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17 JUIN 2005. - Act enacting the Convention of 4 April 2003 to implement the programme of the regional express network of, to, in and around Brussels (1)

ALBERT II, King of the Belgians,
To all, present and to come, Hi.
The House of Representatives adopted and sanctioned the following:
Article 1^er. This Act regulates a matter referred to in Article 77 of the Constitution.
Art. 2. It is assented to the Convention of 4 April 2003 to implement the programme of the regional express network of, to, and around Brussels.
Art. 3. Our Minister of Public Enterprises is responsible for the execution of this Act.
Promulgation of this law, let us order that it be clothed with the seal of the State and published by the Belgian Monitor.
Given in Brussels on 17 June 2005.
ALBERT
By the King:
Minister of Public Enterprises,
J. VANDE LANOTTE
Seen and sealed the state seal:
The Minister of Justice,
Ms. L. ONKELINX
____
Notes
(1) Session 2005/2006
House of Representatives.
Documents. - Bill tabled on 4 July 2005, No. 51-1911/1. Text transmitted to the Senate, No. 51-1911/3. - Report No. 51-1911/2.
Annales parliamentarians. - Discussion and voting. Session of November 17, 2005.
Senate
Documents. - Project transmitted by Chamber No. 3-1437/1. - Report 3-1437/2.
Annales parliamentarians. - Discussion. Session of December 14, 2005. Voting. Meeting of 22 December 2005.

Statement of Reasons
Ladies and gentlemen,
At the Federal Council of Ministers of 8 November 2002, a draft Convention to implement the programme of the regional express network (RER) of, to, and around Brussels was approved.
All interested Governments approved the Convention on 4 April 2003.
The signing of this Convention is the culmination of a reflection conducted for several years. Starting from the observation (supported by several studies: IRIS, SOFRETU, SYSTRA) that in the absence of measures emanating from the public authorities, the evolution of the car pressure in and around Brussels was likely to lead to a general congestion of the roads, penalizing both socio-economic and environmental transport, it had become indispensable, from the beginning of the nonante years, to put in place a general mobility project
This project, aimed at creating an RER for Brussels, is the development of an integrated public transport offering. It consists of a suburban offer composed of fast, radial and transversal relations, rail or road. The structure is the railway network complemented by a fast bus network that runs through areas not served by railways.
In the first phase of the establishment of the RER offer, the purpose of this Agreement, the frame called "basic RER railway network" is a set of "links" or also referred to as "relations" radial and transversal railways.
In concrete terms, the parties to this Convention have undertaken, each within the framework of its competence, to implement the necessary means to achieve:
- a significant, quantitative and qualitative strengthening of the public transport offer;
- integration of transport offers promoted by the four public transport companies in this area (times, prices, information);
- accompanying measures for the use of public transport and taken simultaneously in the commissioning of the RER offer.
The parties aim to put the RER offer in full service by December 31, 2012. This offer will serve the following three poles: the Nord-Midi junction, the European institutions district east of Brussels and the Brussels-National airport, as well as the other important hubs in the RER area.
Chapter I^er the Convention defines the objective of the project, the measures to be taken to achieve this objective, as well as the actors involved and the geographic area concerned.
The RER project involves close collaboration between the three Regions and the federal state as well as their respective public transport operators (VVM/DE LIJN, STIB, SRWT/TEC and SNCB), eight partners. Cooperation between them is organized on three levels: general coordination, strategic and tactical coordination and operational coordination. This consultative structure is described in chapter II, as well as the composition, mission and method of work of the cooperation bodies to be established.
A third chapter discusses the issue of supply and demand. These are described:
- on the one hand, the organization of the public transport offer (in its various aspects: definition of railway and road connections constituting the RER network, amplitude and frequency of the service, tariff harmonization) in the RER zone;
- and, on the other hand, the modalities for carrying out a study that will deal with the needs of travel in the same area, with this study intended to change the railway supply.
The success of the RR depends, among other things, on accompanying measures deterring the use of the automobile for homework travel. The accompanying measures considered essential to promote the modal transfer of the individual car to public transport are the subject of Chapter IV.
The common strategy for marketing and information to the traveller is addressed in Chapter V.
Chapter VI contains the financial component of the project: the way in which the three Regions and the federal state agree to distribute the different types of expenditures is specified.
This chapter does not prejudice the rules of competence of the authorities concerned, particularly at the level of funding regimes that remain fully implemented.
The schedule of priority actions to be implemented in order to make the RER offer operational at the end of 2012 is set out in Chapter VII.
