Membership in the Bee Protection Group is open to all interested experts, with no restrictions on participation.

The Steering Committee, which leads the group, is composed of equal representation from three sectors:

• Government and regulatory authorities
• Academia and research institutions
• Industry

All Steering Committee members, participants and working group members contribute on a voluntary basis. Experts participate in their personal capacity and do not represent their respective institutions or employers.

The Bee Protection Group promotes scientific exchange and supports the development and validation of standardised testing methods to assess potential risks to bees and other pollinators.

Its main activities include:

• Developing and evaluating new scientific testing methods
• Organising international ring tests to validate testing procedures
• Contributing to the development of testing guidelines and guidance documents
• Supporting the assessment and management of risks to bees and pollinators
• Facilitating the exchange of scientific knowledge and practical experience
• Providing expert support to international regulatory authorities and organisations

The scientific activities of the Bee Protection Group are organised into specialised working groups focusing on different aspects of bee protection and pesticide risk assessment.

Key research areas include:

• Asia Working Group
  Promotes scientific collaboration among Asian countries by sharing expertise and advancing region-specific approaches to pollinator risk assessment, toxicity testing and risk mitigation.
• Bee Modelling Interest Group
  Advances the development and regulatory application of mechanistic models to assess pesticide exposure and effects on honey bees and other pollinators, including colony- and population-level impacts.
• Honey Bee Higher Tier and Monitoring Working Group
  Develops, harmonises and improves higher-tier testing and monitoring methods, including brood, residues, sublethal effects, semi-field, field and large-scale colony feeding studies, to support honey bee risk assessment.
• non-Apis Working Group
  Develops and harmonises testing methods and risk assessment approaches for non-Apis bees, including bumble bees, solitary bees and stingless bees, to improve their protection from potential pesticide impacts.
• Working Group on Microbials and Bees
  Develops and validates scientifically sound testing methods and guidance for assessing the potential toxicity, pathogenicity and infectivity of microbial-based pesticides to bees.

Since its establishment, the Bee Protection Group has developed and pioneered risk assessment methods that have ultimately served as a foundation for regulatory testing and decisions (e.g., sequential testing from lower to higher tiers, the hazard (risk) quotient approach and the development of standardised test methods).

Since 1990, the group has maintained close cooperation with the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO), providing scientific expertise and technical input for bee-related guidelines on testing methods and risk assessment schemes.

Its international activities have expanded significantly in response to the growing need for refined and harmonised risk assessment approaches worldwide.

The group works with and provides scientific support to several international and national organisations, including:

• European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Health Canada Pesticides Regulatory Directorate (PRD)
• Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA)
• Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA)
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
• Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Through international ring tests and scientific collaboration, the Bee Protection Group contributes to the validation of testing methods and the development of internationally harmonised guidelines.

The Bee Protection Group relies on international scientific collaboration and welcomes the active participation of experts from different professional and research backgrounds.

Scientists and professionals from the following fields are invited to contribute:

• Academic and independent research
• Contract research organisations and testing laboratories
• Pesticide and crop protection industries
• Governmental authorities and regulatory risk assessors
• Risk management and regulatory institutions

Participation in symposia and working groups provides opportunities to exchange expertise, contribute to the development of testing methods and help advance international standards for bee and pollinator protection.