European Weed Research Society

What European Weed Research Society does

The European Weed Research Society (EWRS) is an international non-profit scientific society founded in 1975 (evolving from the European Weed Research Council established in 1960) and legally seated in the Netherlands, with its operational Secretariat spread across three countries including Montpellier, France. The society coordinates and promotes scientific research into all aspects of weed science — including weed biology and control, herbicides, invasive plant species, population biology, modelling, genetics, and integrated weed management — for an audience of academic researchers, public research institutions, agrochemical industry professionals, policy makers, and farmers. Its core offerings include the Weed Research Journal (a peer-reviewed Wiley-published journal that became the highest-rated weed science journal globally in 2002 and reached an ISI impact factor of 1.875 in 2017/18), 13 thematic Working Groups, a biennial international Symposium, specialized workshops and training courses, a free web-based newsletter, and an EWRS Bookshop of proceedings and technical bulletins.

EWRS operates on a community-led, subscription- and event-driven revenue model. Annual membership fees are tiered at €60 (Ordinary), €30 (Senior), and €30 (Student), providing recurring baseline revenue plus free journal access as a member benefit. Additional revenue is generated from journal subscriptions via Wiley (institutional and non-member access), symposium and workshop registration fees (€100-220 per attendee depending on membership status), and one-time sales of printed journal copies and proceedings. The 2020 relaunch of the EWRS website introduced a dynamic web-based newsletter format, and a Communication Officer role was established to support ongoing digital engagement. Membership has expanded to 533 individuals across 54 countries on six continents, with governance provided by a Board, Scientific Committee, and working group leaders drawn from leading European universities and research institutes (including SLU, INRAE, CZU Prague, and the Slovak University of Agriculture).

The society's strategic direction emphasizes deeper engagement with emerging scientific domains (notably genomics, via co-organized training with the International Weed Genomes Consortium and industry partners Syngenta and Corteva) and continued geographic rotation of events across Europe. Recent and planned initiatives include the EWRS Webinar Series (2026), a Weed Genomics Training Course in Prague (November 2026), new bilateral cooperation travel grants (2026), and the 21st EWRS Symposium in Uppsala, Sweden (June-July 2027). EWRS maintains formal relationships with sister societies (WSSA, IWSS, SEMh, SIRFI) and participates in EU-funded research networks such as IWMPraise (H2020) and the ENDURE Network of Excellence. The organization celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025, underscoring its long-standing institutional position as the primary pan-European coordination platform for weed science research.

Name

European Weed Research Society

Legal name

European Weed Research Society

Website

https://ewrs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The European Weed Research Society is a non-profit scientific society founded in 1975 that coordinates and disseminates weed science research across 54 countries through a peer-reviewed Wiley journal, 13 Working Groups, biennial symposia, and a tiered membership program for academic researchers, industry, policymakers, and farmers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional scientific society / research association

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSAIAGAB

Weed Control (Pre-Emergent & Post-Emergent)

Home & Personal Services/Landscaping, Lawn Care & Outdoor Maintenance/Fertilization, Weed Control & Lawn Treatments

Keywords

• Weed science research
• Scientific publishing
• Academic conferences
• Agricultural research
• Professional society

Headquarters

HQ city

Montpellier

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees provide recurring revenue. Ordinary membership is €60/year, Senior membership €30/year, Student membership €30/year. This is the primary revenue stream supporting society operations.
2. Journal Income: Weed Research Journal provides considerable resource of income for the Society. Members receive free online access as a membership benefit. Non-members and institutions subscribe for access.
3. Event Registration Fees: Symposia and workshops generate revenue through registration fees. Workshop fees range from €100-220 depending on membership status and role (regular/student). Special events may include sponsorship opportunities.
4. Publication Sales: Sale of printed copies of Weed Research (Print on Demand) and proceedings from symposia and conferences. Also technical bulletins from working groups and the EWRS bookshop providing access to past proceedings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The European Weed Research Society (EWRS) is a non-profit scientific society, founded in 1975 and based in the Netherlands, that promotes, coordinates, and disseminates scientific research on weeds and weed management. It delivers value to its members primarily through individual and institutional memberships, the peer-reviewed Weed Research Journal, 13 specialized Working Groups, and biennial scientific symposia. Its offering is membership-driven, with over 530 members across 54 countries engaging in academic, industry, and policy-related weed science activities.

Product overview

The European Weed Research Society (EWRS) operates as a professional research society rather than a software product company. Its core offerings consist of: the Weed Research Journal (published by Wiley in online-only format since 2021), major international EWRS Symposia held every 2-3 years, 10 thematic Working Groups facilitating collaboration across weed science disciplines, a web-based Newsletter system, EWRS Symposium Proceedings archives, a Membership program with Ordinary/Senior/Student tiers, an EWRS Bookshop for publications, and Travel Grants supporting early-career scientists. These products and services are interconnected: membership provides access to journal subscriptions and event discounts, working groups organize workshops and training courses, and symposia serve as primary venues for presenting research from working groups and members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Weed Research Journal: Official international peer-reviewed journal of the Society, published by Wiley, covering all aspects of weeds including weed biology and control, herbicides, invasive plant species, population and spatial biology, modelling, genetics, diversity and parasites.

