Title: The Chemical Weapons Convention/ Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction.

Summary of Provisions:

This Convention outlaws the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons. (Article I). It builds on the provisions of the 1925 Geneva Protocol and supplements the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention.

The Convention provides a detailed timetable for the destruction of chemical weapons stockpiles and production facilities and it also contains quite stringent procedures for monitoring and verification, including regular inspections of industrial facilities and the right to investigate possible contraventions of the treaty. (Annex on Implementation and Verification).

The Convention does allow use of certain restricted chemicals for peaceful purposes such as medical, agricultural and protective purposes, (Goldblat, 1994, page 104) but still sets limits to the quantities that may be held of chemicals (and their precursors) seen as a 'high' or 'significant risk' to the Convention.

Summary of Development:

The Convention was opened for signature January 1993 and entered into force on April 29th 1997. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was established to implement the Convention. It receives declarations from state-parties and conducts inspections to ensure compliance. (http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/cwcunderstanding.asp).

Over 1500 inspections have taken place since 1997, but the OPCW's Director-General has suggested that there is a growing gap between the intentions and implementation of state-parties. (http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/cwcimp.asp). There remain significant states, not party to the convention, who are suspected of having or progressing towards chemical weapons production. These include North Korea and Syria. (http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/cwcunderstanding.asp).

Current Status:

As of February 2009 there were 186 State Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention. Some states are having difficulty in keeping to the destruction timetable.

Precursors:

1925 Geneva Protocol
1972 Biological Weapons Convention

Chemical Weapons Convention
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

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Related Summaries on the Genomics Gateway Site:

Biological Weapons Convention
1925 Geneva Protocol
The Australia Group
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

Page last updated 26th March 2009.

Comments/enquiries to catherine.rhodes-2 'at' manchester.ac.uk