The consolidated interim financial statements have been prepared on the basis of accounting principles in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and in conformity with the IAS34 standard (Interim Financial Reporting) as adopted by the European Union and statutory and administrative-law requirements applying in Belgium.

The accounting policies are unchanged from those used in the annual financial report as at 31 December 2008 except for IAS 1 – Presentation of financial statements and the amendment of IAS 40 relating to accounting for development projects. The new version of IAS 1 requires the presentation of a statement of other comprehensive income and an amendment in the statement of changes in shareholders’ equity. Due to the adjustment of IAS 40 assets under construction that are subsequently held as investment property are required to be valued as investment property (in accordance with IAS 40) and no longer as property, plant and equipment (IAS 16). The impact of the amended IAS applies to only one property (Libercourt) and amounts to EUR 870,000.

The consolidated financial statements are presented in EUR thousands, rounded to the nearest thousand.