Following the approval of this bill, the consultation structures provided for in the convention may be installed. The Executive Committee of Ministers of Mobility and the RER Steering Committee will concretize the implementation of the Regional Express Network in a multi-year plan and consistent annual programmes. The evolution of mobility needs, the result of new studies and the real journey of investment projects can justify adaptations of certain elements of this agreement. In the general framework established, and in accordance with the procedures described in the convention, such adaptations may be made.
COMMENTS TO ARTICLES OF THE CONVENTION
Art. 1^er : This article does not call any comment.
Art. 2: The terms "Parties", "RER", "RER zone", "ECMM", "community transport companies" and "accompaniment measures" are the subject of a specific definition.
Art. 3: This article specifies the purpose and objectives of the RRSP.
Art. 4: The commitments of the parties apply, in addition to the RER offer, to a set of measures, according to the respective competencies, promoting the attractiveness of public transit and non-motorized modes.
Art. 5: The geographic area is properly set, but the ability to adapt is nevertheless open to take into account at best the evolving mobility conditions.
Art. 6: Cooperation leads to complementary coordination at three levels: general, strategic and tactical, operational.
Art. 7 : This article does not call any comment.
Art. 8: The ability to create a specific entity for coordination is left to the initiative of the four governments.
Art. 9 : This article does not call any comment.
Art. 10: It is recalled that in the case of transport companies, missions and public service tasks, including those directly related to the RRSP, are duly defined, executed and monitored within the respective competences of each party.
Art. 11: This article does not call any comment.
Art. 12: In view of the respective competences of the parties and transport companies, multi-year and annual programmes provide estimates for schedules, budgets and responsibilities.
Art. 13: The study described will be the reference element in terms of both needs and demand diagnosis and the implementation of the railway supply in relation to internal and external service objectives in the RER area.
This will result in the business plans to be established by the operators, in charge of the Steering Committee to properly adjust the financial means and offer, in the context of evolution, the study being updated every five years.
Art. 14: If the overall offer in the RER zone involves buses and trains, the convention focuses on the suburban railway supply, scalable if applicable (§ 1^er), in any case according to a permanent concern for integration in all respects, schedules up to and including harmonization of rates, as well as information (§ 2).
Art. 15: Tariff integration will take place in three phases. The first, relative to securities allowing access to the entire offer of companies available within the Brussels Capital Region, is operational since the 1st^er February 2003.
The second phase concerns an integration whose extension will concern a peri-urban area defined in CIMIT on 30 November 1991.
The third phase aims at a new, compatible perception system in the RER area and thereafter at the national level.
Art. 16: The offer is structured around three distinct but complementary elements:
- radial relations, i.e. linking two ends of the area through Brussels, and transversal, i.e. linking two points from the periphery of the area without crossing Brussels (annex II);
- local folding relationships;
- other relationships deemed useful for the continuity of the offers implemented for the RER.
Art. 17 : This article does not call any comment.
Art. 18: The RER relationship quality includes serving one of the major poles, the others being reachable by correspondence with another RER relationship.
Art. 19: This article, duly supplemented by Appendix III, provides the contact details of the offer implemented, with the ability to adapt by the SNCB according to the results of the study provided for in Article 13.
§ 2 specifies a minimum threshold, the definition of which is the current supply of trains except for the momentary adaptations imposed by works.
Art. 20: This article does not call any comments.
Art. 21: Like Article 10, it is up to each party to translate the missions into the respective management contracts with the transport companies.
Art. 22: The accompanying measures, while being part of the RER operation, are the responsibility of each party.
It will be ensured through the Steering Committee to ensure optimal and coordinated implementation.
Art. 23: Marketing, promotion and information are essential to the public success of the new transportation offer that the RR is intended to offer. A common strategy of operators is essential.
Art. 24: This article does not call any comment.
Art. 25-26-27: The infrastructure, including that of customer support, and the rolling stock are covered on the basis of the programs established in section 12 by the parties concerned according to their respective competences.
Article 27, in this case, refers to "ad hoc" agreements between partners related to the implementation of the transport offer and the accompanying measures deemed useful by them to ensure the attractiveness of the global offer.
This article does not prejudice the rules of competence of the authorities concerned.
Art. 28: Any new initiative proposed by the Steering Committee must be agreed upon by the parties concerned with the funding for it.
This article does not prejudice the rules of competence of the authorities concerned.
Art. 29: End 2012 is the deadline.
Art. 30: As specified in Appendix V, two radials should be operational, as their infrastructure capacity will be adequate in a timely manner.
Art. 31: The rolling stock, on the one hand, and the radial R2 borrowing lines 124 and 161, on the other hand, require special treatment. In this case, these two lines give rise to substantial and lengthy work of capacity increase of 2 to 4 lanes and, in addition, the specific rolling stock being not readily available, the RER services planned for the end of 2005 must be subject to transitional measures allowing the supply improvements without waiting for the completion of the said work, or the delivery of the said equipment.
