Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention

The Eighth Review Conference of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction, better known as the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), takes place in Geneva from 7 to 25 November 2016. Together with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the BTWC provides the foundation of the disarmament and non-proliferation framework in the area of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

The Convention opened for signature on 10 April 1972 and has been ratified by 175 states parties, including all EU Member States. Lack of a verification mechanism weakens the Convention, but at present, terrorist use of biological weapons may actually pose the greater threat to public security.

Author: Beatrix Immenkamp