The Seventh Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention was held at the United Nations Office in Geneva from 5 to 22 December 2011. The Conference concluded on 22 December 2011 with the adoption of its Final Document.

The Preparatory Committee for the review conference was held in Geneva from 13-15 April 2011.

Ambassador Paul van den IJssel of the Netherlands was President of the Seventh Review Conference and Chairman of the Preparatory Committee.

Communications from the President, updates on his activities and contact details can be found on the President's page.

Final Document of the Seventh Review Conference




Official Documents of the Conference

PLEASE NOTE: Different language versions of these documents are being published as the translations are completed. If a link below does not seem to work, it is because that language version of the particular document has not yet been released. Please check the link again soon.

BWC/CONF.VII/1 Provisional agenda

BWC/CONF.VII/2 Provisional indicative programme of work

BWC/CONF.VII/3 2011 Report of the Implementation Support Unit

BWC/CONF.VII/3/Corr.1 2011 Report of the Implementation Support Unit

BWC/CONF.VII/4 Estimated costs of the intersessional programme of the Convention to be held from 2012-2015

BWC/CONF.VII/4/Rev.1 Estimated costs of the intersessional programme of the Convention to be held from 2012-2015

BWC/CONF.VII/5 Report of the Committee of the Whole

BWC/CONF.VII/6 Report of the Credentials Committee

BWC/CONF.VII/7 Final Document of the Seventh Review Conference

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.1 History and operation of the confidence-building measures - Background information document submitted by the Implementation Support Unit

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.2 Compliance by States Parties with their obligations under the Convention - Background information document submitted by the Implementation Support Unit

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.2/Add.1 Compliance by States Parties with their obligations under the Convention - Background information document submitted by the Implementation Support Unit - Addendum (submissions from States Parties)

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.3 New scientific and technological developments relevant to the Convention - Background information document submitted by the Implementation Support Unit

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.3/Add.1 New scientific and technological developments relevant to the Convention - Addendum (submissions from States Parties)

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.3/Corr.1 New scientific and technological developments relevant to the Convention - Corrigendum

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.3/Corr.2 New scientific and technological developments relevant to the Convention - Corrigendum

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.3/Add.2 New scientific and technological developments relevant to the Convention - Addendum (submissions from States Parties)

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.3/Add.3 New scientific and technological developments relevant to the Convention - Addendum (submissions from States Parties)

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.4 Developments since the last Review Conference in other international organizations which may be relevant to the Convention - Background information document submitted by the Implementation Support Unit

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.5 Additional understandings and agreements reached by previous Review Conferences relating to each article of the Convention - Background information document submitted by the Implementation Support Unit

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.6 Common understandings reached by the Meetings of States Parties during the intersessional programme held from 2007 to 2010 - Background information document submitted by the Implementation Support Unit

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.7 Status of universalization of the Convention - Background information document submitted by the Implementation Support Unit

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.8 Implementation of Article X of the Convention - Background information document submitted by the Implementation Support Unit

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.8/Corr.1 Implementation of Article X of the Convention - Background information document submitted by the Implementation Support Unit - Corrigendum

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.8/Add.1 Implementation of Article X of the Convention - Background information document submitted by the Implementation Support Unit - Addendum

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.8/Add.1/Corr.1 Implementation of Article X of the Convention - Background information document submitted by the Implementation Support Unit

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.9 Statement by the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the States members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in connection with the Seventh Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction - Submitted by Belarus on behalf of the States members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.11 List of Participants

BWC/CONF.VII/INF.11/Add.1 List of Participants

BWC/CONF.VII/CRP.1 Elements for the draft final document - Sumitted by the President

BWC/CONF.VII/CRP.2 Draft Final Document of the Seventh Review Conference - Submitted by the President

BWC/CONF.VII/MISC.1 Provisional List of Participants

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.1 Article VII: options for implementation and proposal for intersessional work - Submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.2 Illustrative model intersessional work programme: a proposal for task group structure and agenda items - Submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.3 Proposal for structured and systematic review of science and technology developments under the Convention - Submitted by India

