VIENNA, BRUSSELS and LONDON, September 16 /PRNewswire/ --     Dexia Belgium has joined the VocaLink Euro CSM (Clearing & Settlement
Mechanism). Today, Dexia Belgium signed a contract with VocaLink for
transaction processing. Dexia Belgium will use the VocaLink Euro CSM to
support the processing needs of its customers.

Erwin Ruymaekers, payments director at Dexia Belgium said: "VocaLink has
been able to convince us of its capabilities and quality of service, enabling
us to sign this contract today. VocaLink offers a range of value-added
services that we believe will be attractive to our customers, going beyond
clearing and settlement and the basic requirements of SEPA compliance."

Martin Wilson, chief commercial officer at VocaLink, commented: "We are
delighted that Dexia Belgium has chosen to join the VocaLink Euro CSM. This
brings another significant player into the VocaLink Euro CSM as we continue
to grow within this region."

The VocaLink Euro CSM was launched in January to process SEPA
transactions and offer other payment services. It is providing SEPA credit
transfers and VocaLink is working on developing a SEPA direct debit pilot as
well as a suite of value-added services including payment capture and mandate
management.

Notes to Editors

About VocaLink

VocaLink is a specialist provider of transaction services to banks, their
corporate customers and Government departments. It processes domestic and
international automated payments and provides ATM switching solutions. On a
peak day, the VocaLink automated payment platform processes over 90 million
transactions and over half a billion in a month. Its switching platform
connects the world's busiest ATM network of over 60,000 ATMs. Its Real-Time
Payments platform provides the central infrastructure for the UK Faster
Payments service. VocaLink is working with BGC to provide outsourced
processing for the majority of Sweden's domestic payments.

Having pioneered electronic payments for over four decades, many of the
world's top banks and their corporate customers rely on VocaLink to meet
their transaction needs. Its processing services offer banks reach throughout
the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and beyond; and are complemented by
value-added services that leverage industry expertise and technical
capabilities.

Please visit http://www.vocalink.com for more information.

About Dexia Bank

Dexia Bank Belgium was created in 1860 as the Crédit Communal de Belgique
and developed as the financial institution of municipalities. In 1996 it
joined Crédit Local de France and Banque Internationale à Luxembourg to
create the Dexia Group. In 2002, the bank acquired Artesia (the result of the
merger of BACOB and Paribas Belgium).

Dexia currently employs some 35,200 staff and has operations in about
thirty countries. Dexia enjoys one of the best credit ratings in the banking
sector. Dexia's development strategy is based on two pillars: Universal
Banking in Europe (Belgium, Luxembourg, Slovakia and Turkey), and a worldwide
leadership in Public/Project Finance.

Dexia Belgium is active in most of the Group's business lines:
Public/Project Finance, Personal Financial Services, Asset Management and
Treasury and Financial Markets activities. It is a leading player in the
Belgian payment landscape.

For further information please contact:

    Gerald Cross at the JJ Group
    +44(0)1865-343100 or vocalink@thejjgroup.com

    Kevin Monks at VocaLink
    +44(0)870-920-8574 or kevin.monks@vocalink.com

    Deborah Souter at VocaLink
    +44(0)870-920-8651 or deborah.souter@vocalink.com