The annexes relate to:
I: The RER area.
II: Specific RER rail links.
III: The amplitudes and frequencies of these connections.
IV: Railway links planned for service at the end of 2005.
V: The types of measures to be considered to accompany the railway supply and consolidate the attractiveness of the RER operation.
The said Convention is simultaneously subject to ratification by each Region.
Parliament is requested to approve this Convention as soon as possible so that it can implement the RER project for Brussels.
COMMENTS TO ARTICLES OF THE DRAFT
Article 1^er
This article does not require further explanation.
Art. 2
This article approves the Convention.
Art. 3
This article does not require further explanation.
Minister of Public Enterprises,
J. VANDE LANOTTE

CONVENTION AGAINST THE PROGRAMME OF REGIONAL EXPRESS OF, TO, IN AND OTHER OF BRUXELLES.
Having regard to Article 39 of the Constitution;
Considering the "Regional Development Plan" of the Brussels-Capital Region;
Considering the "Ruimtelijk Structuurplan Vlaanderen" of the Flemish Region;
Considering the "Schema of Regional Space Development" of the Walloon Region;
In view of the decision of the Inter-Ministerial Conference of Communications and Infrastructure of 30 March 1999 to take action in favour of the implementation of the RR and to establish a mandated working group to develop a draft cooperation agreement between the federal government and the three regions;
Considering the decision of the Inter-Ministerial Conference on Mobility, Infrastructure and Telecommunications of 30 November 1999 on common tariff zones;
Considering the decision of the Inter-Ministerial Conference on Mobility, Infrastructure and Telecommunications of 31 January 2000 to confirm the mandate of the working group;
Considering the Agreement of Cooperation between the Federal State, the Flemish Region, the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region relating to the MYP 2001-2012 plan of the SNCB;
In view of the opinions issued by the Brussels-Capital Region ( 19.07.2001), the Walloon Region (31.01.2002) and the Flemish Region (01.03.2002) on the draft Agreement on Cooperation relating to the RR of, to, in and around Brussels approved by the Council of Ministers on 20 April 2001.
Considering that the parties to this Convention design the Regional Express Network of, towards, and around Brussels as a global project that aims at the mobility of persons;
Considering that they are determined to put in place an attractive public transport offer compared to the car, which integrates non-motorized transport and incentives to the modal transfer of the car to public transport;
Considering that the OECD report "Review of Environmental Performance for Belgium" notes that: "In Belgium, the figures of per capita traffic per GDP unit are among the highest in the OECD";
Considering that the contribution of the transport sector to air emissions is important;
Considering that, as it pursues an objective of modal transfer of the individual movements of the car to public transport, the RER project is part of the objective of reducing greenhouse gases that Belgium has set itself by ratifying the Kyoto agreement in 1997 reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 7.5% in 2008-2012 compared to 1990) and that the same is true of the Rio declaration of 14 June 1992, on the development of
Considering the Federal Sustainable Development Plan 2001-2004, approved by Royal Decree of 19 September 2000 pursuant to the Law of 5 May 1997 on the Coordination of Federal Policy on Sustainable Development, in that this plan considers modal transfer as essential to sustainable development;
Considering that the Brussels-Capital Region and its penetration axes are increasingly engrosed by motor traffic and that this congestion generates considerable socio-economic costs and penalizes the mobility of citizens and economic actors;
Considering that different studies (IRIS, SOFRETU, SYSTRA) provide, at unchanged policy, a significant increase in congestion of the road network from, to, and around Brussels in the medium and long term;
Considering that these various mobility studies have highlighted the low share of the public transport market in the movements between the near periphery and the Brussels-Capital Region, that these studies have also shown the significant potential of customers that could be captured by public transport as part of a coherent mobility project;
Considering that in order to achieve this modal transfer, it is essential to design a public transport service from, to, in and around Brussels that is fast while having adequate stops with high crossing frequencies;
Considering that the work of the working group established by the interdepartmental conference has led to the development of the basis for a general mobility project, including a project for public transport in an area of approximately 30 kilometres around Brussels;
Considering that this agreement must be valued as a process of cooperation and oriented towards an integrated approach between these various offers, in accordance with the self-reliance of each party, around the RER iron supply that constitutes the basic armature of the network;
Considering that the studies cited above show that the success of the project depends on for a large part the accompanying measures that will be taken in parallel to the increase and improvement of the offer of public transport from, to, in and around the Brussels-Capital Region;
Considering that, among these accompanying measures, road and off-road parking plays a key role in the success of the project, particularly because several surveys (CETUR and the National Household Mobility Survey) have demonstrated that having a parking space at destination is a fundamental element of the modal choice in favour of the automobile for home-work travel;