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.4 Strengthening biosafety and security while the convergence of biology and chemistry has increased: building joint responses between the BTWC and CWC regimes against misuse of biological and chemical agents - Submitted by Poland

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.5 Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention - Submitted by Iraq

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.5/Rev.1 Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention - Submitted by Iraq

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.6 Confidence-Building Measures: proposal for modification of Form D - Submitted by Belgium

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.7 Biorisk management standards and their role in BTWC implementation - Submitted by Belgium

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.8 Finnish biothreat preparedness - Submitted by Finland

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.9 Review and update of the Confidence-Building Measures - Submitted by Germany, Norway and Switzerland

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.10 Decision-making in a future BTWC intersessional work programme - Submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.11Proposal for a working group to address compliance issues - Submitted by Australia, Japan and New Zealand

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.12 A proposal for the next intersessional period 2012-2015 - Submitted by Australia and Japan

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.13 Proposal for the annual review of advances in science and technology relevant to the Biological Weapons Convention - Submitted by Australia, Japan and New Zealand

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.14 Confidence building and compliance: two different approaches - Submitted by Germany

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.15 The "Intersessional Bureau": a new element to solidify BWC work in Geneva - Submitted by Germany

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.16 Mechanism for advancing the implementation of Article X - Submitted by South Africa

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.17 Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit: future planning - Submitted by South Africa

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.18 Proposal for the intersessional process - Submitted by South Africa

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.19 Confidence-Building Measures - Submitted by South Africa

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.20 Possible approaches to education and awareness-raising among life scientists - Submitted by Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea and Switzerland (on behalf of the “JACKSNNZ” ), and Kenya, Pakistan, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.20/Rev.1 Possible approaches to education and awareness-raising among life scientists - Submitted by Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea and Switzerland (on behalf of the “JACKSNNZ” ), and Kenya, Sweden, Ukraine, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.21 Working Paper on the Confidence Building Measures - Submitted by Norway, Switzerland and New Zealand

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.22 Working Paper on the role of the ISU - Submitted by Japan

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.23 The next intersessional process - Submitted by the United States of America

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.24 China's views on strengthening the effectiveness of the BWC - Submitted by China

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.25 Strengthening the existing Confidence-Building Measure submission and review process - Submitted by Canada

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.26 The establishment of a mechanism to promote the full effective and non-discriminatory implementation of Article X of the Convention - Submitted by Cuba on behalf of the Group of the Non-aligned Movement and other States Parties to the BWC

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.26/Corr.1 The establishment of a mechanism to promote the full effective and non-discriminatory implementation of Article X of the Convention - Submitted by Cuba on behalf of the Group of the Non-aligned Movement and other States Parties to the BWC

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.27 Fostering stakeholder accountability - Submitted by France

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.28 A peer review mechanism for the Biological Weapons Convention: enhancing confidence in national implementation and international cooperation - Submitted by France

BWC/CONF.VII/WP.29 The full, effective and non-discriminatory implementation of Article X - Submitted by the Islamic Republic of Iran

BWC/CONF.VII/COW/ INF.1 Proposals made to the Committee of the Whole - Submitted by the Chair of the Committee of the Whole

BWC/CONF.VII/COW/ INF.1/Add.1 Proposals made to the Committee of the Whole - Submitted by the Chair of the Committee of the Whole

BWC/CONF.VII/COW/ INF.1/Add.2 Proposals made to the Committee of the Whole - Submitted by the Chair of the Committee of the Whole

BWC/CONF.VII/COW/ INF.1/Add.3 Proposals made to the Committee of the Whole - Submitted by the Chair of the Committee of the Whole

BWC/CONF.VII/COW/ INF.2 Combined Proposals made to the Committee of the Whole - Submitted by the Chair of the Committee of the Whole

BWC/CONF.VII/COW/ INF.2/Rev.1 Combined Proposals made to the Committee of the Whole - Submitted by the Chair of the Committee of the Whole

BWC/CONF.VII/COW/CRP.1 Draft Report of the Committee of the Whole

BWC/CONF.VII/COW/CRP.2 Outline of the Draft Final Declaration of the Seventh Review Conference - Submitted by the Chair of the Committee of the Whole

