Home > Legal affairs > National implementing legislation
Introduction | Decisions | Implementation Kits | Checklists | Models | Legislation Database | Questionnaires | Notes by the Director-General | Workshops | Harmonised System | VERTIC (BWC Implementation Legislation)

OPCW Legislation Database

To assist with the task of adopting national implementing legislation, the OPCW Legislation Database has been established on the OPCW website to provide examples of legislation enacted by States Parties to implement the Chemical Weapons Convention. The examples available were obtained from States Parties which have reported comprehensive implementing legislation (that is, legislation that covers all key areas for enforcement of the Convention), and which have given permission to have their legislation published in the OPCW Legislation Database. In some of those cases, a link has been made to the legislation available on the website of the State Party’s National Authority, in order to ensure that the latest version, including all amendments and supplements, is provided.

Topical Survey of National Implementing Legislation

• S/259/2001: Survey of National Implementing Legislation, dated 16 May 2001
• Annex to S/259/2001: Extracts from National Implementing Legislation for the Chemical Weapons Convention (as of 15 May 2001)

Examples of National Implementing Legislation

Albania

• Law No. 9092 of 3 July 2003 for Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction

Andorra

• Proposta d’aprovació de l’adhesió al Conveni sobre la prohibició del desenvolupament, la producció, l’emmagatzematge i la utilització d’armes químiques i sobre la seva destrucció, conclòs a Ginebra el 3 de setembre de 1992 i obert a signatura a París el 13 de gener de 1993
• Decret sobre armes de foc
• Llei de protecció de dades
• Llei de seguretat i qualitat industrial (22 de juny del 2000)
• Llei 9/2005, del 21 de febrer, qualificada del Codi penal
• Llei de la funció pública

Argentina

• Ley 26.247 Implementación de la Convención sobre la prohibición del desarrollo, la producción, el almacenamiento y el empleo de armas químicas y sobre su destrucción

Australia

• The Chemicals Weapons (Prohibition) Act 1994
• The Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Regulations 1997
• The Customs Act 1901
• The Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 (5J)
• The Customs (Prohibited Exports) Regulations 1958 (13E)

Azerbaijan

• Legislation (Russian)

Bangladesh

• The Chemical Weapons Prohibition Act, 2006 (24 September 2006) - English

Belarus

• Export control law - Russian
• Law changing the criminal code - Russian
• Ratification law - Russian
• Resolution No. 1203, 1999 - Russian
• Resolution No. 133, 2003 - Russian
• Decree No. 245 of 14 April 1994 on Visits by Foreign Inspectors on the Territory of the Republic of Belarus - Russian
• Decree No. 271 of 22 February 1999 on Amendments to Decree No. 344 of 27 May 1996 on the Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and their Destruction, signed of 13 January 1993
• Decree No. 344 of 27 May 1996 on the Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and their Destruction, signed of 13 January 1993
• Decree No. 422 of 29 March 2000 on the Control of Chemicals Covered by the Convention Monitoring System, attaching the Decision on the Procedure for Import/Export of Chemicals Falling under the Convention Verification Regime - Russian
• Resolution No. 510, 1996 - Russian
• Resolution No. 650, 1992 - Russian
• Resolution No. 819, 2001 - Russian
• Resolution No. 245, 1994 - Russian

Bulgaria

• Law on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and Control Over Toxic Chemicals and Their Precursors (13 January 2000)
• Law on the Control of Foreign Trade Activity in Arms and in Dual-Use Goods and Technologies
• Decree No. 274 of 29 November 2002 for adoption of Regulation on Implementation of the Law on Control of Foreign Trade Activity in Arms and Dual-Use Items and Technologies
• Penal Code

Burkina Faso

• Loi N° 003-2006/AN du 14 mars 2006 portant application de la Convention sur l'interdiction de la mise au point, de la fabrication, du stockage et de l'emploi des armes chimiques et sur leur destruction, adoptée à la Conférence de Genève le 3 septembre 1992 - French
• Décret N° 2006-159/PRES promulgant la loi n° 003-2006/AN

Canada

• Chemical Weapons Convention Implementation Act (13 July 1995) - English
• Loi de mise en oeuvre de la Convention sur les armes chimiques (13 juillet 1995) - French

