The Bern Convention Select Group of Experts on Invasive Alien Species (IAS) met in Rome (Italy) on 20 April 2018. This Group of Experts is composed of representatives of a limited number of Contracting Parties to the Convention, representatives of IUCN’s ISSC and the European Commission. The Group continued to monitor progress in the implementation of the European Strategy for Invasive Alien Species adopted by the Standing Committee to the Convention. It made proposals on how to further European work aimed at avoiding the introduction of new invasive alien species in Europe and eradicating or controlling the spread of such species, thus avoiding unfavourable effects on native biodiversity.

In particular, the Group debated the best possible avenues for work and standard setting by the Convention on issues such as e-commerce and IAS and how to communicate more efficiently IAS as a major issue facing biodiversity conservation today. It further debated how the Convention should follow progress in the implementation of the various Codes of Conduct adopted by the Convention in the past 10 years.

For more information on the meeting agenda and working documents, please visit the meeting webpage.