1. Introduction

The use of our website and the services provided to visitors/users by the website https://www.eliam.gr/ (hereinafter referred to as the “website”), owned by the “Hellenic Historical Archives of the Eastern Mediterranean – Non-Profit Civil Company” (hereinafter referred to as the ARCHIVES), requires your agreement to the Privacy Policy on the Protection of Personal Data of this website. Therefore, the visitor/user must carefully read the contents of this page before using the services of our website. If they do not agree, they must leave the website and refrain from using any of its services or content.

2. Relevant legislation

We are committed to protecting the personal data of our users in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation of the EU (GDPR, 2018), Law 4624/2019, as well as the relevant Greek, European, and international personal data protection legislation. This website has been designed to comply with current laws, incorporating the requirements of the EU Data Protection Directive (DPD, 1995) and the GDPR.

3. Commitment to protecting your data

We are committed to protecting your personal data with the highest standards of security and confidentiality:

Core principles:

• We collect and process your personal data only when absolutely necessary.

• We do not sell, rent, distribute, or disclose your data in any way.

• If you are under 16 years old, you must have parental consent before using the services of this website.

4. Who this privacy policy applies to

This policy applies to:

• Users of our website.

• Those who submit material for archiving.

• Those who contact us via email, phone, or social networks.

• Subscribers to our newsletter.

5. What data we collect

5.1 Personal data
We collect personal data only when provided by you for specific purposes, such as:

• First and last name.

• Email address.

• Contact phone number.

• Any information submitted via contact or participation forms.

If you choose to contact us via a contact form or an email link, the data you provide will not be stored on our website, transferred, or processed by any third-party data processor.

5.2 Browsing data
When you browse the website, we automatically collect certain information through cookies or other technologies, such as:

• IP address.

• Browser type and operating system.

• Usage statistics (e.g., which pages you visited).

We use Google Analytics (GA) to monitor website traffic. This data helps us understand how visitors find and use our website and improve its functionality. Although GA records your geographic location, device, browser, and operating system, none of this data personally identifies you. While GA records your computer’s IP address, Google does not provide us access to it. We believe that Google complies with the requirements of European legislation.

5.3 Data from third parties
We may collect information you share via social networks or third-party platforms. This information is used in accordance with the privacy policies of these platforms.

5.4 Material you submit
If you submit material to the ARCHIVES (e.g., photos, documents, multimedia), we may collect data accompanying the material, such as descriptions, historical information, or metadata. This information is used to document and incorporate the material into our ARCHIVES.

6. How we use your data

The data we collect is used for:

• Communication: Responding to inquiries or requests, sending newsletters.

• Documentation: Processing and incorporating material into the ARCHIVES.

• Website Improvement: Analyzing usage to enhance user experience.

• Legal Obligations: Complying with applicable legal regulations.

7. How we protect your data

We use the following measures to safeguard your data:

• Data encryption during transfer (SSL): All communication between the website and your browser is encrypted and transmitted via the HTTPS protocol using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), ensuring the security and confidentiality of your information.

• Restricted access: Access to your data is permitted only to authorized personnel.

• Regular monitoring: The system is regularly monitored to detect and address potential security risks.

8. Legal basis for processing

The processing of your data is based on:

• Your consent when you subscribe to the newsletter or submit material.

• Compliance with legal obligations.

• The legitimate interests of the ARCHIVES, such as the protection and management of historical material.

9. Sharing data with third parties

Your personal data will not be shared with third parties unless:

• You have given your explicit consent.

• Required by law (e.g., court order).

• Used for the website’s technical needs (e.g., hosting on secure servers).

• If transferred outside the EU, compliance with GDPR requirements will be ensured.

10. Data retention period

Data is retained:

• For communications: Up to 1 year after the request is resolved.

• For newsletters: Until you unsubscribe.

• For submitted material: According to the agreement made at the time of submission.

11. User rights

Under the GDPR, you have the following rights:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data.

• Correction: Request the correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.

• Erasure: Request the deletion of your data unless its retention is required by law.

• Restrict Processing: Request to restrict the processing of your data.

• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw your consent for data processing at any time.

To exercise your rights, contact us at: info@eliam.gr

12. Cookies and tracking technologies

The website uses cookies to enhance your user experience and provide personalized services. Cookies are small text files stored on your browser and perform various functions, such as recognizing the user or saving their preferences.

12.1 Categories of cookies

1. Essential cookies: Necessary for the basic functionality of the website. Without them, some services or features may not function properly.

2. Analytics cookies (Google Analytics): Used to collect anonymous statistics about website usage. More information is available in Google’s Privacy Policy.

3. Video provider cookies: Installed when you watch embedded videos on our site (e.g., YouTube or Vimeo).

4. Social network cookies: Installed when you share our website’s content on social platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter).

12.2 Managing cookies

You can configure your browser to:

• Accept all cookies.

• Reject all cookies.

• Notify you when a cookie is stored on your computer.

Disabling or rejecting some cookie categories may affect the functionality of certain parts of the website. For more information on managing cookies in your browser, visit www.aboutcookies.org.

13. Applicable law and jurisdiction

Any disputes arising from this Privacy Policy or the processing of personal data within the website’s operation shall be governed by the laws of the Hellenic Republic, as supplemented by the relevant provisions of national and European legislation, as well as the guidelines, directives, decisions, and opinions of the Hellenic Data Protection Authority (HDPA).

For any legal action related to this Privacy Policy, its legality, application, interpretation, or violation of its terms, the courts of Greece are exclusively competent. Additionally, the ARCHIVES reserve the right to seek legal recourse in the jurisdiction where a breach of the Privacy Policy may have occurred.

14. Policy amendments

This Privacy Policy may change periodically to comply with current legislation. We will not explicitly notify our customers or website users of these changes. Instead, we recommend visiting this page occasionally for updates. Continued use of the website even after changes to the Privacy Policy implies unconditional acceptance of these terms by you.

15. Contact

For any questions or concerns regarding the Privacy Policy, please contact us at: info@eliam.gr.