either via the cookie banner you’ll see on the first page you visit or at Europa Analytics.

NameServicePurposeCookie type and duration
_pk_id#Corporate web analytics service, based on Matomo open source softwareRecognises website visitors (anonymously – no personal information is collected on the user).First-party persistent cookie, 13 months
_pk_ses#Corporate web analytics service, based on Matomo open source software

Identifies the pages viewed by the same user during the same visit.

(anonymously – no personal information is collected on the user).

First-party persistent cookie, 30 minutes

How can you manage cookies?

Removing cookies from your device

You can delete all cookies that are already on your device by clearing the browsing history of your browser. This will remove all cookies from all websites you have visited.

Be aware though that you may also lose some saved information (e.g. saved login details, site preferences).

Managing site-specific cookies

For more detailed control over site-specific cookies, check the privacy and cookie settings in your preferred browser

Blocking cookies

You can set most modern browsers to prevent any cookies being placed on your device, but you may then have to manually adjust some preferences every time you visit a site/page. And some services and functionalities may not work properly at all (e.g. profile logging-in).

Managing our analytics cookies

You can manage your preferences concerning cookies from Europa Analytics on the dedicated Europa Analytics page.

 

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