At VB Advocates we are committed to respecting your privacy and protecting your personal data. This privacy policy will inform you as to how we look after your personal data when you visit our website (www.vba.mt) (“the Website”), how we process your information, as well as how we keep such data secure. We also inform you about your privacy rights. This privacy policy is provided in a layered format so that you can find and click through to specific areas set out below.

1. ABOUT US

1.1 Scope of the Privacy Policy
This Privacy and Cookie Policy (the ‘Privacy Policy’) sets out the ways in which VB Advocates may use your personal data.

1.2 Contact Details
You may contact us using the following means:

a) By Post, using the Postal Address below:

VB Advocates,
52, St Christopher Street,
Valletta VLT 1462,
Malta

b) By telephone using the following number:

+356 2722 9236

c) By email:

info@vba.mt

2. ABOUT YOUR DATA

2.1 Data we process

The following is a list of the types of personal data we collect/process in your regard:

DATA CATEGORY	TYPE OF DATA	WHAT IT’S USED FOR	OUR LEGAL BASIS
Tracking Data Data about your use of the Website	IP address, geographical location, browser type and version, operating system, referral source, length of visit, page views, website navigation paths, and information about the timing, frequency and pattern of your use	For functionality, for security purposes, to analyse the use of the Website and to personalise and optimize content available to you on the Website	Legitimate interest
Communications Data Data provided to us when you send us an email to request information or when you complete a ‘Contact Us’ form	Name and surname, email address, IP address, and other information you may enter into the email or form	To reply to your queries about our firm and related services	Legitimate interest
Subscription Data Information that you provide to us for the purpose of subscribing to our email notifications and / or newsletters	Name and surname, email address, IP address	To send you information about our products, services and news	ConsentNOTE that you have the right to withdraw your consent, at any time, by clicking on the ‘unsubscribe’ link found in any marketing communications. You may also send an email to info@vba.mt for the purpose

2.2 Cookies and other tracking mechanisms

Like most websites, VB Advocates uses cookies to collect information. Cookies are small data files of letters and numbers that are stored in your browser or the hard drive of your computer and contain information that is transferred to your computer’s hard drive. We use cookies on our Website to improve its functionality and to allow us to constantly improve the Website. When you continue to browse this Website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

Please note that you can alter your preferences by blocking cookies at any time, by activating the setting on your browser that allows you to refuse the setting of all or some cookies. Keep in mind, however, that blocking all cookies or even some of them will have a negative impact on the usability and rendering of many websites, including our Website. If you block cookies, you will not be able to use all the features on the Website and might not be able to view it correctly in the way it was originally intended to be displayed. If you want to know more about cookies and how to manage them, visit: www.allaboutcookies.org

We use cookies as follows:

NAME	FUNCTION
Google Analytics	We use this cookie as a third-party service to collect standard internet log information and details of visitors to various parts of the site. This information is only processed in a way which does not identify anyone. We do not make, and do not allow Google to make, any attempt to find the identities of those visiting our Website.Google Privacy Policy:https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en
WordPress Stats	We use this cookie to be able to optimize our Website designs, gain insight on popular features, identify usage trends, track the delivery of our promotional content and, more generally, to know our market better.WordPress Privacy Policy:https://automattic.com/privacy/
Double Click	We use this cookie to track the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns. It enables Google to serve our adverts on other sites based on your browsing history on our page and engagement with our adverts.Google Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en
Double Click Ad Exchange	We use this cookie to log when users view specific pages or take specific actions on our Website. This allows us to provide targeted advertising in the future.Google Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en
GA Audiences	We use this cookie to re-engage visitors that are likely to convert to customers based on the visitor’s on-line behaviour across web sites.Google Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en
Smarter Click	We use this cookie to show online advertising to people in a focused way, led by how they have engaged with our Website.https://www.smarterclick.com/privacy-policy/

2.3  Retention of Data

We keep your personal data no longer than strictly necessary for the following purposes:

1. To realize the purpose for which your personal data was originally collected;
2. As required by a specific law which we may be subject to;
3. To manage any legal claims in relation to which such data may be required as evidence.

Most data is kept for 2 years. Transactional records may be kept for up to 10 years from the performance for a contract for accounting and VAT record purposes. Should you need to know the complete list of retention periods we adhere to with respect to indicated categories of personal data, please contact us on: info@vba.mt

2.4. Who has access to your Data

VB Advocates is a civil partnership established and domiciled in Malta. The majority of the service providers who are able to access the Website or any of the personal information collected from or relating thereto are located within the EEA and we have data processing agreements in place with these parties. These include email service providers, web developers, affiliates, SEO agents, product suppliers, delivery and logistics, providers of professional advice (compliance and accounting services) and providers of document, timekeeping and software management systems. Personal data that we hold is, at all times, on a strict ‘need to know’ basis.

3. ABOUT YOUR DATA PROTECTION RIGHTS

At any point in time during our processing of your data, you have the following rights. All requests in this regard may be made by sending an email to: info@vba.mt. We will also forward your request to relevant third parties mentioned above as required.

• Right of access – You can request a copy of the information that we hold about you.
• Right of rectification – You can ask us to correct data that we hold about you if it is inaccurate or incomplete.
• Right to be forgotten – In some situations, you may ask us to delete certain data we hold about you and we will always comply to the extent allowed or required by any applicable law.
• Right to restriction of processing – In some situations, you may ask us to restrict the processing of your data.
• Right of portability – You may ask us to transfer certain data we hold about you to another organization.
• Right to object – You have the right to object to certain types of processing, such as direct marketing.
• Right to object to automated processing, including profiling – You also have the right to object to the legal effects of automated processing or profiling.
• Right to complain about how your Personal Data is being processed by us (or third parties), or about how your complaint has been handled – You can lodge a complaint directly with the Office of the Information and Data Protection Commissioner (https://idpc.org.mt/) and with us (info@vba.mt)

4. GLOSSARY OF TERMS

• ‘EEA’ means the European Economic Area or all the countries which are party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area.
• ‘GDPR’ means the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and Council of 27^th April 2016 on the protection of personal data and on the free movement of such data.
• ‘Legitimate Interest’ means the interest of our business in conducting and managing our business to enable us to give you the best service / product and the best and most secure experience. We make sure we consider and balance any potential impact on you (both positive and negative) and your rights before we process your personal data for our legitimate interests.
• ‘Performance of Contract’ means processing your data where it is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are a party or to take steps at your request before entering into such a contract.
• ‘Professional Advisors’ include lawyers, auditors, bankers and insurers based in Malta who provide services which VB Advocates consults with. 

The version of this Privacy and Cookies Policy is currently Version 1.1 and was last updated on 1^st September 2024. This Policy applies to you until a new version is uploaded on the website and is accepted by you.