The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) effectively prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological and toxin weapons. It was the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning an entire category of weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
The BWC is a key element in the international community’s efforts to address WMD proliferation and it has established a strong norm against biological weapons. The Convention has reached almost universal membership with 189 States Parties and four Signatory States.
Text of the Convention
The BWC itself is comparatively short, comprising only 15 articles. Over the years, it has been supplemented by a series of additional understandings reached at subsequent Review Conferences. The BWC Implementation Support Unit regularly updates a document that provides information on additional agreements which (a) interpret, define or elaborate the meaning or scope of a provision of the Convention; or (b) provide instructions, guidelines, or recommendations on how a provision should be implemented.
The text of the Convention is available for download in the six official UN languages: English, Spanish, French, Russian, Chinese, Arabic
Formally known as “The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction”, the Convention was negotiated by the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament in Geneva, Switzerland. It opened for signature on 10 April 1972 and entered into force on 26 March 1975. The BWC supplements the 1925 Geneva Protocol, which had prohibited only the use of biological weapons. A special commemorative event was held to mark its 50th anniversary in 2025.
Key Provisions of the Convention
| Article | Provision |
| Article I | Undertaking never under any circumstances to develop, produce, stockpile, acquire or retain biological weapons. |
| Article II | Undertaking to destroy biological weapons or divert them to peaceful purposes. |
| Article III | Undertaking not to transfer, or in any way assist, encourage or induce anyone to manufacture or otherwise acquire biological weapons. |
| Article IV | Requirement to take any national measures necessary to prohibit and prevent the development, production, stockpiling, acquisition or retention of biological weapons within a State’s territory, under its jurisdiction, or under its control. |
| Article V | Undertaking to consult bilaterally and multilaterally and cooperate in solving any problems which may arise in relation to the objective, or in the application, of the BWC. |
| Article VI | Right to request the United Nations Security Council to investigate alleged breaches of the BWC, and undertaking to cooperate in carrying out any investigation initiated by the Security Council. |
| Article VII | Undertaking to assist any State Party exposed to danger as a result of a violation of the BWC. |
| Article X | Undertaking to facilitate, and have the right to participate in, the fullest possible exchange of equipment, materials and information for peaceful purposes. |
| Article XI | Any State Party may propose amendments to this Convention, which shall enter into force for each State Party upon their acceptance by a majority of State Parties. |
| Article XII | A conference of States Parties to the Convention shall be held at Geneva, Switzerland, to review the operation of the Convention every five years. |
| Article XIII | The Convention shall be of unlimited duration. Each State Party shall have the right to withdraw from the Convention if it decides that extraordinary events, related to the subject matter of the Convention, have jeopardised the supreme interests of its country. |
| Article XIV | Any State may accede to the convention at any time, with instruments of ratification and instruments of accession deposited to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Russian Federation and the United States of America, which are the designated Depositary Governments. |
| Article XV | The English, Russian, French, Spanish and Chinese texts of the Convention, which are equally authentic, are deposited in the archives of the Depositary Governments. |