The Chemical Weapons Convention

This book project examines the legal international framework surrounding the prohibition of chemical weapons and provides an in-depth explanation of the achievements of the Chemical Weapons Convention since its coming into force in 1997.

The Chemical Weapons Convention is the most complex and comprehensive disarmament treaty ever to be adopted and is intended to provide a robust assurance that chemical weapons will not be developed, produced, stockpiled, used or transferred.

To implement and enforce the CWC and verify the ongoing elimination of declared chemical weapons production capacity and stockpiles, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) inspects military and industrial sites in several countries.

This project details the problematic issues of international inspection, verification and restriction of the production of chemical agents and examines the issues that must be addressed to ensure the regime's continuing vitality in the context of dynamic changes in the security environment, and in science, industry and technology.

The resulting book features contributions from government and OPCW officials and experts in international law, industry, government and media and highlights the challenges in implementation and assesses and recommends the means necessary to preserve the global ban on chemical weapons perpetually.