Personal data protection policy
This policy is drawn up by : V3 AVOCATS VERGAUWEN, VENET & ASSOCIATES
Address: Rue Emile Claus 4, 1000 Brussels
Email : contact@v3avocats.be
ECB no.: BE 0660887823
Hereinafter referred to as “the firm” or “we”, “our”.
We are particularly attentive to the protection of personal data and respect for the privacy of any person brought into contact with us. We act in full transparency, in accordance with national and international provisions on the subject, in particular, Regulation (E.U.) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 27, 2016 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, repealing Directive 95/46/EC (hereinafter referred to as the “General Data Protection Regulation” or “GDPR”).
This data protection notice describes how we process your data and the rights you have as a data subject to exercise your rights in relation to your data.
It may be modified at any time, in particular to comply with any regulatory, legal or technological developments. We invite you to consult it regularly.
You can react to any of the practices described below by contacting us.
1. Why does the firm process personal data and what is the legal basis for our processing?
Depending on the data collected and processed and the categories of persons concerned, the purposes and legal basis of our processing differ.
The firm processes your data :
We process data in the context of requests (audits, consulting notes, opinions) and the defense of the interests of our customers, whether legal entities or individuals.
This treatment is necessary:
- fulfilling our legal obligations under the French Judicial Code, in particular for procedural acts (article 6.1.c. of the R.G.P.D.).
- performance of the contract binding us to our customers (article 6.1.b. of the R.G.P.D.)
We may also process sensitive data (special categories of personal data) whenever this is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims in accordance with the provisions of article 9 §2, f. of the R.G.P.D..
We process personal data for the purpose of fulfilling our contractual or pre-contractual obligations towards our customers, whether legal entities or individuals.
This treatment is necessary:
- the fulfillment of our legal obligations as set out in the Act of September 18, 2017 on the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing and the restriction of the use of cash, and in the Code of Ethics of Lawyers, in particular with regard to the fight against money laundering and terrorism (article 6.1.c. of the R.G.P.D.)
- performance of the contract binding us to our customers (article 6.1.b. of the R.G.P.D.)
We process data within the framework of the judgment appointing us as agent and the legal obligations arising therefrom.
This processing is necessary to meet our legal obligations.
We may also process sensitive data (special categories of personal data) whenever this is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims in accordance with the provisions of article 9 §2, f. of the R.G.P.D..
We process personal data to ensure the management of contacts within the framework of the syndic’s mission as a subcontractor of the A.C.P., either on the basis of the agreement which binds us to the latter, or on the basis of the Civil Code in its articles 3.83 and following (formerly 577-2 and following).
This treatment is necessary:
- the fulfilment of our legal obligations under articles 3.83 et seq. of the French Civil Code
- performance of the contract binding us to our customer (article 6.1.b. of the R.G.P.D.)
We process personal data to ensure that the mediation process runs smoothly, in particular by taking notes, producing reports and communicating with the parties.
This treatment is necessary:
- to meet our legal obligations.
- performance of the contract binding us to the parties (article 6.1.b. of the R.G.P.D.)
We may also process sensitive data (special categories of personal data) whenever this is necessary to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim in accordance with the provisions of article 9 §2, f. of the R.G.P.D.
We process personal data to establish our invoicing.
This processing is necessary to fulfill our legal obligations defined by the Economic Law Code and the VAT Code in tax and accounting matters (Article 6.1.c. of the RGPD).
We process personal data in order to respond to requests and/or questions that customers send us or service offers and resumes.
This processing is necessary to carry out pre-contractual measures (article 6.1.b. of the R.G.P.D.) with a view to enabling or facilitating a future contractual relationship.
We process personal data as part of our contractual obligations towards the customer.
This treatment is necessary:
- fulfilling our legal obligations under the French Tax and Accounting Code (article 6.1.c. R.G.P.D.).
- performance of the contract binding us to our customer (article 6.1.b. of the R.G.P.D.)
We process data in order to communicate information about our business.
Our legitimate interest is to offer and promote our services and/or to share with our customers information messages that correspond to what they can reasonably expect from us in the context of our existing or future relationship.
This processing is necessary for the pursuit of our legitimate interest, provided that we have weighed this interest against the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the customer (article 6.1.f. of the G.D.P.R.).
