1. WG A Ecological Status Rivers intercalibration – update on progress of groups with 6-month extension

2. River groups with extension
Mediterranean GIG – all BQEs (except Fish)
EC GIG – Macrophytes and Phytobenthos
Large Rivers – Phytobenthos and Invertebrates
Additional issue: macrophytes for NO GIG

3. MED GIG
Progress with the work done by the Portuguese coordination theme
No new Milestone delivered because the outcomes have not yet been discussed with the participating Member States – no new info to present to ECOSTAT
Full results and draft final milestone report expected soon
Final meeting October to endorse final results

4. EC GIG Updated Milestone reports available on CIRCA Macrophytes:
Methods available, data set in place
Problems with RC – solution: ‘continuous benchmarking
EC GIG can take advantage of the now finalized work in the CB GIG
Phytobenthos:
Analysis under way
No major problems expected (?)
Detailed Milestone reports expected with final resuts expected for next ECOSTAT

5. Large rivers Progress with the work done by the DE coordination theme
Phytobenthos, Benthic Invertebrates
No new Milestone delivered – no new info to report
Full results and draft final milestone report expected in time to be included in the current IC

6. Macrophytes in NO GIG Macrophytes work never started in NO GIG
JRC has asked the MS for clarifications
UK: macrophyte method intercalibrated in CB GIG, considers that they have fulfilled their IC obligations
SE, FI, NO have put together a (draft) document explaining the situation:
SE, FI, NO have no final methods at the moment
All three countries foresee such methods in the future:
NO already late 2012
SE has recently started a research project
FI sees this as something for future development

7. Macrophytes in NO GIG - Conclusions
No macrophyte methods in the NO countries at the moment
No NO macrophytes in the 2011 intercalibration
Methods are in development – up to NO MS to intercalibrate them when ready
Propose to distribute the note prepared by the NO countries to ECOSTAT

8. Method checking for the intercalibration exercise: what methods can be included in the exercise?
ECOSTAT paper summarizing the situation and proposing solutions for problems encountered by the GIGs when applying the existing guidance (it is not a new guidance document)
General issues (e.g. not all aspects of a BQE covered; no response to pressure demonstrated) and specific issues for the BQEs
General recommendation: IC groups and/or MS should provide justifications that are strong enough to pass scientific peer review

9. Status of the paper…
SCG May: No need to have it endorsed by SCG/Water Directors as it is not a guidance document
Paper updated after last ECOSTAT meeting  version 2.0 of 16 May 2011 taking into account the comments received
Propose not to have another discussion/revision of the paper, but to bring up relevant issues with the intercalibration results