The BIE is the intergovernmental organization established to regulate the frequency, quality and management of international exhibitions. The history of the BIE is defined by a transition from unregulated global competition to a disciplined international framework.

Origins and the need for regulation (1851 to 1914)

The tradition of international exhibitions began with Expo 1851 London, the Great Exhibition, which was followed by many others around the world, such as Expo 1889 Paris. By the late 19th century, however, the rapid and uncoordinated multiplication of these events began to worry governments. With no common rules, each host government set its own, which led to an “anarchy” of exhibitions that varied widely in quality and placed a heavy financial burden on participating countries and industries.

After Expo 1900 Paris, the French Committee for Exhibitions (Comité Français des Expositions) led a movement for common rules, and similar committees appeared in Belgium, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Hungary, Denmark and Switzerland. At the Brussels conference of November 30 to December 2, 1908, they founded the International Federation of Permanent Exhibition Committees (Fédération Internationale des Comités Permanents d’Expositions). A first diplomatic conference met in Berlin from October 8 to 26, 1912, where 16 states signed a convention on the frequency and organization of exhibitions. World War I interrupted its ratification, and it never entered into force.

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The 1928 Paris Convention and early years

After the war, exhibitions again multiplied without coordination. On January 17, 1928, the French government invited governments to a diplomatic conference in Paris. Forty states took part from November 12, 1928, and on November 22, 1928, 31 governments signed the Convention Relating to International Exhibitions, which created the BIE to oversee its application.

Key milestones in the BIE’s early years:

• 1931: The Convention entered into force on January 17. From January 17 to 19, the BIE’s Administrative Council, the forerunner of today’s General Assembly, met for the first time in Paris. It chose Paris as the BIE’s seat, elected Alphonse Dunant of Switzerland as president and named Maurice Isaac as director.

• League of Nations: On May 20, 1931, the Council of the League of Nations placed the BIE under its authority.

• World War II: By September 1939, 23 countries had ratified or joined the Convention. The war halted the BIE’s work, and Expos resumed soon after it ended, with Expo 1947 Paris and Expo 1949 Port-au-Prince, among others.

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Evolution through protocols and amendments

The rules have changed along with Expos. Each revision responded to the cost of taking part and to new ways of organizing exhibitions:

• 1948 Protocol: Adopted in Paris on May 10, 1948, it revised the classification, duration and frequency of Expos.

• 1966 Protocol: Signed on November 16, 1966, it lengthened the intervals between Expos.

• 1972 Protocol: Signed on November 30, 1972, and in force since June 9, 1980, it rewrote the Convention. It replaced the general exhibitions of the first and second category and the special exhibitions with universal and specialized exhibitions, strengthened the BIE’s rule-making powers and placed its administration under a secretary general.

• 1982 amendment: Adopted on June 24, 1982, and in force since June 15, 1983, it removed the limit on how far the BIE could shorten the interval between universal exhibitions.

• 1988 amendment: Adopted on May 31, 1988, and in force since July 19, 1996, it replaced universal and specialized exhibitions with registered Expos and recognized Expos, the two categories in use today.

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The modern BIE

From the 31 governments that signed the Convention in 1928, the BIE has grown to 184 Member States. Its General Assembly, in which each Member State has one vote, usually meets in Paris in June and November. It elects the hosts of future Expos, registers or recognizes them and follows their preparation until closing day. Over time, the BIE’s focus has widened from showcasing technical progress to promoting international cooperation, cultural exchange and public diplomacy on global issues. The year 2028 marks the centenary of the 1928 Convention.

Read more about the BIE’s structure, leaders, members and symbols on our International Exhibitions Bureau page.

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The 1988 amendment entered into force on July 19, 1996, and the first Expo organized under its rules was Expo 2008 Zaragoza, a recognized Expo. Before the amendment, specialized exhibitions could last up to six months, with no limit on the size of the site. The same rules applied to special exhibitions before the 1972 Protocol. The dates of categorization systems and Expos do not always align because some Expos were awarded and planned before a new system entered into force; Expomuseum, for example, classifies Expo 2005 Aichi as a specialized exhibition under the 1972 Protocol.