The Federal State represented by Mr. Guy Verhofstadt, Prime Minister of the Federal Government and Ms. Isabelle Durant, Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Government responsible for Mobility and Transport;
The Flemish Region, represented by the Flemish Government, in the person of its Minister-President, Mr. Patrick Dewael, by Mr. Gilbert Bossuyt, Flemish Minister for Mobility, Public Works and Energy, and Mr. Dirk Van Mechelen, Flemish Minister for Finance and Budget, Innovation, Media and Land Planning;
The Walloon Region, represented by its Government, in the person of its Minister-President, Mr. Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe, Minister-President of the Government of the Walloon Region in charge of International Relations, Mr. José Daras, Vice-President of the Walloon Government and Minister of the Walloon Region in charge of Transport, Mobility and Energy and Mr. Michel Foret, Minister of the Walloon Region in charge of Planning
The Region of Brussels-Capital, represented by its Government, in the person of its Minister-President, Mr François-Xavier de Donnéa, in charge of the Local Authorities, of the Planning of the Territory, of the Monuments and Sites, of the Urban Renovation and of the Scientific Research, by Mr. Jos Chabert, Minister Vice-President of the Government of the Region of Brussels-Capital
Jointly exercising their own skills, agree to the following:
CHAPTER I^er. - General provisions
Article 1^er. This Convention is established without prejudice to the division of competence between the parties, as determined by the special law of 8 August 1980 of institutional reform, as amended by the special law of 8 August 1988 of institutional reform and the special law of 16 July 1993 of institutional reform.
Art. 2. As part of this Convention, the following means:
1. "the parties": the Federal Government, the Walloon Government, the Flemish Government and the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region;
2. "RER" (Reseau express Régional): the basic network structuring the overall supply of the 4 public transit companies as specified in Article 16;
3. "RER zone": the geographic area designated in accordance with section 5;
4. "ECMM": the Executive Committee of Ministers of Mobility established in Article 3 of the Cooperation Agreement of 11 October 2001 between the State, the Flemish Region, the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region relating to the multi-year investment plan 2001-2012 of the SNCB;
5. "Common transport companies": the Belgian National Railway Company, the Vlaamse Vervoermaatschappij, the Walloon Regional Transport Corporation and the five TECs as well as the Brussels Inter-Community Transport Corporation;
6. "accompaniment measure": any action that aims to promote the use of public transport in the RER area.
Art. 3. The purpose of this Convention is to achieve the RER in order to guarantee mobility from, to, and around Brussels.
The RER's objective is to promote the modal transfer of the car to public transport and increase their market share in the RER area.
In order to achieve this objective, the project includes:
- improve the public transport offer;
- providing the user with an integrated service;
- carry out accompanying measures.
Art. 4. To this end, the parties undertake to:
- to strengthen their public transport offerings in the RER area in accordance with the provisions of articles 13 to 24;
- implement the necessary means to ensure coordinated public transport between them and with other modes and means of movement, mainly non-motorized, that are attractive to the individual use of the car;
- take the measures and conclude the agreements necessary for the integration of the offer of public transport from the point of view of the user, including the harmonization of tariffs and the integration of the ticket office;
- take the necessary measures to encourage motorists to use public transport and non-motorized transport;
- make available or made available free of charge to other parties, any information useful for the implementation, evaluation or adaptation of actions under this Agreement.
Art. 5. Without prejudice to other geographical delimitations established by the parties for the harmonization of tariffs and the integration of ticketing, the RER zone is located within a radius of about 30 km around Brussels. This area is the core geographic area for the RER offer deployment strategy.
The stipulations of this Agreement shall be applied within this area.
The area is described in annex I^er.
The CEMM can adapt the delimitation of the area according to the evolution of the mobility conditions.
CHAPTER II. - Cooperation bodies
Section 1^re. - Dialogue and bodies to be established
Art. 6. § 1^er Cooperation between the parties is organized on three levels:
1. the general coordination between the parties takes place within the MMCC;
2. strategic and tactical coordination between representatives of federal and regional ministers and government departments that have public transport in their responsibilities, as well as representatives of public transit companies, is taking place within the Steering Committee;
3. operational coordination is supported by public transport companies within the Operational Group.
§ 2. The operation of the cooperation structure will be evaluated annually by the MMCC; the first assessment will take place no later than 12 months after the entry into force of this Agreement.
Section 2. - Composition of consultative bodies
Art. 7. For the consultation referred to in Article 6, § 1^er2° the Steering Committee consists of 12 members:
- a representative of each Minister who has public transportation and/or mobility in his or her duties;
- a representative of each administration that has public transport in its responsibilities;
- a representative of each public transport company;
The Steering Committee shall meet for the first time within two months of the date of entry into force of this Convention.