Advance Copies of Documents and Papers
Schedule of Side Events

Monday 5 December

13.00-15.00 University of Bradford - Key Points for the Review Conference (Room XXIV)
NOTE: Deferred to Tuesday 13.00- 15.00 (Room XXIV)

13.00-15.00 Partnership for Global Security - Title to be announced (Room XXV)

13:00-15:00 Introduction of the Glass Sculpture exhibition by the United Kingdom and Switzerland

Tuesday 6 December

09.00-10.00 Amy Smithson - Germ Gambits: Lessons for BWC Compliance Drawn from the UNSCOM Inspections in Iraq (Room XXIV)

Germ Gambits: The Bioweapons Dilemma, Iraq and Beyond (Stanford Univ. Press, 2011) presents the history of the biological inspections of the United Nations Special Commission in Iraq, as told by the inspectors themselves. This engaging, analytical historical narrative explains what the biological inspectors knew when and how they knew it as well as how they outmaneuvered the Iraqis and provides the inspectors’ blueprint to “get it right” with regard to the verification challenges associated with the bioweapons ban and the author’s roadmap to address the overall biological threats facing the world today. Smithson will present highlights of the book, focusing on lessons that can enhance confidence in compliance with the BWC.

13.00-15.00 IAP: The Global Network of Science Academies - Report of the Workshop on Trends in Science and Technology Relevant to the BWC and University of Bradford - Key Points for the Review Conference (Room XXIV)

Report of the Workshop on Trends in Science and Technology Relevant to the BWC explores the implications of recent developments in the life sciences and related fields as an independent input from the international scientific community to the 7th Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention.
Key Points for the Review Conference sets out achievable and realistic ambitions for the Seventh Review Conference for the Article by Article Final Declaration and for the Decisions and Recommendations section of the Final Document.

For more information on this event, please click here.

13.00-15.00 Netherlands Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael - The Future of Biological Weapons Revisited (Room XXV)

In 1991 The Future of Biological Weapons was one of the first books on the efforts to ban biological weapons. The future of Biological Weapons Revisited will be presented by the author of the revised edition, Koos van der Bruggen, and the author of the original edition, Barend ter Haar. Sandwiches and free copies of the book will be served.

Wednesday 7 December

09.00-10.00 Harvard-Sussex Program - Results from Examining the role of Science and Technology reviews in the Biological Weapons Convention (Room XXIV)

13.00-15.00 Romania/ISU - Advances in biotechnology - a potential source of proliferation of biological agents (Room XXIV)

13.00-15.00 MJ Lawrence Consulting - CASE STUDY: Expanding the availability of medical countermeasures for biodefense in Europe (Room XXV)


Thursday 8 December

09.00-10.00 Center for Nonproliferation Studies - Title to be announced (Room XXIV)

09.00-10.00 Virtual Biosecurity Center - Enhancing Education and Transparency (Room XXV)

13.00-15.00 BWPP - The BioWeapons Monitor 2011 and other 2011 activities
of the BioWeapons Prevention Project (Room XXIV)

13.00-15.00 USA - United States Biodefense Program (Room XXV)


Friday 9 December

09.00-10.00 Stockholm International Peace Research Institute - Addressing Future Challenges to the BTWC in Connection with S&T Developments (Room XXV)

13.00-15.00 University of Hamburg - Contributing to the Article X
Debate. Monitoring International Trade in Biological Dual Use Equipment
(with Izaak Wind, former Deputy Director, Tariff and Trade Affairs, of
the World Customs Organization (WCO)) (Room XXIV)

13.00-15.00 USA - United States Assistance Under Article X (Room XXV)


Monday 12 December

09:00-10:00 Landau Network–Centro Volta - Implementing Education on Biosecurity and Dual Use: National Experiences and Resources (Room XXIV)

13.00-15.00 Japan and Switzerland - Dual-use issues and the role of life scientists (Room XXIV)


Tuesday 13 December

09.00-10.00 USA - International Preparedness and Response (Room XXIV)

13.00-15.00 Middle East Informal Working Group on Biological Weapons - Title to be announced (Room XXIV)

13:00 - 15:00 WHO - Title to be announced (Room XXV)

Wednesday 14 December


09.00-10.00 Amy Smithson - Global Perspectives on Re-Envisaging the Biological Weapons Convention (Room XXIV)

The November 2011 edition of the Nonproliferation Review is devoted exclusively to issues salient to the Seventh Review Conference of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. To ensure that a wide range of opinion on issues central to the BWC regime are considered, this special issue features thirteen distinguished international specialists from ten countries around the globe. The panel chair will provide an overview of this special edition of the Nonproliferation Review, with individual panelists summarizing their articles.

