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The IOBC-WPRS Working Group on Benefits and Risks of Exotic Biological Control Agents (BREBCA) was established in 2007 in Brussels, bringing together researchers from across Europe and Russia to foster scientific exchange on the benefits and potential risks of introducing exotic natural enemies as biological control agents. The group focuses on evaluating the characteristics that lead to successful biological control, understanding cases where introductions have become invasive, identifying key research needs, and developing guidelines to support informed decision-making in classical biological control programmes.
New Opportunity for Students from Developing Countries
The BREBCA 2026 Organizing Committee is pleased to announce the availability of five registration fee waivers for students from developing countries wishing to participate in the meeting.
To be eligible, applicants must:
1) be enrolled as a student (MSc or PhD) at the time of the conference;
2) submit an abstract to BREBCA 2026;
3) be affiliated with an institution located in a developing country.
Interested students are invited to contact the Organizing Committee by email, providing a brief description of their academic status and research topic. We encourage eligible students to apply as early as possible, as the number of available fee waivers is limited.
To apply, please send an email to the Organizing Committee including:
- your name and affiliation;
- your academic status (MSc or PhD student);
- the title of your submitted abstract;
- a brief statement explaining why financial support would facilitate your participation.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until all available fee waivers have been allocated.
We are pleased to announce that the 6th meeting of the BREBCA WG will be held
14 - 17 September 2026
at the Edmund Mach Foundation
in San Michele all’Adige, Trento, Italy.
The BREBCA 2026 meeting will address key topics including:
Assessing benefits and risks of exotic BCAs through ecological, socio-economic, and policy frameworks
Rapid deployment of exotic BCAs against emerging pests, pathogens, and invasive plants
Ecological interactions between exotic agents, native species, and ecosystems
Innovative tools for safety testing, host specificity, and climate-smart agent selection
Exotic BCA ecology under global change, including climate and land-use effects
Governance and regulation, with focus on international coordination and policy harmonization
Ethical and societal perspectives, including stakeholder engagement and communication
Long-term monitoring and adaptive management for sustained ecological outcomes
Integration with IPM, exploring synergies between exotic agents and other pest management strategies
Contributions fitting in with the topics above are most welcome. Although BREBCA is Europe-based, participation is global, reflecting the central role of biological control in sustainable pest, pathogen and weed management.
Previous meetings have been held in Engelberg (Switzerland, 2009), Hluboká (Czech Republic, 2011), Bornholm (Denmark, 2015), Ponta Delgada (Azores, Portugal, 2018), and Aveiro (Portugal, 2023), each fostering valuable discussions and collaborations.
Although BREBCA is primarily Europe-based, its meetings attract delegates globally, reflecting the importance of biological control as a key tool in integrated pest and weed management.
We warmly invite all colleagues with an interest in the benefits and risks of exotic biological control agents to join us in San Michele all’Adige in 2026 for what promises to be an engaging and inspiring event.
Please save the dates – we look forward to welcoming you to Trentino!
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