International Cargo Cooperative Biosecurity Arrangement

The International Cargo Cooperative Biosecurity Arrangement (ICCBA) is a voluntary, non-binding multilateral arrangement that provides biosecurity agencies, with a platform for collaborating on biosecurity initiatives.

The ICCBA aims to provide rigor around the operational implementation and management of biosecurity policies that are developed by bodies such as the International Plant Protection Convention. Current interests focus mainly on the development of treatment methodologies and their verification; however, there is potential for future expansion to include inspection and other biosecurity assurance activities.

By providing a collaborative platform, the ICCBA encourages international cooperation on the harmonisation and verification of international biosecurity activities and processes.

The current membership includes representation from 14 biosecurity agencies, with a further 8 agencies investigating future membership.

Structure

The ICBBA comprises an overarching arrangement which promotes communication and collaboration between member agencies. Participation is entirely voluntary, creates no legal obligation and does not commit agencies to any specific biosecurity or trade policy or process.

Participation in the ICCBA does however, provide agencies with the option of signing onto separate schedules, which sit under the arrangement, that cover specific biosecurity measures. Agencies participating in these schedules agree to a set of administrative and technical requirements and obligations, which are then acknowledged and reciprocated by all signatories. The multilateral nature of ICCBA enables participants to accrue and share benefits with a whole community of member agencies.

Membership