The XIIth International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds returns to Montpellier after 9 symposia and 34 years. Much has happened in weed biological control in Europe since the last symposium here in 1988.

With over 40 years of research activities in Weed biological control, Montpellier has become an international multi-agency biocontrol centre (CILBA - Complexe International de Lutte Biologique Agropolis). Despite this, biological control of weeds remains in its infancy in Europe, without a single release of a classical biological control agent.

The return of this International forum, organised by an EU-wide team of biocontrol scientists, accompanies a European public awakening to extent and impacts of alien plant invasions. The XII ISBCW can provide a window to show the public and policy makers in the EU and around the world, that biological control of weeds uses internationally accepted scientific rigour and analysis to provide permanent and non-chemical weed control benefits, far outweighing any risks or costs.