1. Working Group 2A ECOSTAT Summary progress report River GIGs Wouter van de Bund Joint Research Centre Institute for Environment and Sustainability Inland and Marine Waters Unit

2. River GIGs

3. Work plans and timetables
Work plans available from Northern, Alpine, Central/Baltic
Timetables available from Northern, Central/Baltic
Only Northern GIG has taken into account GIG milestones from IC process guidance

4. Pilot intercalibration
Most river GIGs have decided to carry out pilot intercalibration exercises in 2004
focused on macroinvertebrates
specific common types, pressures, (sometimes) countries

5. River GIGs: pilots

6. Summary - organisation
Work has started in most GIGs
Northern GIG: funding through NCM
Co-ordination Central/Baltic GIG still problematic
need for resources to have a dedicated co-ordinator (e.g. national expert at JRC)
E. Continental GIG: first meeting Oct. 04

7. Summary - approaches Strong focus on macroinvertebrates
GIGs see possibilities also to include phytobenthos and fish - requires specific expertise
Common approach in Alpine, Central/Baltic, Mediterranean GIGs (Northern similar)
hybrid option 2 and 3 (included in guidance as new Annex)
common metric: ICM (Intercalibration common metric) (AQEM/STAR multimetric)
Approach presented separately (J.-G. Wasson)

8. Discussion issues
Identical approach in river GIGs – do they still need to operate separately?
What can be done to broaden the IC exercise beyond macroinvertebrates
need to start very soon to achieve results before 2006
How to ensure consistent class boundary setting in the hybrid approach of the pilots