Panel chair
Amy E. Smithson, PhD, of the Center for Nonproliferation Studies (guest co-editor for this special edition of the Nonproliferation Review)

Panelists
• Ursela Jenal, PhD, of Jenal & Partners Biosafety Consulting,
• Ralf Trapp, PhD, consultant
• Filippa Lentzos, PhD, of the London School of Economics and Politics BIOS Centre, and,
• Cindy Vestergaard, PhD, of the Danish Institute for International Studies.

13:00-15:00 VERTIC- 25th anniversary celebration of VERTIC’s founding (plus status of national legislation for BWC implementation and expansion of NIM Programme to cover UNSCR 1540) (Room XXIV)

13:00-15:00 Texas Tech University- Cost Effective Regulation for the MENA and Asia Region (Room XXV)


Thursday 15 December

09.00- 10.00 U.S. National Academies of Science - Biosecurity Challenges of the Global Expansion of High Containment Biological Laboratories - Summary of a Workshop and Report Release (Room XXIII)
For more information, please click here.


13.00-15.00 Belgium - Biological Weapon Convention, Biosecurity and the Industry (Room XXIV)

In June 2011, a seminar entitled "The Biological Weapons Convention, Biosecurity and the Industry – Management of the biological proliferation risk in life sciences institutions" was held in Brussels at the initiative of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Belgian Biosafety Association (BBP). The seminar gathered representatives of government bodies and representatives from pharmaceutical and biotech companies and their sector federations in order to to exchange views on how to manage biological dual-use issues and to look at the complementary role that biorisk management standards can play with regard to the implementation of the BTWC. Introduced by Belgian Ambassador François Roux, Ursula Jenal of Xibios and Jenal & Partners and Frank Meeussen of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will present the main lessons learnt from this seminar. The related paper “Setting a Standard For Stakeholdership. Industry Contribution to a Strengthened Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention”, edited by Dr. Jean-Pascal Zanders of the EU Institute for Security Studies will be presented. “

Friday 16 December

09.00 - 10.00 Ferdous International foundation (FIF) and Global Health and Security
Consultants (GHSC) - National Biorisk Management Programme as an effective tool for implementation of BTWC (Room XXIV)

13.00-15.00 International Council for the Life Sciences - The Biosafety and Biosecurity International Conference Process: Health Security and the BWC (Room XXIV)

The BBIC Process is a network of individuals from 22 countries aimed at helping develop healthier and more secure communities in the Middle East and North Africa region through encouraging the development of comprehensive national and regional biosafety and biosecurity strategies. The aim of these strategies is to help governments and communities develop the human, physical and legislative capacity and infrastructure to permit effective national preparedness, planning and emergency response to major biological events, be they from natural outbreaks or accidental release, or from an act of warfare or terrorism. Members of the BBIC Process will present and answer questions on the work conducted to date and plans for future actions, and on how this work helps promote the objectives of the BWC.

Monday 19 December

13.00-15.00 Poland - Biosafety and biosecurity: implications of the convergence of biology and chemistry (Room XXIV)

