Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy Meteca SA

This privacy policy sets out how Meteca SA, a company based in Mendrisio, Switzerland (‘METECA’ or ‘us’),
uses and protects personal data provided when using this website or when purchasing and using our products or services.
METECA undertakes to guarantee the protection of the privacy of its users. If you are asked to provide information that could allow user identification as a result of the use of this website or of the purchase or use of our products or services, we guarantee that these will be processed and used in accordance with this privacy policy.
METECA reserves the right to change this privacy policy from time to time. We recommend that users regularly check this page to ensure that they are always up-to-date in regards to data processing performed by METECA.

Who is the data controller?

Meteca SA
Via alla Torre, 2

6850 Mendrisio
Switzerland
e-mail: info@meteca.org

What data does METECA collect?

We can collect the following information about the user, which is usually provided by the user:

  • name and professional title
  • contacts including home, professional and e-mail address
  • other information provided by the user when using our website or services (including information provided – using any contact form made available on our website)
  • information regarding services and products purchased or obtained by the user over time
  • other information concerning the user’s relation with us, including payment information, invoicing information and products shipping information
  • other information relevant to market surveys and/or special offers

What does METECA do with the information collected?

Data processing takes place mainly to provide our services, products and documentation to users, to perform the contractual obligations and to improve the quality of our services. Specifically, we process users’ personal data for the following purposes:

  • Providing the service and/or products requested by the user and to perform the contract, in particular in relation to the subscription to newsletters and to the download or purchase of our publications and other products and services. In this case, data processing is performed to fulfill the contractual obligations between METECA and the user.
  • Providing users with information about the activities of METECA, new and existing products or services, participation to events and other news that may be of interests to the users. Providing such updates as well as information on the availability of new products is part of the service we provide. We also believe that it is in the legitimate interest of METECA to offer to our users news and products that may be of interest to them, including the opportunity to order new products. However, the user may at any time request METECA to stop receiving such communications. The user can easily forward this request to the contacts indicated above or follow the instructions that will be included in every communication sent to the user.
  • Using information to improve our products and services and our website: the analysis of the purchase of our products, and the use of our website, allows us to improve our products and services, and provide adapted services to meet the users’ expectations. This type of data processing is justified by the legitimate interest of METECA to improve its products and services, which ultimately benefits users.
  • From time to time, subject to user consent, we may contact the user by e-mail or telephone in order to further investigate specifically how the product is used and evaluate any need for improvement/expansion of the services or products.

Who has access to and receives user data?

Within METECA, employees who need user data to fulfill our contractual and legal obligations will have access to them. Service providers and auxiliaries (including METECA
affiliated companies) appointed by us may also have access to the data for the purposes indicated above. These include IT, logistics, consulting and sales companies.
METECA does not sell, distribute, or otherwise make available to third parties (for the pursuit of their own purposes) personal data of users except with express consent of the user, or in case there is a legal obligation to communicate them.

Are user data transferred abroad?

As part of our relationship with you, we may disclose, transfer and/or store personal data abroad (i) to conclude or execute contracts directly or indirectly related to our business relationship with you, (ii) when communication is necessary to safeguard a prevailing public interest, or (iii) in exceptional cases provided for by applicable laws.

Data transfer abroad may include transfer to jurisdictions that i) ensure an adequate level of data protection for the rights and freedom of the subjects in relation to data processing, ii) benefit from adequacy decisions related to their level of protection (i.e. adequacy decisions by the European Commission or the Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner) or iii) do not benefit from such adequacy decisions, and do not provide an adequate level of data protection, in particular to the United States. In the latter case, METECA ensures that adequate safeguard measures are in place, for example using data protection standard contractual clauses established by the European Commission.

For more information on international transfers or appropriate guarantees, you can of course contact us (info@meteca.org).

Are the data processed securely?

We are committed to ensuring the security of the data we process. In order to prevent unauthorized access or disclosure, we have put in place adequate physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and protect the information collected.

How are cookies and Google Analytics used?

Our website may use technical cookies. A cookie is a small file that asks permission to be placed on the hard drive of the user’s computer. Unless this function is deactivated on the user’s browser, the file will be added and the cookie will help analyze web traffic, and let us know when you visit a specific website.

The cookies in use on our website allow web applications to respond to the user as an individual. The web application can offer customized services depending on the user’s needs and tastes, collecting and storing information about his/her preferences.

