The 2007 Meeting of Experts was held in the Palais des Nations from 20 to 24 August 2007. The meeting was open to all States Parties and signatories to the Biological Weapons Convention. States not party to the BWC and intergovernmental organizations participated in the meeting as observers. Non-governmental organizations attended public sessions of the meeting.

The Meeting of Experts was chaired by Ambassador Masood Khan of Pakistan. In accordance with the decision of the Sixth Review Conference, the Meeting of Experts discussed, and promoted common understanding and effective action on:

1. Ways and means to enhance national implementation, including enforcement of national legislation, strengthening of national institutions and coordination among national law enforcement institutions.

2. Regional and sub-regional cooperation on implementation of the Convention.

Launch of the Implementation Support Unit: The ISU was officially launched at a reception on the frist day of the meeting, at 17:30 on Monday 20 August in the Escargot Bar in the Palais des Nations. For more information see the page on the Launch of the ISU.

Outcome of the Meeting of Experts: The meeting concluded on 24 August by adopting its report by consensus (see BWC/MSP/2007/MX/3 in the Official Documents section below). During the same session, the Chairman made Closing Remarks and presented an Interim Universalization Report.

The work of the Meeting of Experts on these topics will in turn be considered by the Meeting of States Parties, to be held in Geneva from 10 to 14 December 2007.


Official Documents for the Meeting of Experts

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/1 Provisional Agenda for the Meeting of Experts

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/2 Provisional Programme of Work for the Meeting of Experts

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/3 Report of the Meeting of Experts

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/3/Corr.1 Report of the Meeting of Experts

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/INF.1 Previous Agreements, Understandings and Proposals on Enhancing National Implementation - Submitted by the Implementation Support Unit

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/INF.1/Corr.1 Previous Agreements, Understandings and Proposals on Enhancing National Implementation - Submitted by the Implementation Support Unit

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/INF.2 International and Regional Initiatives to Enhance National Implementation of the Convention - Submitted by the Implementation Support Unit

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/INF.3 List of Participants

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/INF.3/Add.1 List of Participants

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/INF.3/Add.2 List of Participants

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/INF.4 List of States Parties

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/CRP.1 Draft Report of the Meeting of Experts

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/CRP.2 Considerations, Lessons, Perspectives, Recommendations, Conclusions and Proposals drawn from the Presentations, Statements, Working Papers and Interventions on the Topics under Discussion at the Meeting

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/MISC.1 Provisional List of Participants

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/MISC.2 Implementation of the BTWC in EU Member States - Submitted by Portugal on behalf of the European Union

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.1 European Union Initiatives in Support of the BTWC - Submitted by Portugal on behalf of the European Union

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.2 Two issues in BTWC national implementation: the challenge of intangible technology controls and export licensing enforcement - Submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.3 Building Capacity to Implement the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention: Summary of a VERTIC Project - Submitted by the Netherlands and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.4 The German legislative framework implementing the BTWC - Submitted by the Federal Republic of Germany

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.5 Extraterritorial Application of German Penal Legislation Regarding Activities Related to Biological Weapons - Submitted by the Federal Republic of Germany

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.6 National legislative measures adopted by the Republic of Korea to implement the biological weapons convention - Submitted by the Republic of Korea

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.7 Ways and means to enhance national Implementation, including enforcement of national legislation, strengthening of national institutions and coordination among national law enforcement institutions - Submitted by Japan

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.8 Regional and Sub-Regional Cooperation on Implementation of the Convention - Submitted by Japan

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.9 Surveillance of the research, diagnostics and production activities with pathogenic and genetically modified organisms in Switzerland - Submitted by Switzerland

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.10 National data collection processes for CBM submissions - Submitted by Switzerland

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.11 Effective enforcement of national legislation - Submitted by the United States of America

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.12 Increasing the technical expertise of law enforcement agencies to assist counter-proliferation initiatives - Submitted by Australia

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.13 Regional BWC cooperation and international bioterrorism - Submitted by Australia

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.14 Ways and Means to Enhance National Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in Slovakia - Submitted by Slovakia

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.15 Biosecurity–Protection from the Risks posed by Organisms to the Economy, Environment and People’s Health through Exclusion, Eradication and Control - Submitted by New Zealand

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.16 Law of Ukraine “On the State System for Biosafety in the Development, Trial, Transport and Use of Genetically Modified Organisms” - Submitted by Ukraine

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.17 National Implementation and Regional Cooperation on Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention - Submitted by China

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.18 National Laws and Regulations on Handling and Application of Biological Agents and Toxins - Submitted by Iran (Islamic Republic of)

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.19 Experiencia de Cuba en la Implementación de la Convención Sobre Armas Biologicas - Presentado por Cuba

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.20 Compliance with the BTWC - Submitted by Italy

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.21 The Brazilian National Implementation Measures and the Legislative Framework regarding the BTWC - Submitted by Brazil

BWC/MSP/2007/MX/WP.22 Enhancing EU Co-Operation with Third Countries in the Field of Export Control of Dual-Use Items - Submitted by the Federal Republic of Germany

Statements to the Meeting of Experts
Presentations to the Meeting of Experts
Statements by Non-Governmental Organizations
Press Releases for the Meeting of Experts

Side Events at the Meeting of Experts