Implementing the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) may appear a daunting undertaking. Over the past years the number of legislative requirements to deal with various aspects of the threat posed by biological agents appears to have increased considerably. On the one hand, they relate to matters of general public health and safety. On the other hand, they seek to address national security threats posed by state-run biological weapon programmes and terrorist or criminal entities acquiring and using pathogens and toxins. Risks and threats may present themselves differently to different States. States may also have different legal systems requiring different approaches to addressing the risks and threats. Therefore the specific tools required by an individual State may vary. Nevertheless the BTWC also requires certain basic legislative provisions that are common to all States party to the BTWC.
The present set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) addresses a number of basic legislative requirements under the BTWC, outlines a number of options to meet those requirements and seeks to clarify certain core concepts relating to the implementation of the BTWC may not be easily translated into national languages. The FAQs have been subdivided in five issue areas.
- Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention
- National implementation of the BTWC
- Biosecurity and biosafety
- Prevention of proliferation
- The EU Joint Action in support of the BTWC
The EU Joint Action in support of the BTWC offers States Parties opportunities for technical assistance with the national implementation of the convention. For more detailed information, please visit the Implementation section.