We comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (also known as GDPR) for this purpose. We consider the protection of your privacy and the safeguarding of your personal data to be of utmost importance. With this privacy statement, we aim to explain how we handle your data.

What are personal data?

Personal data are any data with which Gent2030 can identify you, either directly or indirectly. With your name or national registry number, we can immediately (directly) recognize you, but even with a combination of your address, age, and gender (indirectly), we can identify you. Therefore, these are also personal data. Personal data include all information that we can link to you in one way or another, such as your email address, phone number, or even your IP address (the internet address of your computer).

What is the General Data Protection Regulation?

The 'GDPR' is simply the new European privacy law.

Previously, the 'Act of December 8, 1992, for the protection of privacy concerning the processing of personal data', better known as the 'privacy law', protected your personal data. Since May 25, 2018, this old privacy law has been replaced by a new European privacy law. The media often use the English name: GDPR, or fully, General Data Protection Regulation. In Dutch, it is called AVG or Algemene Verordening Gegevensbescherming.

This legislation still concerns the 'processing' of personal data. According to this law, the term 'processing' is a very broad concept. Everything we do with your personal data is considered 'processing': storing, consulting, transmitting, organizing, distributing, updating, etc.

Who has access to your personal data?

Gent2030 is the 'data controller'. This means we decide which data we collect and for what purpose. In legal terms, we determine the 'purpose of the processing'. However, this does not mean that every employee of Cultuur Gent has unrestricted access to everything. Your personal data are only accessible to the services and staff members who need them for their work.

Sometimes Gent2030 is not the only 'data controller'. This can happen in joint projects with other organizations. We are also often legally required to transmit certain data to other authorities, such as the Flemish or Federal government. We regularly exchange personal data with other authorities and organizations to support you and automatically grant certain services and benefits to which you are legally entitled. This allows us to serve you even better.

We will never transmit or disclose your personal data to others without good reason. We will only do so if you give us prior permission or if a law requires us to do so. In such cases, we have a clear legal basis.

Gent2030 never uses your personal data without good reason. We do so only for purposes for which we have a clear legal basis, also known as 'legitimacy'. Our main legal basis is your consent to use your personal data for a specific purpose, such as registering for our newsletter.

What rights do you have?

The General Data Protection Regulation ensures that you have certain rights concerning the processing of personal data.

Right to access and data portability

You have the right to view your personal data and the purposes for which we process them. We do require proof of your identity to ensure that we are showing your personal data to the right person.

If you request access to your data, you can collect them in digital form at the counter. We will provide them to you in a common format (such as PDF or Word). If you wish, we can provide them to you in a machine-readable format (such as Excel). We can also send your data on paper to your registered address.

You are then allowed to transfer these personal data to another data controller yourself, but if you wish and if it is technically possible, we are happy to make this transfer for you.

Right to rectification

Do you notice that Gent2030 has incorrect or incomplete personal data about you? You always have the right to have them corrected.

Right to be forgotten

In some cases, you have the right to have your data erased. This may be the case, for example:

  • if we no longer need your personal data for the purposes for which we initially processed them
  • if we need your consent to process them and you decide to withdraw your consent
  • if you object to the processing and there are no other legitimate grounds to continue the processing
  • if, despite all our efforts, we process your personal data unlawfully
  • if we are legally required to delete your data

Right to restriction of processing, right to object, and right not to be subject to automated decision-making.

You have the right to restrict processing:

  • if you dispute the accuracy of your personal data during a period that allows us to verify the accuracy of your data
  • if, despite all our efforts, we unlawfully process your personal data, but you prefer that we do not delete them
  • if we no longer need your personal data, but you still need them for legal proceedings
  • if you object to the processing and there are no other legitimate grounds to continue the processing

You have the right to object if we process your personal data for our tasks of general interest or public authority missions. If your interests, rights, and freedoms outweigh the legitimate grounds of the City of Ghent, we will stop processing your personal data.

The government often determines solely based on certain characteristics whether you are eligible for something (such as a study grant). You have the right to request human intervention if this could have significant consequences for you, except:

  • if we need to process your personal data in this way under an agreement we have with you
  • if it is legally permissible and your rights and freedoms are protected
  • if you explicitly consent

How can you exercise these rights?

You can exercise your rights in several ways:

  • You can submit a request via the associated contact form.
  • You can also send your request by mail to this address:

    Data Protection Officer
    City of Ghent
    Botermarkt 1
    9000 Ghent

We will provide you with a response as soon as possible: no later than 30 days after we receive your request and proof of your identity. Using your rights generally does not cost you anything. If your request is excessive or if you frequently ask the same question, the City may charge a fee or refuse your request.

Questions, comments, or complaints?

Do you have any questions, comments, or complaints about your privacy? Please contact the Data Protection Officer of the City:

  • by email at: privacy@stad.gent.
  • via the contact form
  • by mail at:

    Data Protection Officer
    City of Ghent
    Botermarkt 1
    9000 Ghent

You also always have the right to file a complaint with the Flemish Supervisory Commission Vlaamse Toezichtcommissie.