All BWC meetings are held in Geneva and are open to all States Parties and signatories to the Convention.
Regional Groups
Similar to many other international instruments and organizations, the States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention have organized themselves into regional groups to facilitate their preparations and discussions. The groups include the Eastern European Group (EEG), the Group of the Non-Aligned Movement and Other States (NAM), and the Western Group (WG). At the Ninth BWC Review Conference in 2022, the Russian Federation announced its withdrawal from the Eastern European Group and the creation of a new Group of One.
The membership of these groups differs from those found in other forums, despite the similar names. Each group has a coordinator who speaks on behalf of the group and is responsible for organizing and chairing the meetings of that group.
The current coordinators and members of each group are listed below:
- Eastern European Group (EEG)
- Group of One
- Group of the Non-Aligned Movement and Other States (NAM)
- Western Group (WG).
Meetings under the BWC
All BWC meetings are held in Geneva and are open to all States Parties and signatories to the Convention. The Implementation Support Unit is responsible for the administration of official BWC meetings. Information is available on UNODA’s Meetings Page.
Review Conferences
Pursuant to Article XII of the Convention, Review Conferences have the purpose to review the operation of the Convention, with a view to assuring that the purposes of the preamble and the provisions of the Convention are being realized. Such review shall also take into account any new scientific and technological developments relevant to the Convention.
States Parties have met approximately every five years to review the operation of the BWC. Since the Convention entered into force in 1975, nine Review Conferences have been held. The most recent Review Conference took place in 2022. Between these Review Conferences, States Parties have pursued various activities and initiatives to strengthen the effectiveness and improve the implementation of the Convention.
Meetings of States Parties
- The Fifth Review Conference in 2002 decided to hold annual Meetings of States Parties to discuss and promote common understanding and effective action on specific agenda items. The work of these meetings has been considered by the Review Conferences, which decide on any further action, as applicable.
Working Group on the Strengthening of the Convention
The Ninth Review Conference in 2022 decided to establish a Working Group on the Strengthening of the Convention open to all States Parties. The aim of the Working Group is to identify, examine and develop specific and effective measures, including possible legally-binding measures, and to make recommendations to strengthen and institutionalize the Convention in all its aspects, to be submitted to States Parties for consideration and any further action.
The Working Group will address the following:
- Measures on international cooperation and assistance under Article X;
- Measures on scientific and technological developments relevant to the Convention;
- Measures on confidence-building and transparency;
- Measures on compliance and verification;
- Measures on national implementation of the Convention;
- Measures on assistance, response and preparedness under Article VII;
- Measures on organizational, institutional and financial arrangements.
The Conference urged the Working Group to complete its work as soon as possible, preferably before the end of 2025. At the completion of its work, the Working Group will adopt a report, by consensus, that includes conclusions and recommendations according to its mandate. The adopted report will be submitted to States Parties for their consideration at the Tenth Review Conference, or earlier at a Special Conference if it is requested according to the procedure established by the Third Review Conference, to decide on any further action.
More information on BWC official meetings can be found on UNODA’s Meetings Place.