Customers may object to this processing at any time by contacting us.
We may use personal data to defend our legal interests in the event of a dispute.
This processing is necessary for the pursuit of our legitimate interest, provided that we have weighed this interest against the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the customer (article 6.1.f. of the G.D.P.R.).
We may also process sensitive data (special categories of personal data) whenever this is necessary to establish, exercise or defend our legal rights in accordance with the provisions of article 9 §2, f. of the G.D.P.R.
2. What personal data is processed by the firm and where does it come from?
We only collect personal data that is adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary for the purposes for which it is processed. Depending on the purpose, data is collected differently.
The following is a list of the personal data we collect about our customers, the reasons why we collect it, and how we collect it.
- Personal identification data (surname, first name, address, telephone number, company number)
- Electronic identification data (e-mail address)
- Family data (first and last names of children, parentage, marital status, etc.)
- Personal characteristics (age, gender, date of birth, nationality, country of origin, mother tongue, language(s) spoken, etc.)
- Professional characteristics (profession, diploma, career, etc.)
- Financial data (account no., statement of income and household composition or any documents attesting to financial situation)
- Special categories of data, such as data concerning health, criminal convictions or offences, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, trade union membership or sexual orientation. In general, any data required to establish, exercise or defend the legal interests of our customers.
Collection methods :
Or directly to the customer.
Or with a third party such as :
- Legal aid office
- Insurance company
- Opposing party
- Technical consulting
- Judicial or administrative authority
- Public authority (police, etc.)
Either because the customer or a public authority has made them publicly available
- Personal identification data (surname, first name, address, telephone number, company number, identity card)
- Electronic identification data (e-mail address)
- Photograph (identity card)
Collection methods :
Or directly to the customer.
Or with a third party such as :
- Legal aid office
- Insurance company
- Opposing party
- Technical consulting
- Judicial or administrative authority
- Public authority (police, etc.)
Either because the customer or a public authority has made them publicly accessible.
- Personal identification data (surname, first name, address, telephone number, company number)
- Electronic identification data (e-mail address)
- Family data (first and last names of children, parentage, marital status, etc.)
- Personal characteristics (age, gender, date of birth, nationality, country of origin, mother tongue, language(s) spoken, etc.)
- Professional characteristics (profession, diploma, career, etc.)
- Financial data (account no., statement of income and household composition or any documents attesting to financial situation)
- Special categories of data, such as data concerning health, criminal convictions or offences, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, trade union membership or sexual orientation. In general, any data required to establish, exercise or defend the legal interests of our customers.
Collection methods :
Or directly to the customer.
Or with a third party such as :
- Competent judicial or administrative authority
- Public authority (police, etc.)
- Technical consulting
Either because the customer or a public authority has made them publicly available
- Personal identification data (surname, first name, address, telephone number)
- Electronic identification data (e-mail address, encrypted password, login)
- Financial data (account number, open receivables) Either directly from the customer
Collection methods :
- Or through a third party such as the A.C.P.
- Either because the customer or a public authority has made them publicly available
- Personal identification data (surname, first name, address, telephone number, company number)
- Electronic identification data (e-mail address)
- Family data (first and last names of children, parentage, marital status, etc.)
- Personal characteristics (age, gender, date of birth, nationality, country of origin, mother tongue, language(s) spoken)
- Professional characteristics (profession, diploma, career, etc.)
- Financial data (account no., statement of income and household composition or any documents attesting to financial situation)
- Special categories of data, such as data concerning health, criminal convictions or offences, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, trade union membership or sexual orientation. Generally speaking, all data required to establish, exercise or defend the interests of our customers. In general, any data required to establish, exercise or defend the legal interests of our customers:
Or directly to the customer.
Or with a third party such as :
- Legal aid office
- Insurance company
- Opposing party
- Technical consulting
- Judicial or administrative authority
- Public authority (police, etc.)
Either because the customer or a public authority has made them publicly accessible.
- Personal identification data (surname, first name, address, telephone number, company number)
- Electronic identification data (e-mail address)
- Financial data (account no.)
Collection methods :
Or directly to the customer.
Either because the customer or a public authority has made them publicly accessible.
- Personal identification data (surname, first name, telephone number)
- Electronic identification data (e-mail address)
- Data provided by the customer in order to assess whether we can process his/her file or request.
