Chemical weapons convention

Chemical Weapons Convention

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is a multilateral treaty that bans the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons and their precursors. The full name of the treaty is the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction and it is administered by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

Pronunciation

Chemical Weapons Convention: /ˈkɛmɪkəl ˈwɛpənz kənˈvɛnʃən/

Etymology

The term "Chemical Weapons Convention" is derived from the nature of the treaty itself. The word "chemical" refers to the type of weapons the treaty aims to prohibit. "Weapons" refers to the harmful substances that are used in warfare. "Convention" is a term used to describe a formal agreement between states.

Related Terms

Overview

The Chemical Weapons Convention was opened for signature on 13 January 1993 and entered into force on 29 April 1997. It is the first multilateral treaty that bans an entire category of weapons of mass destruction. The treaty is administered by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, an intergovernmental organization based in The Hague, Netherlands.

The CWC aims to eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction by prohibiting the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer or use of chemical weapons by States Parties. States Parties, in turn, must take the steps necessary to enforce that prohibition in respect of persons (natural or legal) within their jurisdiction.

Chemical weapons convention

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