Art. 8. The Operational Group is composed of representatives of the four public transport companies.
Public transport companies may, at the request of the parties, create another form of legal structure, with the task of coordinating the activities referred to in Article 10.
To this end, a Working Group will be formed at the initiative of the MMCC.
Section 3. - Mission of the coordinating bodies
Art. 9. § 1^er The Steering Committee shall monitor the implementation of this Convention. In addition, it is responsible for rendering advice on any RR, initiative or at the request of the parties.
No later than March 31 of each year, the Committee shall provide the parties with a detailed annual report on the application of this Convention.
§ 2. Parties may charge the Steering Committee for the preparation of their common RRSP decisions.
Art. 10. As part of their respective missions, joint transport companies coordinate their activities within the Operational Group, in particular with regard to:
- knowledge of the needs of the customers as well as promotional actions, advertising and information campaigns;
- the formulation of advice to optimize the offer;
- the study of a compatible ticketing system and the principles of tariff harmonization as part of the general tariff harmonization initiatives undertaken by public transport companies in the territory of their jurisdiction;
- improvement of time correspondence and public information;
- the development of stations, stops, places of correspondence and parking.
The performance of public service missions and tasks to public transit companies remains the responsibility of each company, in accordance with existing regional and federal legislation.
Section 4. - Method of work and cooperation
Art. 11. The meetings of the Steering Committee are chaired by the representative of the Federal Minister who has mobility and transportation in his duties.
The Steering Committee may be convened at the request of a member. The Steering Committee meets at least every two months.
The Steering Committee issues its views by consensus. In the event of an unanimous impossibility to determine a notice, the Steering Committee shall forward the notices to the CMC for decision.
The Steering Committee shall establish its rules of procedure and submit it for approval to the MMCC.
The Steering Committee is supported by a permanent secretariat composed of 4 members seconded respectively by each of the parties.
The headquarters of the secretariat is established in the Brussels-Capital Region, in a place easily accessible by public transport. The financial resources of the secretariat are provided by the parties.
The Operational Group shall establish its rules of procedure and submit it to the MMCC via the Steering Committee.
Art. 12. The Steering Committee establishes an indicative multi-year programme and an annual programme.
The indicative multi-year plan includes the structured description of the planned actions of the parties that have the public transport in their allocation and the public transit companies concerned, including on the basis of the study defined in Article 13.
It will be submitted for approval to the MMCC.
Annual programmes will be prepared annually by the Steering Committee on the basis of the multi-year programme.
They will also be submitted for approval to the MMCC.
The multi-year program, based on multi-year investment programs, and approved refinement, in annual programs include implementation schedules, related budgets (in terms of operating and investment aspects) and the allocation of responsibilities.
CHAPTER III. - Demand analysis and supply organization
Section 1^re. - Demand analysis and action plan
Art. 13. A study is initiated by the Steering Committee no later than six months after the entry into force of this Agreement shall be submitted within 18 months after that date. It is updated at least every 5 years. It addresses the travel needs analyzed on the basis of objective criteria and requests for frequency functionality, amplitude and stopping points. It takes into consideration, among other things, the elasticity of demand at prices.
Previous deadlines may be modified to be consistent with the periodicity of SNCB plans.
This study will, among other things, adapt and evolve the railway reference offer as defined in this Agreement (Appendix II).
This study shall take into consideration, in addition to the conditions set out in Article 18, at least the following objectives:
- the improvement of the service of the Brussels-National airport by direct connections between the airport and the Nord-Midi junction, and between the airport and the European district
- the service of other attractions in the three Regions, including the West Station in Brussels;
- the servicing of the economic poles of the peripheral ring by transversal relations, including Zottegem - Aalst and Dendermonde - Mechelen - Leuven - Ottignies - Nivelles;
- the complementarity between the suburban offer on the radial railway lines and other railway offers, including longer distance trains. The railway RER offer may not prejudice the IC/IR offer and the "high speed" offer implemented by the SNCB, or their development, among other things with regard to the service of the Brussels-National airport from the main cities of the country;
- the complementarity between the railway offer and the bus, tram and metro offer, taking into account in an optimal way the stop points taken up in the "Regional Development Plan of the Brussels-Capital Region", the " Ruimtelijk Structuurplan Vlaanderen" of the Flemish Region and the "Regional Space Development Scheme" of the Walloon Region;
- maximum fluidity for bus and tram connections;
- the removal of rail bottlenecks.
Based on the study of the application, a business plan with financial offerings and aspects, including operating costs, is established by the SNCB, the regional public transit companies providing to the latter, for the development of the plan, the elements relating to the current and planned contribution of customers to RER stations.
The Steering Committee will ensure coordination to maximize financial resources and supply.
