AbstractTo study effects of stellar variability, it is necessary to have complete lists of variable stars with good coordinates, correct variability ranges, reliable classification. The General Catalogue of Variable Stars (GCVS) is one of the main sources of information of this kind. Recently, the flow of information on stellar variability has increased strongly, requiring new approaches to GCVS compilation. New classification schemes are needed for variable stars, taking into account the

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... pment of our knowledge. We present information on the current state of the GCVS, its web data base, new Name-Lists containing thousands of new variables. We also discuss the problems of developing a new classification system for variable stars, of implementing catalogs of variable stars based on automatic surveys into the GCVS, of cooperation and interaction between the GCVS and other important sources of information on variable stars.