Task 1 - Intercalibration WG 2A ECOSTAT - Intercalibration WG 2A Ecological Status Task 1 - Intercalibration Progress update 1 July, 2003 WG 2A ECOSTAT - Intercalibration

Mandate: Objectives/ Tasks Ensure comparable biological quality assessment systems and harmonised ecological quality criteria Ecological quality class boundaries should be (a) consistent with the normative definitions and (b) comparable between countries Establishment of the intercalibration network following the procedure agreed in the Intercalibration guidance Develop guidance for the intercalibration exercise in 2005-6 Progress update 1 July, 2003 WG 2A ECOSTAT - Intercalibration

Outcomes of WG meeting on 17-18 March Agreement on : Geographical Intercalibr. groups (MS & AC & CC) Common types for the Intercalibr. Network (some still open: input expected ASAP) Major pressures for each water body type Major quality elements for the intercalibration network/ exercise Progress update 1 July, 2003 WG 2A ECOSTAT - Intercalibration

Outcomes of WG meeting on 17-18 March Agreement on process for continuation: next steps for intercalibration network selection process process for metadata analysis 3 drafting groups for WG 2A ECOSTAT Increase involvement of Accession Countries with direct contacts and workshops Progress update 1 July, 2003 WG 2A ECOSTAT - Intercalibration

IC network selection process Draft document: Overview of common Intercalibration types and Guidelines for the Selection of Intercalibration sites’ compilation coordinated by JRC/ EEWAI Draft distributed for comments to WG & Experts: 9 April Comments expected by: May 1 Final ‘Guidelines’ distributed together with metadata questionnaire to all WG & experts on 15 May to be updated after metadata analysis Progress update 1 July, 2003 WG 2A ECOSTAT - Intercalibration

Metadata compilation and analysis Overview of the data availability and other information from the provisional Intercalibration sites MS (& AC) will collect information & send it to COM/ JRC metadatabase (preceded by selection of provisional sites for the intercalibration network) Expert networks evaluate the consistency and comparability of the sites, and scope & data requirements for intercalibration exercise Progress update 1 July, 2003 WG 2A ECOSTAT - Intercalibration

Metadata web interface Developed and tested will be available this week Progress update 1 July, 2003 WG 2A ECOSTAT - Intercalibration

Timetable for the site selection process Metadata Questionnaire to MS & AC May 15 MS & AC provide metadata End of July Expert evaluations of metadata Sep-October Meeting of ECOSTAT WG Late October Draft register ready November 20 Meeting of Art 21 Committee December 4-5 Progress update 1 July, 2003 WG 2A ECOSTAT - Intercalibration

WG 2A ECOSTAT - Intercalibration Drafting groups 1) Further guidance for the intercalibration exercise; Participants until now Austria, Denmark, France, Latvia and Spain & JRC (start autumn 2003) 2) Identification of needs for harmonization/ standardization of methods; Participants until now Austria, France, and Spain & JRC relatively small task - not in present mandate - still needed? Progress update 1 July, 2003 WG 2A ECOSTAT - Intercalibration

Guideline / International standard Quality Element Object Guideline / International standard BIOLOGICAL Q.E.   Phytoplankton Sampling procedure; Abundance OSPAR and HELCOM Conventions: HELCOM COMBINE Manual, Part C., Annex C-6, OSPAR JAMP Eutrophication Monitoring Guidelines: Phytoplankton). Abundance ; Composition Standard in preparation: CEN/TC 230 NO423 "Water quality - Guidance standard for the routine analysis of phytoplankton abundance and composition using inverted microscopy (Utermöhl technique)" - The first working document shall be available in December 2003. Chlorophyll a HELCOM COMBINE Manual (Part C, Annex C-4), OSPAR JAMP Eutrophication Guidelines: Chlorophyll a. ISO guideline (ISO 10260), only for the spectrophotometric determination of chlorophyll ‘a’. Reference: WG COAST

WG 2A: Summary of Meetings in 2003 Kick-off of ECOSTAT WG, in Brussels July 1 Expert meetings on IC site selection 1) coastal waters - Oslo 11-12 Sep 2) rivers/lakes - JRC Ispra 18-19 Sep ECOSTAT WG meeting IC draft register, final agreement on classification paper JRC 16-17 Oct Progress update 1 July, 2003 WG 2A ECOSTAT - Intercalibration

WG 2A ECOSTAT - Intercalibration Points for discussion Deadlines for site selection process constrained by art. 21 committee agenda MS should keep deadline Drafting groups intercalibration exercise - outline to be discussed WG2A meeting October overview of existing methods / harmonisation needs - how to proceed? ` Progress update 1 July, 2003 WG 2A ECOSTAT - Intercalibration