Rules governing enrolment in the 'third-party payment system' of DE LIJN for European Parliament staff based in Brussels
Introduction
1. Eligibility
2. Types of season ticket covered by the financial contribution
3. Percentage of the contribution
4. Ordering procedure
5. Processing of personal data
6. Loss or theft of the season ticket
7. Cancellation and reimbursement of the season ticket
8. Scope
9. Entry into force
Introduction
1. Eligibility
2. Types of season ticket covered by the financial contribution
3. Percentage of the contribution
4. Ordering procedure
5. Processing of personal data
6. Loss or theft of the season ticket
7. Cancellation and reimbursement of the season ticket
8. Scope
9. Entry into force
Introduction
The European Parliament is keen to reduce its carbon footprint and is seeking, as part of its Mobility Plan, to encourage its staff to use public transport. To that end, Parliament has signed, for its staff based in Brussels, a 'third-party payment system' agreement with the public transport operator De Lijn under which Parliament will contribute 50% of the cost of individual season tickets. These rules lay down the internal procedures for implementing this agreement with De Lijn.
This financial contribution will be granted, on request, to European Parliament staff based in Brussels who are in active employment. Officials, temporary officials and contract staff with an initial contract of at least six months from the first day of the season ticket's validity are eligible, as are accredited parliamentary assistants with a contract of at least six months from the first day of the season ticket's validity. Temporary officials, contract staff and accredited parliamentary assistants whose contracts end before expiry of the season ticket (i.e. in less than 12 months) must, if their contracts are not renewed, cancel season tickets taken out under this scheme and request pro-rata reimbursement from De Lijn, and immediately inform the relevant department within Parliament (e-mail: De Lijn-Abonnements), who will then request from De Lijn pro-rata reimbursement of Parliament's contribution. A staff member who obtains a De Lijn season ticket may also purchase a STIB third-party payment season ticket via the European Parliament. The granting of this financial contribution is not conditional on foregoing access to the European Parliament car parks.
The public transport operator covered by the contribution arrangements is De Lijn. A contribution to the cost of the season ticket will be granted only in respect of the purchase by eligible staff members of a personal De Lijn season ticket entitling the holder to use the public transport network(s). Only annual season tickets are eligible for the financial contribution. The financial contribution is limited to one personal season ticket per person.
The financial contribution is 50% of the cost of the season ticket without VAT. Parliament will also cover the administrative costs arising in connection with the season ticket.
a) Applications must be submitted by e-mail to delijn-abonnements@europarl.europa.eu by the 9th of the month (see Intranet). b) Once an application has been received, Parliament will forward it to De Lijn on the 10th of the month. On the basis of the information received, De Lijn will send to the beneficiary's registered address a transfer form (for 50% of the cost of the season ticket in question inclusive of VAT) with a giro payment slip. The beneficiary must carefully follow the giro instructions included with the transfer form. Within 10 working days from payment by the beneficiary, De Lijn will send the beneficiary the season ticket by post Alternatively, the beneficiary may pay at a Lijnwinkel (De Lijn sales point) to receive the season ticket directly. c) The amount of the financial contribution (covering the remaining 50% of the cost of the season ticket and the administrative costs) will be paid to De Lijn directly by the European Parliament.
For the contract signed with De Lijn to be able to come into effect, the beneficiary will be required, when taking out the season ticket, to provide certain personal details, which Parliament will subsequently need to pass on to De Lijn. These are: customer number, title [Mr/Ms], surname and first name, date of birth, address and staff number. As part of the ordering procedure, the beneficiary will be asked to confirm his or her interest by sending an e-mail to delijn-abonnements@europarl.europa.eu giving his or her consent to the processing of these data by the European Parliament and De Lijn (including passing on data by Parliament to De Lijn). Within the European Parliament, the Directorate-General for Infrastructure and Logistics is responsible for the processing of data. De Lijn may only process these data in accordance with the Belgian Law of 8 December 1992 on the protection of privacy with regard to the processing of personal data.
The European Parliament's Intranet will indicate the steps to take in the event of loss or theft of the De Lijn card.
The beneficiary may, at any point, request the cancellation of the annual season ticket and the reimbursement of the remaining balance, in accordance with the general conditions of De Lijn applicable at the time. To do so, the beneficiary must notify the relevant department (delijn-abonnements@europarl.europa.eu) as soon as possible.
The European Parliament will grant this financial contribution for season tickets purchased after the entry into force of these rules, without retroactive effect and subject to the availability of resources. The season tickets may also be used, without restriction, for private travel. These rules govern matters relating to the European Parliament's financial contribution to the cost of season tickets. Nevertheless, the beneficiary, as a user of the network, remains entirely and personally responsible for observing the rules applicable to public transport users.
These rules came into force on the 10th of September 2014. The Directorate-General for Infrastructure and Logistics is responsible for implementing the procedures referred to in these rules.