Overall, cookies help us provide a better website, allowing us to monitor which pages users find useful, and which they do not. Cookies do not give us access to computers, or provide information about users, besides the data that users choose to share with us.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most browsers automatically accept cookies, but usually everyone can change their browser settings to refuse cookies if they prefer so. However, this could prevent you from taking full advantage of the website and its functions.

This website uses Google Analytics, a web-analysing service by Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, California 94043, USA (“Google”). Google Analytics uses cookies. The information created by this cookie regarding the usage of this website (including the IP addresses) is sent to, and saved onto, a Google server in the USA. If you activate IP-anonymity on this website, within Member States of the European Union or the European Economic Area or in Switzerland, your IP address will be shortened by Google beforehand. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transferred to a Google server in the USA and truncated there. Google will use this information to analyse the usage of the website, compile reports on the web traffic for the website owners and provide other services related to the usage of the website and the Internet. Furthermore, Google will send this information to third parties only if required by law or if third parties will process this information on behalf of Google. The IP address disclosed by the user’s web browser in the context of Google Analytics will not be merged with all the other data compiled by Google. By using this website, you agree to the processing of your data collected by Google in the manner described above and for the aforementioned purpose.

Is there any use of links to other websites or to external services?

Our website may include materials and information from third-party suppliers, such as advertising material, news, social media interfaces, etc. This content and all related functionalities are not controlled by us, and we are not responsible for how third-party suppliers might use personal data collected during user visits to materials and information provided by said third-party suppliers. Users must refer to information on the privacy policy of the relevant third-party supplier.

Our website contains in particular links to our pages and/or publications on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube. Please be aware that, when the user follows said links and leaves our site, we have no control over the data processing performed on such other websites. Therefore, we cannot be held responsible for the protection and privacy of the information provided during the visit of these sites or for the personal data collection performed by means of tracking tools used on such websites. The data processing on such websites is not governed by this privacy statement, but by the privacy policy applicable to the relevant website.

Furthermore, in the case of user contributions on the METECA pages of social media sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn, METECA is not responsible for the processing of personal data by these sites. Any information that the user provides through the use of these features is governed by the appropriate privacy policy of the relevant third-party supplier, and not by this document. We have no control over this, and we are not responsible for how third-party suppliers might use information provided through this functionality.

What are the rights of users regarding their personal data?

Each user has the following rights:

  • the right to access personal data and to receive a copy;
  • the right to rectify incorrect personal data;
  • the right to erase data in the event that they are no longer necessary in relation to the purposes for which – they were collected or processed, or when their processing is no longer lawful for other reasons (in this case, this right is however limited by the duration of data retention mentioned in the following chapter);
  • the right to request processing limitation (pursuant to the conditions provided for by data protection regulations);
  • the right to object to data processing. Despite the user’s opposition, METECA may nevertheless continue to process the data if the processing (i) is imposed by a legal obligation, (ii) is necessary to fulfill the contractual obligations with the user or (iii) is necessary to pursue the legitimate interests of METECA (i.e. preparing a legal dispute). On the other hand, the right to object is not limited if the user objects to receiving communications from METECA relating to products and services;
  • where applicable, the right to data portability, i.e. the right to request that personal data be transferred to the customer or other data controller in electronic format.

Where applicable, individual users also have the right to lodge a complaint with a competent authority for data protection.

The user can finally withdraw consent to the processing of personal data granted to METECA at any time. Please note that the revocation of consent will have no effect on the validity of data processing prior to revocation.

The aforementioned rights may be exercised by e-mail (to info@meteca.org) or by letter.

What is the duration of data retention?

We will process and store the personal data of users for as long as necessary in order to comply with our contractual and legal obligations. We will delete or make personal data anonymous once they are no longer necessary to achieve the aforementioned purposes, unless (i) any applicable legal or regulatory provision regarding the retention of personal data requires retention for a longer period or (ii) conservation is necessary to prepare, exercise or defend against actual or potential legal actions, investigations or similar procedures.

Do we use automated decision-making processes or profiling methods?

In the constitution and execution of contractual relations with the user, METECA does not use any automated decision-making process and does not use profiling methods. If in individual cases we should use these procedures, we will give you appropriate communication where required by law.

Clauses and services

Privacy Policy