In addition, in the event of recruitment :
- Family data (first and last names of children, marital status)
- Personal data (age, gender, date of birth, your country, mother tongue)
- Professional characteristics (profession, diploma, career, etc.)
Collection methods :
Directly with the customer.
- Personal identification data (surname, first name, address, telephone number, company number, order number)
- Financial data (account no.)
Collection methods :
Or directly to the customer.
Either because the customer or a public authority has made them publicly accessible (Crossroads Bank for Enterprises)
- Personal identification data (surname, first name, address, telephone number)
- Electronic identification data (e-mail address)
Collection methods :
Or directly to the customer.
Either because the customer has made them publicly available
- Personal identification data (surname, first name, address, telephone number, company number)
- Electronic identification data (e-mail address)
- Professional characteristics (profession, diploma, career, etc.)
- Financial data (account no., statement of income and household composition or any documents attesting to financial situation)
- Special categories of data, such as data concerning health, criminal convictions or offences, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, trade union membership or sexual orientation. In general, any data required to establish, exercise or defend the legal interests of our customers.
- Photographs or images.
Collection methods :
Or directly to the customer.
Either obtained from the insurance company
Either because the customer or a public authority has made them publicly accessible.
3. With whom does the firm share personal data?
All data sharing must comply with professional secrecy, ethical rules and the present document.
The data listed above may be accessed by members of the firm’s team or by any colleague working as an associate or specialist lawyer, or by any technical advisor, to the extent strictly necessary for the performance of the firm’s obligations.
In order to defend its interests, in accordance with the mandate given by the customer and to the extent necessary, the firm communicates the customer’s personal data to the competent judicial or administrative authorities or legal auxiliaries.
The firm may transmit this personal data to opposing parties in order to defend the customer’s interests and to the extent necessary.
The firm may, where necessary, pass on customer data to banking or insurance organizations in order to defend the customer’s interests, in compliance with professional secrecy and to the extent required.
The firm may be required to pass on personal data to third parties under the terms of laws, decrees or other regulatory provisions from which it cannot evade.
For example, we may share customer data with the legal aid office if the customer benefits from their services.
The firm may also share certain data with its co-contractors, qualified as “subcontractors” within the meaning of the R.G.P.D., to the extent strictly necessary for the operation of computerized or non-computerized applications or management systems to which the firm has subscribed.
In all circumstances, we protect customer data through confidentiality agreements.
The service providers with whom we share customer data are the following:
| Type of service provider | Location |
| Email solution providers | In Europe |
| Mailing solutions providers | In Europe |
| IT solutions and infrastructure & systems maintenance providers | In Europe |
| Hosting / Cloud service providers | In Europe |
| Accountants and financial service providers | In Europe |
| Banking / Insurance | In Europe |
| Third-party insurer | In Europe |
| Legal aid offices (Bars) | In Europe |
| Lawyers – associates – trainee lawyers | In Europe |
| L’Ordre des barreaux francophones et germanophone (Avocats.be) | In Europe |
| Copy service provider | In Europe |
| Social networking | In Europe |
| Other: …. | In Europe |
For security reasons, the list of subcontractors, their field of activity, the purpose and, where applicable, the country in which the data is processed and hosted is not available on our site, but is available on first request from the persons concerned.
4. How long does the firm keep personal data?
The length of time personal data is kept varies according to the purposes for which it is processed. This period is limited, taking into account any retention obligations imposed by law.
| The treatment | Duration |
| Management of clients’ interests and requests | The retention period is 5 years from the end of the relationship with the firm. |
| Administrative management of customer files | Files are kept for 10 years from the date of closure. |
| Management of legal mandates | The retention period is 5 years from the end of the relationship with the firm. |
| Management on behalf of A.C.P. as part of a building management mandate | The retention period is 5 years from the end of the relationship with the firm. |
| Management of the mediation assignment | The retention period is 5 years from the end of the relationship with the firm. |
| Accounting management | The retention period is 7 years from the year in which the customer was entered in the accounts. |
| Management of pre-contractual relations. | Data is deleted immediately, with the exception of resumes, which we may keep in our recruitment database for one year. |
| Supplier management | The retention period is 7 years from the year in which the customer was entered in the accounts. |
| Communication management | Data is kept for 2 years from the date of our last contact. |
| Management of the firm’s litigation | The data is deleted once the judgment has been executed or the dispute has been finally settled. |
5. Does the firm transfer personal data outside the European Union?
Transfers of data to a country outside the European Union or the European Economic Area will be authorized if, and only if:
- The European Commission has issued a decision establishing that this country provides an adequate level of data protection, i.e. equivalent to that required by European legislation. Personal data will be transferred on this basis.
