To achieve the objective of a continuously operating, intercalibrated European trace gas measurement network on tall towers a consortium of the leading European laboratories in the field has been formed for CHIOTTO. The consortium contains leaders in the field of atmospheric sciences and carbon cycle related studies. Most of the experimental groups have a more than 20 years long experience of high precision measurements related to the carbon cycle, and have pioneered methods (eddy correlation for UNITUS, UEDIN and Alterra) and measurements of tracers that are now being used routinely (stable isotopes of CO₂ for CIO-RUG (sub-contractor of ECN), radiocarbon for MPG, CO₂ and ²²²Rn for LSCE). The partners have already experience in collaborative work. There is already a well established current exchange of information, data, model codes and students which has been largely promoted by the previous EU projects ESCOBA, AEROCARB, CARBOEUROFLUX, RECAB, CARBODATA, TACOS and EUROSIBERIAN CARBONFLUX, which is also documented by the successful ongoing activities in the CARBOEUROPE Cluster. As part of the EUROSIBERIAN CARBONFLUX project, the partners MPI-BGC and LSCE (CEA-DSM) have organised a successful field campaign in Russia, during summer 1998. These (and more) joint activities have lead to a high level of integration among many participants. For instance, we use primary standards of the same origin, the size of most of our flasks samples is standardised, at least 2 groups (MPI-BGC, LSCE CEA-DSM) use LI-COR type of analysers for CO₂. The fact that we already are a well organised consortium means that the success of our plans can be anticipated.

	ECN Energy research Center of the Netherlands Clean Fossil Fuels Dept - Air Quality group
	LSCE (CEA-DSM) Commissariat � l'Energie Atomique Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement
	MPI-BGC Max-Planck Institut f�r Biogeochemie
	ALTERRA Alterra Green World Research
	UEDIN University of Edinburgh Institute of Ecology and Resource Management
	ELTE-TTK Eotvos Lorand University Department of Meteorology
	LSCE (CEA-CNRS) Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement
	UNITUS University of Tuscia Dept. of Forest Environment and Resources
	LUPG University of Lund Department of Physical Geography