Section 2. - Organization of the offer
Sub-section 1^re. - General provisions
Art. 14. § 1^er. The overall offer in the RER area consists of the services of the four public transport companies, as part of their respective mission on railway and road relations. The RER network consists of radial and transverse, rail or road rapid connections.
The suburban railway supply is specified in this Agreement.
Annex II contains a basic railway RER network, based on the data known at the time of the entry into force of this Convention, whose elements may evolve according to the needs of mobility and new developments.
On the advice of the Steering Committee, the parties determine the improvements and modifications to this basic network.
§ 2. The public transport offer in the RER area is provided by public transport companies in an integrated way for the user.
Integration is achieved through a coordinated approach to the following aspects: amplitude, frequency of service, hours, design and use of infrastructure, production and communication of information to users, harmonization of tariffs and commercial actions.
Art. 15. As part of the overall harmonization of tariffs, parties continue to implement a common tariff offer. In a first phase, the four public transport companies put in place the mechanism for mutual recognition of securities for one, five, ten trips and one day, valid in the territory of the Brussels Capital Region. They adapt their software and install additional validator devices in the stations and stop points of the Brussels-Capital Region.
In a second phase, the four public transit companies issue compatible securities, valid in the territory of the Brussels-Capital Region and in the "peri-urban zone" approved by the inter-ministerial conference of 30 November 1999. They adapt their software and install additional validator devices in the stations and stop points of the "periurban zone".
In a third phase, the four public transport companies put into operation a compatible perception system throughout the RER area, and this from the perspective of a compatible perception system for the entire territory, while using the most advanced adequate technology.
Sub-section 2. - RER offer
Art. 16. The overall transport offer in the RER area is composed of:
- radial and transverse, rail or road relations, rapid (RER);
- a downward relationship to a RER station or stop point;
- other relationships necessary to structure the RER offer.
Art. 17. The RER offer consists of the services of public transport companies as part of their mission, on the railway and road relations defined in accordance with Article 16 and according to the characteristics of amplitude, frequency and commercial speed defined in accordance with this subsection.
Art. 18. The offer that takes back radial and transversal relations is designed to provide service to the following three poles: the Nord-Midi junction, the European institutions district in the east of Brussels and the Brussels-National airport.
Any RER radial relationship serves in a privileged way at least one of these three poles. The other two poles are accessible from any RER radial relationship with a maximum of one correspondence.
Art. 19. § 1^er The RER offer guarantees the amplitude, frequency and commercial speed conditions that meet the objective set out in section 3.
For this purpose, the reference characteristics of the amplitude and frequency of the radial railway RER offer are presented in Appendix III.
The study referred to in section 13 will provide the relevant elements for the development by the SNCB, if any, of the reference characteristics.
§ 2. For any relationship, the characteristics of the RER offer set out in paragraph 1^er shall not be less than that of the existing railway supply at the time of the entry into force of this Convention, except as a result of a temporary exemption, in particular because of work.
Art. 20. Without prejudice to more stringent standards, the RER offer tends to meet the most recent quality standards for public transport of persons, prescribed by the competent Belgian and international bodies.
Section 3. - Rules relating to the allocation of operations
Art. 21. As part of its missions, each public transit company operates and assumes the supply charges, which are within its jurisdiction. The parties shall translate the content of this Agreement into the management contract with their respective public transit company.
CHAPTER IV. - RER accompanying measures
Art. 22. Given their importance for the success of the RR, accompanying measures are an integral part of this. They are implemented progressively by the parties to come into force simultaneously with the corresponding RER components.
The accompanying measures relate to stopping and parking, intermodality, increased commercial velocity of public transport and the hierarchy of roads.
These and other measures, which aim to improve the use of public transport, are at the request of the parties and public transport companies studied by the Steering Committee. They will be considered in the business plan.
Appendix V contains a list of measures that, without prejudice to the competence of the various public authorities, will serve as a starting point in the above-mentioned study.
The accompanying measures are included in the multi-year, indicative and annual programmes referred to in Article 12.
CHAPTER V. - Joint Marketing and Information Strategy
Art. 23. A joint marketing strategy is implemented by public transport companies, particularly in the Operational Group.
This strategy is based on the development of the railway RER offer in conjunction with the entire public transport offer in the RER area.
The parties ensure the promotion by regular and coordinated actions, for example by a logo.
Art. 24. Information to the traveller is approached in a coordinated manner. Area RER includes a map element and all appropriate formats to make the most of the information on schedules, rates and terms of use.
The information is continuously updated, depending on the changes in the offer.
CHAPTER VI. - Financial arrangements
Art. 25. The State and the regions manage, each with respect to it, issues relating to the ownership and financing of infrastructure in accordance with the programmes established under Article 12.
