Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs)
Blank CBM Forms (extracted from BWC/CONF.VI/INF.3)
NEW:
Guide to Participating in the Confidence-Building Measures for the Biological Weapons Convention
The Second Review Conference (1986) agreed to introduce Confidence-building Measures "in order to prevent or reduce the occurence of ambiguities, doubts and suspicions and in order to improve international co-operation in the field of peaceful biological activities". The CBMs were elaborated at a meeting of scientific and technical experts in 1987, and were modified and considerably expanded by the Third Review Conference in 1991. They have not been modified since, although the Sixth Review Conference in 2006 agreed on various improvements to the mechanisms for submission and distribution.
As agreed at the Third Review Conference, the CBMs consist of seven measures, A to G:
| CBM A | Part 1: Exchange of data on research centres and laboratories;
Part 2: Exchange of information on national biological defence research and development programmes. |
| CBM B | Exchange of information on outbreaks of infectious diseases and similar occurrences caused by toxins. |
| CBM C | Encouragement of publication of results and promotion of use of knowledge. |
| CBM D | Active promotion of contacts |
| CBM E | Declaration of legislation, regulations and other measures. |
| CBM F | Declaration of past activities in offensive and/or defensive biological research and development programmes. |
| CBM G | Declaration of vaccine production facilities. |
These CBMs are to be submitted, using the agreed forms, to the BWC Implementation Support Unit in the Geneva Branch of United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs no later than 15 April each year. The information provided should cover the previous calendar year (for example, you should submit your CBM covering calendar year 2007 no later than 15 April 2008). For further information on preparing and submitting CBMs, please see the
Participating in the CBMs page.
The Sixth Review Conference developed a mechanism for the electronic submission and distribution of CBMs. States Parties are encouraged to submit their CBMs by e-mail. Paper publication of CBM submissions has been discontinued. CBM submissions will instead be published in the
restricted area of this website, unless the submitting State Party requests otherwise. CBM submissions that are not published in the restricted area will be circulated to States Parties on CD-ROM. Certain States have decided to make their CBM returns available on the public section of this site. These returns can be found on the
CBM Returns page.