The Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force on 29 April 1997, & the major player, namely the United States, ratified it shortly before that date. This constitutes an important achievement in disarmament law & also a step forward in general international law, as the Convention, in order to solve a serious security problem, establishes an unprecedented regime for controlling relevant state & private behaviour, administered by a newly-created international organization. The system being both new & complex, there is a considerable need for interpretation & explanation. In order to make the Chemical Weapons Convention really work, additional measures of implementation are needed. These two problems are addressed by the various contributions presented in this book, which is the result of a common research project of three teams directed by the three editors. It reviews the history of the negotiations & then presents a thorough analysis of the major theatres of the Convention: the organization (OPCW), the verification regime, dispute settlement & reactions to non-compliance. More specific issues include confidentiality, application during armed conflicts, trade issues & national implementation. The information contained in the volume, including the report on the work of the Preparatory Commission, is up-to-date at the time of entry into force.

The Chemical Weapons Convention is one of the cornerstone disarmament and arms control agreements, and the only global and comprehensive disarmament treaty that is being verified by an international agency. This Commentary assesses the provisions of the Convention and its implementation, with cross-cutting chapters providing a broader analysis.

The Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force on 29 April 1997. This text reviews the history of the chemical weapons negotiations and presents an analysis of the major features of the Convention.

The most complex and comprehensive disarmament treaty ever to be adopted, the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is intended to provide 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 Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) inspects military and industrial sites in dozens of countries. OPCW membership now embraces over 95 percent of the world's population and 98 percent of the relevant global chemical industry. This book provides an in-depth explanation of the notable achievements of the CWC in a relatively short span since 1997, 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. Featuring contributions from government and OPCW officials and experts in international law, industry, government and media, this volume highlights the challenges in implementation and assesses and recommends the means necessary to preserve the global ban on chemical weapons perpetually.

This volume features a selection of the best scholarship on international law as it is relevant to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The essays consider the nonproliferation legal regime as a normative system and offer a more discrete consideration of international law in each weapons of mass destruction technology area. The role, authority and track record of the UN Security Council in this area are also evaluated.

TMC Asser Press co-publication with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), The Hague.