Programme & Events

18:00 – 19:30

Registration and Welcome Aperitif 

09:00 – 12:00
Morning Scientific Session

12:00 – 13:00
Lunch Break

13:00 – 18:00
Afternoon Scientific Session

09:00 – 12:00
Morning Scientific Session

12:00 – 13:00
Lunch Break

13:00 – 17:00
Afternoon Scientific Session

17:00 – 18:00 

Interactive Panel Discussion

When Biological Control Agents Cross Borders: Managing Secondary Introductions, Natural Spread and Emerging Opportunities

The increasing number of accidental introductions and secondary spread of biological control agents raises new scientific, regulatory and practical challenges. In some cases, agents intentionally released in one region naturally expand into neighbouring countries, while in others beneficial organisms establish following unintentional introductions.

This panel will bring together researchers, regulators and practitioners to discuss how these situations should be addressed, considering both potential risks and opportunities. Topics will include regulatory responses to secondary introductions, assessment of benefits and non-target risks, the role of precautionary principles, and the possible integration of already established agents into biological control and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programmes.

The discussion will draw on examples from different regions and taxonomic groups, with the aim of exploring common challenges and identifying future directions for policy and practice.

20:00 – 23:00
Social Dinner (see details here)

09:00 – 12:00
Morning Scientific Session

12:00 – 13:00
Lunch Break

13:00 – 18:00
Afternoon Scientific Session

09:00 – 16:00

Technical Trip (see details here) 

The programme is preliminary and subject to change. A detailed scientific programme will be published after the final selection of presentations.

1. From Risk Assessment to Governance of Exotic BCAs

Focus: Integrating benefit–risk analysis, policy, and international coordination for responsible introductions.
Covers: Predictive modelling and probabilistic risk assessment, socio-economic evaluation, IOBC/FAO/EPPO frameworks, Nagoya Protocol compliance, transboundary governance.
Synopsis: This session links the scientific foundations of risk assessment with regulatory and policy dimensions of EBCA governance. It highlights tools and frameworks that ensure transparent, harmonized, and evidence-based decision-making for safe global use of exotic agents.

2. Rapid and Responsible Deployment of EBCAs

Focus: Managing urgency, ethics, and stakeholder perspectives in responses to emerging threats.
Covers: Emergency authorizations, rapid risk–benefit evaluations, precautionary principles, communication and engagement strategies, ethical frameworks.
Synopsis: Some invasive pests require immediate intervention. This session explores structured, ethical approaches to deploy EBCAs under urgent conditions.

3. Ecological Interactions and Long-Term Dynamics of EBCAs

Focus: Understanding and managing ecological consequences over time and under global change.
Covers: Host range and non-target interactions, competition with native species, climate and land-use effects, establishment potential, adaptive monitoring and management.
Synopsis: Exotic BCAs interact dynamically with native ecosystems, and these relationships evolve under changing climates and landscapes. This session integrates short- and long-term ecological perspectives to ensure sustained effectiveness and safety of EBCAs.

4. Innovative Tools and Approaches for EBCA Safety and Specificity

Focus: Leveraging technology to enhance effectiveness and minimize non-target impacts.
Covers: Genomics-informed strain selection, behavioral and ecological screening, digital decision-support systems, AI and ecological modelling, climate-smart strategies.
Synopsis: Cutting-edge tools are transforming biological control research. This session showcases innovative methods that improve the precision, predictability, and safety of exotic agents, supporting science-driven risk reduction and performance optimization.

5. Integrating EBCAs into Sustainable Pest Management Systems

Focus: Synergies and trade-offs between exotic agents and other control measures.
Covers: Integrated pest management (IPM), timing and compatibility with cultural or chemical methods, ecosystem-level interactions, performance assessment.
Synopsis: Exotic BCAs can complement other management approaches to enhance pest control sustainability. This session examines frameworks and case studies that demonstrate how EBCAs fit within holistic, adaptive pest management systems.

6. Open Session: Emerging Issues and Cross-Cutting Perspectives in Biological Control

Focus: Flexible session for novel, interdisciplinary, or policy-relevant contributions.

Covers: New research directions, unconventional case studies, methodological advances, cross-regional collaborations.

Synopsis: This open session provides space for innovative or cross-cutting topics not covered elsewhere, ensuring that emerging ideas and research frontiers are represented and discussed at BREBCA 2026.