ABIM 2025: Key Takeaways for Biocontrol and Regulatory Innovation – CEHTRA Feedback
- Rim Kaidi
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 11 minutes ago
ABIM 2025: a key event for European biocontrol
The Annual Biocontrol Industry Meeting (ABIM) was held in Basel (Switzerland) from 20 to 22 October 2025, bringing together more than 2,000 international participants, including industrial stakeholders, scientific institutes, authorities, professional associations and consulting companies.
Co-organised by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and the International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association (IBMA), ABIM has become the leading European forum dedicated to biocontrol products, biostimulants and regulatory innovations related to natural substances.
The role of IBMA
IBMA brings together biocontrol manufacturers and advocates for key regulatory developments to:
accelerate the evaluation of alternatives to conventional products;
introduce new definitions and regulatory requirements;
integrate emerging technologies;
strengthen the training of competent authorities.
Biocontrol, biostimulants, natural substances: clarifying the concepts
To support a rapidly growing sector, it is essential to clearly distinguish between regulatory categories.
What is biocontrol?
Biocontrol products fall under Regulation (EU) No 1107/2009 on plant protection products.
They encompass several families:
Microorganisms: bacteria, fungi, viruses, etc.
Macro-organisms: insects, mites, nematodes used as biological control agents.
Natural substances: of plant, animal or mineral origin.
Semiochemicals: including pheromones and inter-species communication substances (e.g. allomones).
Their mode of action is generally targeted, non-toxic and compatible with objectives to reduce the use of conventional pesticides.
What are biostimulants?
Biostimulants are regulated at EU level under Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 on fertilising products, or under national regulations.
They do not act against pests or pathogens, but instead improve plant resilience to abiotic stresses (water stress, heat, salinity, cold, etc.) and optimise nutrient use efficiency.
Two main categories exist:
Microbial biostimulants
Non-microbial biostimulants
What are natural substances used for plant health?
These are components derived from nature, including:
Animal origin: sheep fat, fish oil, etc.
Mineral origin: talc, sulphur, copper, clay, etc.
Plant origin: algae, rapeseed, sunflower, orange, etc.
New technologies, such as proteins and peptides.
Products usable in organic farming: what does the regulation say?
Organic production is governed by Regulation (EU) 2018/848, which defines:
authorised agricultural practices;
categories of natural substances that may be used, including fertilisers, biostimulants and plant protection products.
A two-step authorisation process
For a plant protection product to be usable in organic farming, the following steps must be completed:
Approval of the active substance at EU level
→ Regulation (EU) No 1107/2009
→ Inclusion in the list under Regulation (EU) 2021/1165
Authorisation of the product at national level
→ Regulation (EU) No 1107/2009
→ Certification under organic labels (AB, Bio Suisse, EU Organic, etc.)
Key trends observed at ABIM 2025
Regulatory acceleration
Discussions highlighted:
simplification of dossiers for natural and low-risk substances;
modernisation of the regulatory framework;
the urgent need to reduce evaluation timelines.
Artificial intelligence and biocontrol
Several presentations explored the role of AI in:
toxicological modelling;
digital risk prediction tools;
optimisation of formulation strategies.
Technical workshops
Three major topics attracted particular interest:
Semiochemicals: application methods and analytical challenges;
Natural substances: classification, safety and identification;
Proteins and peptides: emerging approaches in biocontrol.
CEHTRA’s participation: expertise, visibility and new opportunities
CEHTRA within IBMA
CEHTRA acts as an associate member for natural substances and semiochemicals, actively contributing to proposals aimed at improving the regulatory framework, based on extensive field experience.
CEHTRA at ABIM 2025
This year, CEHTRA was represented by Steffie Segelle, Raquel Gonzalez de la Huebra and Estelle Beltran, with:
a dedicated booth;
three scientific posters:
endocrine disruption (ED) screening for biocontrol substances (including the Simply Predict offering);
comparison between REACH and the Fertilising Products Regulation;
comparison between low-risk substances and basic substances.
These posters highlighted CEHTRA’s internal expertise in toxicology, regulatory assessment, natural substances, predictive AI and EU compliance.
Meetings and outlook
Meetings with biocontrol clients across the sector.
New collaboration prospects in the areas of:
biostimulants;
endocrine disruptor screening;
training programmes.
Presence of major consulting firms and CROs, making ABIM a key moment to track market trends.
Why is biocontrol accelerating? The CEHTRA perspective
Regulatory developments, pressure to reduce conventional pesticide use and growing interest in natural solutions are creating a favourable environment for innovation.
CEHTRA supports this transition by providing:
comprehensive regulatory support;
optimised dossier strategies;
advanced digital solutions (CEHTRAWATCH, Simply Predict);
dedicated training programmes.
Conclusion: ABIM 2025 confirms the central role of biocontrol in European agriculture
ABIM 2025 highlighted a fast-evolving sector, driven by:
rapid scientific innovation;
complex regulatory requirements;
an increasing need for specialised support.
Thanks to its recognised expertise, CEHTRA continues to play a key role in guiding biocontrol, biostimulant and natural substance manufacturers through a rapidly changing regulatory landscape.
Are you developing a biocontrol product, a natural substance or a biostimulant?
