The 2013 Meeting of Experts was held in the Palais des Nations from 12 to 16 August 2013. The meeting opened at 10:00 on Monday 12 August in Room XIX and closed at 12.40 on Friday 16 August.

The Meeting of Experts was chaired by Ms. Judit Körömi of Hungary. In accordance with the decision of the Seventh Review Conference, the Meeting of Experts considered three standing agenda items (cooperation and assistance, with a particular focus on strengthening cooperation and assistance under Article X; review of developments in the field of science and technology related to the Convention; and strengthening national implementation), as well as the biennial item of how to enable fuller participation in the Confidence-building Measures (CBMs).

Report of the Meeting

The Report of the Meeting of Experts (BWC/MSP/2013/MX/3) is currently being translated. An advance version in English is available here.


Indicative Schedule

This rolling, detailed indicative schedule combined the information contained in the Chair’s letter of 28 June as well as information provided by States Parties on planned contributions. It was updated and amended as additional information becomes available. The information contained was designed to assist States Parties in their preparations for the meetings and help those participating. For the formal Agenda and Programme of Work, see the Official Documents section.


Official documents

Advance version of documents

• Advances in science and technology related to the Convention - Background information document submitted by the Implementation Support Unit

• Challenges and obstacles to developing international cooperation, assistance and exchange - Background information document submitted by the Implementation Support Unit

• We need to talk about compliance: A response to BWC/MSP/2012/WP.11 - Working Paper submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

• BWC compliance – a conceptual discussion: preliminary views by Australia - Working paper submitted by Australia

• Confidence-building Measures: next steps to enable fuller participation - Working Paper submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

• Key Biosecurity-Related Changes Made to the U.S. Select Agent Regulations - Working paper submitted by the United States of America

• Developments in Science and Technology: Diagnostics - Working paper submitted by the United States of America

• Identifying and addressing barriers to the emergency sharing of international public health and medical assistance - Working paper submitted by the United States of America

• Improving participation in the Confidence-Building Measure system - Working paper submitted by Canada

• Advances in science and technology: Vaccine development - Working Paper submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

• Making the most of the Confidence-building Measures - Working Paper submitted by the United States of America

• Implementation of the BTWC in South Africa - Working Paper submitted by South Africa

• Advances in laboratory diagnostics, point of care detection, pathogen characterisation and potential benefits to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention - Working paper submitted by South Africa

• Compliance with the BWC: preliminary considerations by Switzerland - Working paper submitted by Switzerland

• Confidence-Building Measures: enabling fuller participation - Working paper submitted by Switzerland

• Efforts of China in the Response to the Epidemic of H7N9 Avian Influenza - Working paper submitted by China

• Working Paper submitted by Iraq
• We Need to talk about compliance: the preliminary views of Japan - Working Paper submitted by Japan