Art. 26. The State and the regions manage, each with respect to it, questions relating to the acquisition modalities and financing of RER rolling stock in accordance with the programmes established under Article 12.
Art. 27. The parties or their agents establish special agreements between them and/or other partners (commune, private,...) for the financing of user hosting infrastructures.
Art. 28. For any study or joint project proposed by the Steering Committee, all concerned parties agree on a distribution key for funding. If there is no agreement, the study or joint project is presented to the MMCC.
CHAPTER VII. - Programming and priority actions
Art. 29. The objective is that the RER offer is fully operational by the end of 2012.
Art. 30. The RER railway offer is operational by 31 December 2005, at least for two radial relations, as described in Appendix IV.
Art. 31. Specific transitional measures will be considered in order to allow, by 31.12.2005, the optimum enhancement and strengthening of current capacities and frequencies on future radial lines of the R2, as well as the modernization of rolling stock.
Application de la décision du Comité de Concertation du 4 avril 2003. In Appendix VI, the schedule for the acquisition of specific RER equipment, as adjusted by the SNCB Board of Directors, March 28, 2003.
Made in Brussels on 4 April 2003 in 12 original French and Dutch copies.
For the state:
Prime Minister of the Federal Government,
G. VERHOFSTADT
Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Government in charge of Mobility and Transport,
Ms. I. DURANT
For the Flemish Region:
The Minister-President of the Flemish Government,
P. DEWAEL
The Flemish Minister, responsible for Mobility, Public Works and Energy,
G. BOSSUYT
The Flemish Minister, responsible for Finance and Budget, Innovation, Economy, Media and Land Planning,
D. VAN MECHELEN
For the Walloon Region:
The Minister-President of the Government of the Walloon Region,
International Relations Officer
J-Cl. VAN CAUWENBERGHE
Vice-President of the Walloon Government,
and Minister of the Walloon Region responsible for Transport, Mobility and Energy,
J. DARAS
The Minister of the Walloon Region, responsible for the Land Planning,
Urbanism and the Environment,
Mr. FORET
For the Brussels-Capital Region:
The Minister-President of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, responsible for the Local Authorities, the Land Planning, Monuments and Sites, Urban Renovation and Scientific Research,
F.-X. DE DONNEA
The Minister-Vice-President of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, responsible for Public Works, Transport, the Fight against Incensing and Emergency Medical Assistance,
J. CHABERT
The Secretary of State of the Brussels-Capital Region, responsible for Mobility, Public Service, Combating Incensics and Emergency Medical Aid,
R. DELATHOUWER
The Secretary of State of Land Development, Urban Renovation, Monuments and Sites and the Paid Transport of Persons,
W. DRAPS

Annexes
List of annexes
I. RER Zone - Map and description
II. Radial and transversal railway relations
III. Amplitudes and frequencies of the railway supply
IV. Intermediate Phase 2005
V. accompanying measures
VI. VI. Proposed procedure for the acquisition of RER trainsets

Annex I^re. - RER zone. - Map and description
Application of Article 5.
RER card:
See attached map.
Description:
1. List of Commons
The RER area consists of the following municipalities:
For the consultation of the table, see image
2. Delimitation of the central core
The central core of the RER zone is defined on the basis of:
1. the municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region;
2. of the Brussels agglomeration, as defined by the National Institute of Statistics in the study "Belgian urban regions in 1991", Statistical studies No. 104, INS, 1996, based on criteria of urban continuity;
3. contiguity with the territory of the Brussels-Capital Region;
4. the volume of observed daily migration flows by rail;
5. Transport infrastructure;
The list of municipalities comprising the central core of the RER zone is as follows:
- the nineteen municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region
- Asse
- Beersel
- Braine-l'Alleud
- Dilbeek
- Drogenbos
- Grimbergen
- Halle
- Hoeilaart
- Kraainem
- The Hulpe
- Linkebeek
- Machelen
- Overijse
- Rhode-Saint-Genesis
- Rixensart
- Sint-Pieters-Leeuw
- Tervuren
- Vilvorde
- Waterloo
- Wemmel
- Wezenbeek-Oppem
- Zaventem.
By derogation from the foregoing, the minimum frequency of railway service provided for in the central nucleus in accordance with the provisions of Annex III is applicable only to the limit of the morphological agglomeration defined in the above-mentioned study as the agglomerated part of the territory, as follows:
1) Zaventem station and national airport
2) Braine-l'Alleud Mont-Saint-Jean, centre and station
3) Hal station and centre
4) Dilbeek Buurtstation and SNCB Station
5) Asse station
6) Grimbergen Buurtstation
3. Definition of peripheral ring
The peripheral ring of the RER zone consists of the territory of the municipalities and parts of municipalities belonging to the RER zone and not belonging to its central core.
