EBVS Advance – Privacy Policy

European Board of Veterinary Specialisation (EBVS)
Last updated: 1st December 2025

1. Who we are

EBVS Advance is an online learning platform operated by the European Board of Veterinary Specialisation (EBVS), a non-profit organisation registered in The Netherlands. EBVS is the data controller for personal data collected through this platform.

Contact:
Email: info@ebvs.eu
Address: [Insert EBVS official address]

EBVS works with carefully selected third-party processors for hosting, analytics, communications, and payment services.

2. What personal data we collect

We collect and process the following categories of data:

2.1 Account and profile data

• Name
• Email address
• Country
• Professional details (e.g. specialist status, resident status, organisation)
• Login credentials (stored in hashed form)

2.2 Course participation data

• Course enrolments
• Progress tracking and activity completion
• Assessment attempts and results
• Certificates and records of achievement issued
• Timestamps of key activities (enrolment, completion, grading)

2.3 Technical data

• IP address
• Browser and device type
• Operating system and language settings
• Session identifiers
• Error logs and diagnostic information

2.4 Payment data (handled by Paddle)

When you purchase a paid course or digital product, payments are processed by Paddle, who acts as Merchant of Record. Paddle collects and processes:

• Billing name and address
• VAT number or tax information, where applicable
• Payment method details
• Transaction identifiers and receipts
• Fraud-prevention and risk-assessment information

EBVS does not receive or store your full payment card details. Payment data is subject to Paddle’s own privacy policy and legal obligations.

3. Why we process your data (legal bases)

We process personal data under the following legal bases under the GDPR:

3.1 Contract performance

• To create and manage your account.
• To enrol you in courses and provide access to content.
• To track progress and issue certificates or records of achievement.

3.2 Legal obligation

• To comply with tax and financial reporting obligations (primarily handled by Paddle).
• To maintain academic and training records in line with accreditation or regulatory expectations.

3.3 Legitimate interests

• To maintain the security and integrity of the platform.
• To prevent misuse, academic misconduct or fraud.
• To perform internal analytics to improve course quality and user experience.
• To respond to support requests and enquiries.

3.4 Consent

• To send optional marketing or informational emails not strictly necessary for course delivery.
• To collect feedback through optional surveys or evaluations.
• To use non-essential cookies and similar technologies, where applicable.

4. How your data is used

We use your data to:

• Register and authenticate you on the platform.
• Provide access to courses and learning materials.
• Record your learning activities, progress, and assessment outcomes.
• Issue certificates, confirmations, and learning records.
• Provide technical and learner support.
• Monitor platform performance and security.
• Meet our reporting and quality assurance obligations within EBVS.

Payment-related data is used by Paddle to:

• Process transactions and manage billing.
• Calculate and remit VAT and other applicable taxes.
• Provide invoices, receipts, and order confirmations.
• Assess fraud risk and handle chargebacks or disputes.

5. Sharing your data

Your data may be shared with the following categories of recipients:

5.1 Paddle (Merchant of Record)

For payments and VAT compliance, Paddle acts as an independent data controller for payment data. For more information, please refer to Paddle’s own privacy policy.

5.2 Hosting and technical service providers

We use hosting providers and IT services to operate the platform, perform backups, and maintain system security. These providers act as data processors under our instructions.

5.3 Email and communication service providers

We use email and communication tools to send notifications, enrolment confirmations, reminders, and certificates.

5.4 Accreditation and regulatory bodies

Where necessary, anonymised or identified data may be used for quality assurance, audit, or compliance with EBVS or relevant regulatory requirements. This is limited to what is strictly necessary.

We do not sell personal data to third parties, and we do not share data with advertisers.

6. International data transfers

Some of our service providers, including Paddle and certain cloud or email providers, may process data outside the EU/EEA. Where data is transferred internationally, EBVS ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:

• Adequacy decisions by the European Commission;
• Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission; C