The International Council on Archives (ICA) is a decentralized organisation governed by a General Assembly and administered by an Executive Committee. Its branches provide archivists with a regional forum in all parts of the world (except North America);

The International Council on Archives (ICA) is a decentralized organisation governed by a General Assembly and administered by an Executive Committee. Its branches provide archivists with a regional forum in all parts of the world (except North America); its sections bring together archivists and archival institutions interested in particular areas of professional interest; its committees and working groups are engaging the contribution of experts to the solution of specific problems. The ICA Secretariat serves the administrative needs of the organisation and maintains relations between members and cooperation with related bodies and other international organizations.

¶ ICA is the professional organisation for the world archival community, dedicated to promoting the preservation, development, and use of the world's archival heritage.

It brings together national archive administrations, professional associations of archivists, regional and local archives and archives of other organizations as well as individual archivists.

ICA has more than 1,500 members in over 170 countries and territories, making it truly international.

It is a non-governmental organisation, which means that it maintains an independence from the political process and that its members include public and private archive institutions and individuals.

ICA works closely with inter-governmental organizations such as UNESCO and the Council of Europe. It also has strong links with other non-governmental organizations.