COOKIE POLICY
Last updated: 21 August 2026
This Cookie Policy explains how Arms Wide Open Association / Сдружение „Отворени обятия“ (“Arms Wide Open”, “we”, “us”) uses cookies and similar technologies on www.armswideopen.eu.
This Policy should be read together with our Privacy and Personal Data Protection Policy.
We aim to use cookies transparently and only to the extent necessary for the operation, security and improvement of our website and, where you have provided consent, to understand how our website is used.
1. What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files that may be stored on your computer, smartphone, tablet or other device when you visit a website.
They allow websites to remember certain information about your visit, such as:
- your language preference;
- settings and preferences;
- whether you accepted or rejected certain categories of cookies;
- technical information about your device and browser;
- how the website is used, where the required consent has been provided.
Cookies may be session cookies, which are deleted when you close your browser, or persistent cookies, which remain on your device for a defined period or until you delete them.
2. Why do we use cookies?
We may use cookies and similar technologies to:
- ensure the technical operation of our website;
- maintain security;
- remember your preferences;
- remember your cookie consent choices;
- improve website functionality;
- obtain statistical information about website use;
- understand which pages and content are useful to visitors;
- integrate content or services provided by third parties;
- support marketing activities, only where such technologies are used and the required consent has been provided.
3. Categories of cookies
3.1 Strictly necessary / functional cookies
These cookies are required for the website to function properly.
They may be used for purposes such as:
- essential website functions;
- security;
- session management;
- remembering your cookie consent choices;
- enabling technical features;
- transmitting communications over an electronic communications network.
Without these technologies, certain parts of the website may not function correctly.
Prior consent is not required for cookies that are strictly necessary to provide a service expressly requested by the user or for essential technical operation, where permitted by applicable law.
3.2 Preference cookies
Preference cookies enable the website to remember choices you make, such as:
- preferred language;
- interface settings;
- certain functional preferences.
They help provide functionality and content that is more appropriate for you.
Where required by applicable law, these cookies are activated only after you have provided your consent.
3.3 Statistics / analytics cookies
These cookies help us understand how visitors use our website.
They may provide information concerning:
- number of visits;
- most frequently visited pages;
- time spent on particular pages;
- how visitors reach the website;
- technical problems and errors;
- general patterns of website use.
This information helps us improve our website’s structure, content and performance.
Where these technologies are not strictly necessary and do not fall within an applicable legal exemption, they are activated only after you have provided prior consent.
3.4 Marketing cookies
Marketing cookies may be used for:
- measuring the effectiveness of communications or advertising campaigns;
- tracking interaction with certain content;
- creating profiles of interests;
- presenting more relevant content or advertising;
- tracking users across websites or online services.
Marketing cookies are not activated before you provide explicit consent, where such consent is legally required.
If you do not consent, you can continue to use the essential features of our website.
4. Third-party cookies and services
Certain website functions may be provided through external service providers.
These may include:
- payment services;
- video and multimedia content;
- maps and location services;
- social media;
- analytics services;
- technical and hosting services;
- other integrated online services.
When you use or activate such content, the relevant provider may receive technical information, including your IP address and information about your browser or device, and may use its own cookies or similar technologies.
Where legally required and technically possible, such technologies are blocked until appropriate consent has been obtained.
5. PayPal and donations
Our website may contain functionality, links or content associated with PayPal, which can be used to make a donation.
When you choose to use PayPal, you may be redirected to a service operated by PayPal or PayPal content may be loaded on our website.
In such circumstances, PayPal may independently process information in accordance with its own privacy and cookie policies.
Arms Wide Open generally does not receive your payment card details or PayPal login credentials. Payments are processed by the relevant payment service provider.
We recommend reviewing PayPal’s current privacy and cookie information before using the service.
6. External links, social media and embedded content
Our website may contain links to or embedded content from third-party platforms, including social networks, video platforms, maps and partner websites.
If you follow an external link or activate third-party content, the relevant third party may process information about you under its own privacy terms.
Arms Wide Open does not control cookies that an independent third party may place after you visit its website.
7. Your consent
When you first visit our website, you are presented with a consent management tool.
It allows you to:
- accept optional cookies;
- reject optional cookies;
- review individual categories;
- make individual choices;
- save your preferences.
Rejecting optional cookies should not prevent access to the essential content of our website, although certain additional features or third-party content may not be available.
8. Changing or withdrawing your consent
You may change your decision at any time.
Use the “Manage consent” / “Cookie settings” option available on the website to:
- review your current preferences;
- enable or disable individual categories;
- withdraw previously provided consent.
Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.
9. Browser controls
Most browsers allow you to manage cookies through their settings.
Depending on your browser, you may be able to:
- view stored cookies;
- delete all or selected cookies;
- block cookies;
- restrict third-party cookies;
- ask the browser to notify you before a cookie is stored.
Blocking all cookies may affect the proper operation of certain parts of our website.
10. Retention periods
The duration for which a cookie is stored depends on the particular cookie.
Some cookies expire at the end of a browser session, while others remain on your device for a predefined period.
Where available, information about the retention period of individual cookies is provided in the current cookie inventory available through the website’s consent management system.
11. Current cookie inventory
The technologies and services used on our website may change over time.
For this reason, the current technical inventory of detected cookies, including their name, provider, purpose, category and retention period, is maintained through the website’s cookie consent management system.
Where the “Manage consent” / “Cookie settings” function is available, you can use it to review and manage the relevant categories.
12. Legal basis
Where cookies are strictly necessary to provide a service expressly requested by the user or to transmit a communication, they may be used without prior consent to the extent permitted by applicable law.
For other cookies and technologies for which consent is legally required, the legal basis for subsequent processing of personal data is your consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR.
Where another legal basis applies to subsequent processing, this is explained in our Privacy Policy or in the information relating to the relevant service.
13. International data transfers
Some third-party service providers may process information outside the European Economic Area.
Where such transfers involve personal data, appropriate safeguards required by the GDPR are applied where necessary, including:
- European Commission adequacy decisions;
- Standard Contractual Clauses;
- other legally recognised transfer mechanisms.
Further information may be found in our Privacy Policy and in the privacy information provided by the relevant third-party provider.
14. Children’s data
Arms Wide Open works with children and young people as part of its activities; however, our public website does not intentionally use marketing technologies for the purpose of profiling children.
Where an online service is specifically directed at children and processing is based on consent, we apply the additional safeguards required by applicable data protection legislation.
15. Changes to this Cookie Policy
We may update this Cookie Policy periodically, for example following changes to:
- technologies used;
- website services;
- service providers;
- legal requirements.
The date of the latest update is shown at the beginning of this Policy.
Where a material change requires renewed consent, we may ask you to make your choices again.
16. Contact us
If you have any questions concerning our use of cookies or the protection of your personal data, please contact us:
Arms Wide Open Association / Сдружение „Отворени обятия“
Sofia, Bulgaria
Website: www.armswideopen.eu
E-mail: info@armswideopen.bg
Telephone: +359 88 993 2233
For further information about how we process personal data, please see our Privacy and Personal Data Protection Policy.