- The transfer is covered by an appropriate guarantee granting a level of data protection equivalent to that provided by European legislation, such as the Commission’s standard contractual clauses, a Code of Conduct, certification, binding corporate rules or consent.
In the absence of an adequacy decision or appropriate safeguards, a transfer or a set of transfers of personal data to a third country remains possible if this transfer is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims.
6. How do we protect customers’ personal data?
In all circumstances, we ensure an adequate level of technical and organizational security for customers’ personal data, in order to protect them from any data leakage, including loss, destruction, public disclosure, unauthorized access or misuse. However, should the customer become aware of a data leak or suspect one, we ask him/her to notify us immediately by contacting us.
For security reasons, the list of subcontractors, their field of activity, the purpose and, where applicable, the country in which the data is processed and hosted is not available on our site, but is available on first request from the persons concerned.
7. What are my customer rights and how can I contact you?
Unless a legal provision in force in Belgium does not allow it, including the R.G.P.D., or if professional secrecy prevents it, customers have the following rights:
- The right of access, including the right to know that the firm is processing their personal data;
- The right to receive a copy of processed data;
- The right to rectify processed data;
- The right to withdraw consent ;
- The right to object to the processing of their personal data, in particular if their personal data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interest;
- The right to restrict the processing of processed data;
- If the customer disputes the accuracy of the data. Pending assessment of the interests at stake before exercising the right to object to the processing of certain personal data.
- If the processing of personal data is unlawful, but the customer does not wish to exercise the right to erasure.
- If we no longer need the customer’s personal data, but the customer needs it for legal purposes.
- The right to erasure of processed data ;
- The right to portability of processed data;
- The right to lodge a complaint with the Data Protection Authority :
www.autoriteprotectiondonnees.be
Rue de la Presse, 35 – 1000 Brussels
Phone: +32 (0)2 274 48 00
Fax: +32 (0)2 274 48 35
Email: contact@apd-gba.be
For further information on complaints and possible means of redress, customers are invited to consult the following page of the Data Protection Authority: https: //www.autoriteprotectiondonnees.be/citoyen/agir/introduire-une-plainte
We will respond to the customer’s request as quickly as possible, and within one month of receiving the request at the latest, we will inform the customer of the action we have taken.
Depending on the difficulty of the request or the number of requests we receive from other people, this deadline may be extended by two months. In this case, the customer will be notified of the extension within one month of receipt of the form.
In all circumstances, when communicating this information, we are always obliged to take into account the rights and freedoms of other people.
Customers may exercise their rights by contacting the firm at the following e-mail address: contact@v3avocats.be or by post at the following address: Rue Émile Claus 4, 1000 Brussels.
We ask our customers to enclose with their request any documents or information necessary to prove their identity, failing which we may return to them to request proof of their identity, for example a copy of their identity card, with a view to acting on their request.
Finally, when a request to exercise a right is manifestly unfounded or excessive, particularly because of its repetitive nature, it may be refused or be subject to the payment of a reasonable fee that takes into account the administrative costs incurred in providing the information, making the communications or taking the measures requested.
8. What is the applicable law and jurisdiction?
This Policy is governed by Belgian law. Any dispute relating to the interpretation or execution of this Policy shall be governed by Belgian law.
9. Do we use cookies or other tracking devices?
We use cookies on our websites.
A cookie is a code in the form of a file stored on your computer. These cookies can then be recognized during a subsequent visit to our website. Cookies help us to improve our site, facilitate your browsing, offer you targeted advertising and analyze our audience.
To learn more about our Cookie Policy, please visit our website under the “Cookies Policy” tab.
10. Modifications
The Firm may at any time, for various reasons, make corrections, additions or amendments to this information document on data protection policy. The latest version can be consulted at any time on our website.
Last updated June 19, 2024.