General Statements

• Statement by Professor Indira Nath at the Seventh BWC Review Conference
• Esther Ng, Biosecurity - The Role of Young Scientists
• Statement by Ambassador Rodolfo Benítez Verson, Representative of Cuba, on behalf of the Group of the Non-Aligned Movement and Other States Parties to the BWC
• Statement by H.E. Mr. Kairat Umarov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan at the Seventh BTWC Conference
• Statement by Belarus on behalf of the member-states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)
• Statement by Ambassador Pierre Claver Ndayiragije, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Burundi (in French)
• Statement by Mr. Elias Jaime Zimba, Minister Plenipotentiary, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Mozambique to the United Nations Office in Geneva
• Statement by H.E. Mr. Eric Danon Ambassador, Permanent Representative of France to the Conference on Disarmament (in French)
• Statement by Ambassador Rolf Nikel, Commissioner of the Federal Government for Arms Control and Disarmament, Federal Republic of Germany
• Statement by Ambassador Sujata Mehta, Permanent Representative of India to the Conference on Disarmament
• UK Statement by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Mr. Alistair Burt for the Seventh Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention Review Conference
• Statement by the Head of Delegation of Ukraine at the BTWC Seventh Review Conference
• Statement by H.E. Datuk Othman Hashim, Head of Malaysian Delegation at the Seventh Review Conference of the BWC
• Statement by H.E. Ambassador He Yafei, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Office in Geneva
• Statement of the Turkish Delegation
• Statement by Ambassador Branka Latinovic, MFA, the Republic of Serbia
• Statement by Ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament D. Javier Gil Catalina, Spain (in Spanish)
• Statement by H.E. Mr. Gennady Gatilov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
• Statement by Bulgaria
• Statement by Canada, on behalf of JACKSNNZ (Japan, Australia, Canada, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Norway, New Zealand)
• Statement by Ambassador Alexandre Fasel, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the Conference on Disarmament (in French and English)
• Statement by Ambassador Abdul Samad Minty, Permanent Representative of the Republic of South Africa
• Statement by H.E. Ambassador Steffen Kongstad, Head of the Norwegian Delegation
• Statement by Ambassador Juan José, Mexico (in Spanish)
• Statement by H.E. Mr. Mari Amano, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament
• Statement by Ambassador Peter Woolcott, Australia
• Statement by Dell Higgie, Ambassador for Disarmament, New Zealand
• Statement by H.E. Mrs. Maria Ciobanu, Permanent Representative of Romania
• Statement by H.E. Mr. Dian Triansyah Djani, Ambassador/Permanent Representative of the Republic of Indonesia
• Statement by the Delegation of Costa Rica (in Spanish)
• Statement by Minister Jesus S. Domingo, Philippines
• Statement by Denmark
• Statement by Mr. Neil Benevides, Deputy Permanent Representative of Brazil to the Conference on Disarmament
• Statement by Peru (in Spanish)
• Statement by Ambassador Idriss Jazaïry, Permanent Representative of Algeria to the United Nations Office in Geneva (in French)
• Statement by H.E. Mr. Jüri Seilenthal, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Estonia
• Statement by Argentina (in Spanish)
• Statement by Ambassador Željko Jerkić, Head of Delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Statement by H.E. Mr. Md. Abdul Hannan, Bangladesh Ambassador and Permanent Representative
• Statement by Ambassador Haeryong Kwon, Republic of Korea
• Statement by Ambassador Pedro Oyarce, Permanent Representative of Chile (in Spanish)
• Statement by Ambassador Zamir Akram, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations
• Statement by H.E. Omar Hilal, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Morocco (in French)
• Statement by the Delegation of the Republic of Azerbaijan
• Statement by Qatar (in Arabic)
• Statement by Madagascar (in French)
• Statement by Iraq (in Arabic)
• Statement by Embassador Luis Gallegos, Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the United Nations and International Organizations (in Spanish)
• Statement by Kuwait (in Arabic)
• Statement by H.E. Gerard Corr, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations
• Statement by Colombia (in Spanish)
• Statement by H.E. Mr. Uri Rosenthal, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
• Statement by Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State of the United States
• Statement by Nigeria
• Statement by H.E. Mr. Mohammed Reza Sajjadi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran
• Statement by Afghanistan
• Statement of the Arab Republic of Egypt
• Statement on behalf of the European Union;
  • Council Decision relating to the position of the European Union for the Seventh Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons and on their destruction
• Statement by the OPCW
• Statement by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)
• Statement of the International Committee of the Red Cross
• Statement by North Atlantic Treaty Organization
• Statement by the International Criminal Police Organization
• Statement by the United Nations Inter-regional Crime and justice Research Institute
• Statement by the World Health Organization

Posters
Press Releases
NGO Statements