Terms of use

Field of application

These terms of use apply to the website of the Royal Observatory of Belgium (hereinafter “ROB”) and to the websites of the scientific projects on which the ROB collaborates and which are hosted on the server of the ROB. These websites are
hereinafter referred to as “the Website”.

Purpose of the Website

The Website provides information on the history, organization and operation of the ROB, as well as on scientific projects on which the ROB collaborates.

Access to the Website

The use of the Website automatically implies acceptance of the terms contained in these Terms of Use in the version published by the ROB at the time that the user uses the Website.
Consequently, the user must carefully read the Terms of Use each time he intends to use the Website as meanwhile the Terms of Use may have been changed.
The use of certain services offered on the Website is subject to special conditions which, according to the case, replace, complete and/or modify the current Terms of Use. Therefore the user should also carefully read the special conditions of a service before using this service.

Protection of privacy

The policy regarding the respect of personal data is explained in the privacy policy.

Protection of the Website by intellectual property law

The Website is an original creation from which both the content and the structure are protected by intellectual property rights.

Protection of the provided data by intellectual property law

The conditions under which may be, the provided data can be used are explained in the policy data.

Liability

As regards the liability of the ROB we refer to the Disclaimer.
Specifically regarding the use of the Website, it is emphasized that the ROB does not guarantee the availability and the functioning of the Website, nor of the services provided on the Website.
The ROB reserves the right to at any time modify or temporarily or permanently suspend the Website, without prior notice and without any right for compensation.
The ROB shall not be liable for any damages, direct or indirect, arising from the use or non-availability of the Website or the services provided on the Website and in general for any event connected with the Website and/or any third party website.
Despite the efforts of the ROB, it can not guarantee that there occurs no virus or another element in the content of the Website that could lead to changes in your computer system or in the electronic documents and files stored on your computer.

Linking to the Website

Other sites are free to link to the Website. Laying a link to a specific content of a web page or frame is only allowed on condition that the source is acknowledged. This includes a clearly visible mentioning of the url to which is linked en the mentioning of the ROB or of the project of the ROB (as stated on the website which is linked).

Links to third party websites

This Website may contain links to third party websites. These links have the sole purpose of facilitating the users’ access to information on the Internet.
The KSB has no control over these websites and declines all liability regarding the content, functioning, availability, quality, legality, reliability of the third-party websites and links that these websites contain to other websites.

Safeguarding the rights of the ROB

Certain areas of the Website may be restricted and linked to special conditions. In the event of unauthorized attempt to access that part of the Website, the ROB can use all legal means to maintain the integrity of the Website and this in cooperation with the competent judicial authorities and the police.
All users of the Website undertake to use the Website in accordance with the law and these Terms of Use.
The ROB pays particular attention to safeguarding its intellectual property rights.
The ROB reserves the right to take all appropriate measures to prevent or to terminate the infringement of its rights, without accepting any liability for the consequences of these measures.
Any infringement will also entail civil and/or criminal action.

Duration and termination

Access to the Website is basically provided for an indefinite time.
The ROB can nevertheless at any time terminate or suspend, without any warning or notice, the access to the Website and/or to any service provided on the Website.

Applicable law and jurisdiction

Access to and use of the Website are governed by Belgian law. Any dispute concerning the access to or the use of the Website belongs to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts with territorial competence for Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde.

Person responsible for the Website

The user can contact the person responsible for the Website by sending an e-mail to webmaster-as@oma.be or by writing to Royal Observatory of Belgium, Webmaster, Ringlaan 3, 1180 Brussels.