Products and services

• Individual Membership (Ordinary, Senior, Student tiers)
• Weed Research Journal
• Biennial EWRS Symposium
• EWRS Working Groups

Quantifiable outcome

• 533 members from 54 countries (6 continents)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IWMPraise (Horizon H2020 Project)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Integrated Weed Management: PRActical Implementation and Solutions for Europe (IWMPraise) is based on multiple EWRS members collaborating in the project. Prof. Per Kudsk from Denmark coordinates this project and is WG-leader of WG 'Optimising herbicide use in an IWM context'. EWRS forms the network base for this research collaboration.
• ENDURE Network of ExcellencecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004EWRS participated in the Network of Excellence 'Reduction of Chemicals in Crop Production' within the 6th EU RTD Framework Programme. The project was financed with 17 Mio Euro for 40 partners. Objective was to gather the best European experts to write European Research Projects. Project finished in 2010 but the network continues.
• ANdiNA NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerANdiNA Network meets every 2-3 years for a week in a remote location to discuss weeds and Weed Science direction, producing collaborative papers. EWRS contributes with personal and financial support to this network.
• International Weed Genomes Consortium (IWGC)coreTechnology or IntegrationIWGC is a public/private community of researchers developing genomic tools and resources for weed biology and management. EWRS co-organizes training courses on Weed Genomics. The 2026 Weed Genomics Training Course in Prague is co-organized with IWGC, Syngenta Turkey, Corteva Turkey, and HRAC.
• WSSA (Weed Science Society of America)minorOthersSister weed science society. EWRS maintains links with WSSA and other international weed science societies for knowledge exchange and collaboration.
• IWSS (International Weed Science Society)minorOthersInternational umbrella organization for weed science societies. EWRS collaborates through IWSS for global coordination of weed research.
• SEMh (Spanish Weed Science Society)minorOthersSpanish national weed science society. EWRS maintains collaborative relationships with national societies for joint events and knowledge sharing.
• SIRFI (Italian Weed Science Society)minorOthersItalian national weed science society. EWRS works closely with GIRE (Italian Herbicide Resistance Working Group) on joint workshops like the 2027 Padova workshop.
• CABIminorOthersCABI is an international not-for-profit organization that improves people's lives by providing information and applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture. EWRS forwards internship opportunities from CABI to its members for biological control research positions.
• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSLU is organizing the 21st EWRS Symposium in Uppsala, Sweden (28 June - 2 July 2027). Alexander Menegat & Göran Bergkvist serve as Local Organizing Committee co-chairs. SLU Campus Ultuna is the venue.
• Czech University of Life Sciences PraguecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHosting the Weed Genomics Training Course and Workshop (2-5 November 2026). Local organizers Kateřina Hamouzová and Pavlína Košnarová from this institution. Venue is on the CZU campus in Suchdol district.
• INRAE Burgundy-Franche-ComtécoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFrench National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment. Hosting Joint Working Group meeting in Dijon (27-29 October 2026) at their center. Local Organizing Committee from UMR Agroécologie unit.
• Slovak University of Agriculture in NitracoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHosting EWRS Workshop on IAP and Weed Management (29-31 October 2026). Venue is at the Main Building, Conference Room. Dr. Monika Tóthová is local coordinator.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• CropLife International: Global trade association for the agrochemical/plant science industry. Adjacent rather than directly comparable, but its member companies (BASF, Bayer, Syngenta, Corteva) are the same industrial counterparts EWRS's industry-rotating presidency engages with.

Broad incumbents

• European Society for Agronomy (ESA): Pan-European agronomy society covering all of crop production, soils, and sustainability. Broader than EWRS but addresses a similar academic membership base; Weed science sessions are a recurring theme at ESA events.
• British Crop Production Council (BCPC): UK-based crop production and protection council that publishes reviews, runs conferences, and maintains the UK pesticide manual. Comparable as a European crop-science convening body, but broader in scope (pests, diseases, agronomy) than EWRS's weed-only focus.

Regional players

• Weed Science Society of Japan (WSSJ): National Japanese weed science society with a comparable mission, journal (Weed Biology and Management / Japanese Journal of Weed Science), and conference structure. Operates regionally but is a peer in mission and member activities.
• Asian Pacific Weed Science Society (APWSS): Asia-Pacific regional weed science society with a similar conference/journal model. Operates in a different geography from EWRS but with comparable activities (triennial conferences, regional research coordination, working groups).
• Canadian Weed Science Society (CWSS-SCM): National Canadian weed science society. EWRS lists it as a sister organization. Comparable mission and member structure but focused on Canadian agronomy and weed science.

Direct peers

• Società Italiana per la Ricerca sulla Flora Infestante (SIRFI) / GIRE: Italian weed science society and Italian Herbicide Resistance Working Group. Jointly runs the EWRS-GIRE Padova workshop (2027) with EWRS. Closely comparable as a national herbicide-resistance-focused research community.
• International Weed Science Society (IWSS): Global umbrella for weed science societies and a direct partner of EWRS. IWSS provides the international coordinating layer above EWRS, runs its own world congresses, and shares overlapping membership and editorial networks. Most directly comparable as a global weed science society.
• Sociedad Española de Malherbología (SEMh): Spanish national weed science society and EWRS sister organization. Convenes Spanish-language researchers, runs workshops, and contributes to the Iberian weed science community in parallel to EWRS's pan-European role.
• Weed Science Society of America (WSSA): The principal North American counterpart of EWRS. WSSA runs a peer-reviewed journal (Weed Science), annual meetings, and similar Working Group structures, and EWRS explicitly maintains a 'sister society' relationship with WSSA. Highly comparable as a national/regional weed science society.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EWRS_News
• Facebookfacebook.com/EWRScommunication
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ewrs-european-weed-research-society

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about European Weed Research Society