he Permanent Commission of TGVilles-RAFHAEL meets every two months (January, March, May, etc.).
This Commission reflects upon the directions to be taken within the work of the network, defines short-term projects and manages the work of the technical groups. 
Today, the network consists of 13 towns that have opted for cross-border co-operation on various themes (Nord-Pas de Calais, Flanders and Wallonia). 

The Permanent Commission is made up of the thirteen Mayors and Burgomasters, their staff, and representatives of other member institutions (Regional Council of the  Nord-Pas de Calais, Lille Métropole Urban Community, the Chambers of Commerce and  Industry of the Nord-Pas de Calais region and of Metropolitan Lille).

AFHAEL's Permanent Commission intends to develop four particular areas this year:
- Tourism, leisure and culture: RAFHAEL aims to promote exchanges between the towns and to facilitate access to leisure activities within the area,
- Regarding transport, the network plays a lobbying role in order to generate improvements in mobility/accessibility and comprehension,
- As far as the economy is concerned, the network's major concern is the organisation of complementary features and the accessibility to metropolitan activities,
- In terms of new information and communications technologies, RAFHAEL has initiated the creation of this site - but this is not an end in itself. The question is also to reflect upon the issue of digital connections and their application among towns within the network. 

- And finally, the theme of "sports" could well also fall within the network's new objectives... to be followed up ...

eyond the aim of promoting the exchange of experiences to an even greater extent, several projects must still be launched or implemented on the medium to long term:
- a directory of meeting rooms and congress equipment available in the 13 towns (in progress), 
- a rail-road round tour to discover the 13 towns (in conjunction with the economy), 
- a leisure pass to facilitate access to nearby leisure activities, 
- a network of municipal libraries to facilitate the exchange of specific documentary sources,,
- improved trans-border links