For the consultation of the table, see image

Annex II. - Radial and transversal railway relations
Implementation of articles 13 and 14
1. Radial railway relations
The relations described below constitute the reference radial railway network, corresponding to the mobility situation, as perceived at the time of signing of this Agreement. On the proposal of the steering committee, the parties may modify the structure and organization.
The related card is attached.
In any case, this schema must be adapted according to the diabolo around the Brussels-National airport and the configuration of the railway node of Ottignies.
For the consultation of the table, see image
2. Cross-cutting railway relations
In addition, in addition to radial railway relations, the cross-cutting railway relations referred to in Article 13 shall be studied and evaluated:
- Zottegem - Alost;
- Termonde - Malines - Leuven - Ottignies - Nivelles
For the consultation of the table, see image

Annex III. - Amplitudes and frequencies of the railway supply
Application of Article 19.
Below is a volontarist vision, which can be modulated according to the results of the study cited in section 13 and all the analyses produced by the SNCB, in order to meet the mobility transfer objectives and according to an optimal allocation of budgets.
1) The minimum guaranteed amplitude is a 20-hour service per calendar day (*), i.e.:
- for working days, a first departure allowing one of the three poles referred to in Article 18 at 6 o'clock and one last departure from one of the three poles at 24 o'clock, a dessert from 5 o'clock to 1 o'clock;
- for Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, a first departure for one of the three poles referred to in Article 18 at 7 o'clock and one last departure from one of the three poles at 1 o'clock, a dessert from 6 o'clock to 2 o'clock.
2) the minimum frequency of relationships varies according to the two areas included in the RER area and each qualified as central core and peripheral ring.
The minimum frequency and amplitude of service at the arrival and departure of one of the three poles are, depending on the periods:
For the consultation of the table, see image
(*) At this stage of development, this objective exceeds the working assumptions contained in the document approved by the Board of Directors of the SNCB of 27 March 2001 (CA 2001/113).

Annex IV. - Intermediate Phase 2005
Application of Article 30.
Under Article 17 of the NWS Multi-year Investment Plan Cooperation Agreement, 2001-2012, the RER Offer will be operational, by 31 December 2005, on the following two railway relations:
For the consultation of the table, see image
As a transitional measure, the RER offer of the R4b includes the pilot experience on line 26.
On the R4b relationship, the future dessert of the stop points of Petit-Enghien, Bierghes and Saintes will be examined.
For the consultation of the table, see image
Based on the results of the travel study referred to in Article 13, the Steering Committee may propose to the MMCC models of exploitation within these relationships.
The SNCB will present an implementation schedule for this operation.

Appendix V. - accompanying measures
Application of Article 22
The following are measures that, without prejudice to the competence of the various public authorities concerned, will serve as a starting point during the review of the Steering Committee, cited in Article 22:
- The reduction of the long-term parking offer in the administrative districts near the stations;
- The modulation of the offer in off-road parking in buildings not reserved for housing, depending on the quality of service in public transport;
- Increased commercial speed of surface public transport, including through the creation of protected sites;
- Improvement of intermodality conditions in the vicinity of stations, including secure bicycle and car parking;
- The hierarchization of the roads in cities, including protection through zones 30, to deter transit traffic in residential grids.

Annex VI. - Proposed procedure for the acquisition of RER trains
(Annex 1^re to the note to the Board of Directors)
1. Selection procedure
The recommended procedure is as follows:
- The application for approval of the "Procedure negotiated with advertising" procurement method will be submitted to the Board of Directors in its session on March 28, 2003.
- The Directorate "Operations - Service Staff Purchasing" will forward the notice of contract to the Official Journal of the European Communities and to the Bulletin des Adjudications annexed to the Belgian Monitor no later than 2 April 2003, with a publication scheduled around 10 April 2003.
- Applications will be received on 16.05.2003.
- The firm selection proposal will be submitted for approval by the Management Committee in its session of 16.06.2003.
2. Allocation procedure
The procedure must allow for the creativity of manufacturers. Therefore, it is proposed to split the negotiation process into two parts.
2.a. 1^re phase of negotiations
- Sends a document to selected firms on 17.06.2003 describing the main characteristics of the material.
- A motivated "short-list" choice will be made and submitted to the Steering Committee in its session on 27.10.2003.
2.b. 2^e phase of negotiations
- Sending before 15.11.2003 of the Special Book of Charges to "short-listed" firms with a detailed commercial part and technical specifications.
The award criteria will be: the price (including the CCA), the quality of the equipment and the delivery time.
- Discount of encrypted offers on 01.02.2004.
- Negotiation phase on prices and bid development.
- Approval of the offer by the Board of Directors at the end of April 2004.
- First supplies: end of 2006.