About us

ABOUT THE ICO

The International Coffee Organization (ICO) was established in 1963 under the aegis of the United Nations and following the approval of the first International Coffee Agreement in 1962. The ICO is the only intergovernmental organization for coffee, bringing together exporting and importing Governments. It currently represents 93% of world coffee production and 63% of world consumption.

Mission of the ICO

The mission of the Organization is to strengthen the global coffee sector and promote its sustainable expansion in a market-based environment for the benefit of all actors in the Global Coffee Value Chain (G-CVC).

Scope of work of the ICO

The ICO provides a unique forum for dialogue among governments, the private sector, development partners, civil society and all coffee stakeholders to tackle the challenges facing the sector through international cooperation and to nurture opportunities. The Organization collects and compiles independent official statistics on coffee production, trade and consumption; supports the development and funding of technical cooperation projects and public-private partnerships; and promotes sustainability and coffee consumption. It facilitates the coffee sector’s contribution to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to increase the resilience of local communities and coffee farmers, in particular smallholders, and enable them to benefit from coffee production and trade, which can in turn contribute to poverty eradication by providing a living income for families.

Focus areas

The ICO operates under a Five-Year Action Plan and annual Programme of Activities which are approved by ICO Members through the decision of the International Coffee Council.

The current Five-year Action Plan aims at making a practical contribution to the development of a sustainable, inclusive and resilient global coffee sector and to the reduction of poverty in developing countries. It identifies three priority areas, namely:

1. Delivering world-class data, analysis and information to the industry and policy-makers;

2. Using the Organization’s convening power to provide a forum for dialogue between and within the public and private sectors;

3. Facilitating the development of projects and promotion programmes through public-private partnerships.

MEMBERSHIP

49 Members (75 countries) as of 7 November 2022

Exporting Members (42)

Importing Members (7)

Angola

Bolivia (Plurinational State of)

Brazil

Burundi

Cameroon

Central African Republic

Colombia

Costa Rica

Côte d’Ivoire

Cuba

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ecuador

El Salvador

Ethiopia

Gabon

Ghana

Honduras

India

Indonesia

Kenya

Liberia

Madagascar

Malawi

Mexico

Nepal

Nicaragua

Nigeria

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Peru

Philippines

Rwanda

Sierra Leone

Tanzania

Thailand

Timor-Leste

Togo

Venezuela

Vietnam

Yemen

Zambia

Zimbabwe

European Union

Austria

Belgium

Bulgaria

Croatia

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Ireland

Italy

Latvia

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

Netherlands

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

Japan

Norway

Russian Federation

Switzerland

Tunisia

United Kingdom

Switzerland

Tunisia

United Kingdom

…

THE INTERNATIONAL COFFEE AGREEMENT (ICA)

The International Coffee Organization was established in 1963 when the first International Coffee Agreement (ICA) entered into force in 1962 for a period of five years, and it has continued to operate under successive Agreements negotiated since then. These include the ICA 1968 (and its two extensions), the ICA 1976 (with one extension), 1983 (and its four extensions), the 1994 Agreement (with one extension), the 2001 Agreement (with three extensions) and the 2007 Agreement.

International Coffee Agreement 2007 (EN – ES – FR – PT)

At present the ICO operates under the International Coffee Agreement 2007, which was agreed by 77 Members of the International Coffee Council in London on 28 September 2007.  It was formally adopted by the Council through Resolution 431 and entered into force definitively on 2 February 2011. The ICA is valid until 1 February 2024.

Membership of International Coffee Agreement 2007
Annex on Conversion factors

International Coffee Agreement 2022 (EN – ES – FR – PT)

The International Coffee Agreement 2022 is the eighth approved agreement since the establishment of the Organization. The text of the ICA 2022 has been approved by the International Coffee Council at its 133rd Special Session on 9 June 2022, following a thorough revision exercise of the 2007 Agreement.

The ICA 2022 was opened for signature on 6 October 2022 in Bogotá, Colombia, and can be signed by Contracting Parties of the ICA 2007 and Governments invited to the 133rd Session of the ICC until 30 April 2023. The new Agreement will definitively enter into force when signatory Governments* holding at least two-thirds of the votes of the importing and exporting Members, have deposited instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval (*calculated as at 6 June 2022).

While the ICO will maintain its intergovernmental nature and government membership will remain central, the 2022 Agreement’s new mandate will allow affiliate membership by the private sector and civil society, enabling key coffee public and private decision-makers to align their views and decide on joint actions that will achieve a more sustainable and prosperous sector.

Procedures for membership of the International Coffee Agreement 2022

Press Release on the approval of the ICA 2022

DEPOSITARY FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COFFEE AGREEMENT (ICA)

In January 2008, the Council designated the ICO as the Depositary of the 2007 Agreement and, in 2022, as the Depositary of the 2022 Agreement. Information on membership procedures, Depositary Notifications and relevant documents can be found on the Depositary/membership section:

Resolution 431: International Coffee Agreement 2007

Resolution 477: Depositary for the International Coffee Agreement 2022

Membership of all agreements

Membership and benefits