China

• Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Administration of Controlled Chemicals (27 December 1995) - English
• Rules for the Implementation of the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Administration of Controlled Chemicals - Chinese
• Measures on Export Control of Certain Chemicals and Related Equipment and Technologies - Chinese
• Measures on Export Control of Certain Chemicals and Related Equipment and Technologies - English
• Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China - English

Colombia

• CWC implementing legislation and regulations, including:
  • Article 81 of the Constitution - Spanish
  • Articles 16, 358 and 367 of the Criminal Code - Spanish
  • Title XI of Decree 2535 of 1993 - Spanish

Cuba

• Decreto-Ley No. 202 sobre la Prohibición del Desarrollo, la Producción, el Almacenamiento y el Empleo de Armas Químicas y sobre su Destrucción
• Resolución No. 231 del 2004 emitida por el Ministerio de Comercio Exterior que implementa el Procedimiento para el Control del Cumplimiento de los Requisitos Técnicos en los productos de Importación y Exportación
• Resolución No. 1 del 2005 emitida por la Oficina Nacional de Estadísticas que modifica la Nomenclatura del Sistema Armonizado de Clasificación de Productos
• Anexo a la Resolución No. 1 del 2005
• Resolución No. 32 del 2003, Reglamento para la apliación del sistema nacional de control de las sustancias químicas comprendidas en la CAQ, el otorgamiento de las licencias y permisos y el tratamiento de la información
• Resolución No. 15 del 2003, Reglamento para las inspecciones nacionales y la atención a la inspecciones internacionales
• Resolution No. 52 of 1997 (Nomenclature of the Harmonised System for Commodity Description) Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian

Czech Republic

• Act No. 19/1997 of 24 January 1997 on Some Measures Concerning Chemical Weapons Prohibition, and on Amendments to Act No. 50/1976 Coll. 'On Zone Planning and the Building Code' (Building Act), as amended, the Small Businesses Act No. 455/1991 Coll., as amended, and the Penal Code Act No. 140/1961 Coll., as amended
• Decree No. 50 of 27 March 1997 Implementing the Act On Some Measures Concerning Chemical Weapons Prohibition
• Act No. 21/1997 Coll. On Control of Exports and Imports of Goods and Technologies Subject to International Control Regimes, as amended by Act No. 204/2002 Coll.
• Penal Code as amended - Czech

Estonia

• Strategic Goods Act of 17 December 2003
• List of Military Goods 2004
• Penal Code of 6 June 2001 Extract

Finland

• Finnish Legislation related to the Convention on Chemical Weapons 2005
• Penal Code (CWC text is found at Chapter 11, Section 7a)
• Act No. 485/2007 amending the Act on the Approval of Certain Provisions of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction and on its Application [unofficial English translation]
• Presidential Decree No. 535/2007 amending the Decree on the Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction and on the entry into force of the Act on the Approval of Certain Provisions of the Convention and on its Application [unofficial English translation]

France

• CWC implementing legislation and regulations, including:
  • Code of Defense (which codified Law No. 98-467 of 17 June 1998 Concerning the Implementation of the Convention) - French
  • Decree No. 98-36 of 16 January 1998 Concerning the Delegation of Administrative Authority for the Implementation of the Convention - French
  • Decree No. 99-64 of 27 January 1999 on the Systematic International Verification Provided for in Law No. 98-467 of 17 June 1998 Concerning the Implementation of the Convention - French
  • Decree No. 2001-143 of 15 February 2001 Concerning the Application of the Provisions of Part II of Law No. 98-467 of 17 June 1998 Concerning the Implementation of the Convention - French
  • Decree No. 2001-144 of 15 February 2001 Setting the Conditions for the Taking of Samples under Section 51 of Law No. 98-467 of 17 June 1998 Concerning the Implementation of the Convention - French
  • Decree No. 2001-145 of 15 February 2001 on the National Investigations and Administrative Sanctions Provided for by Law No. 98-467 of 17 June 1998 Concerning the Implementation of the Convention - French
  • Decree No. 2001-269 of 26 March 2001 on Challenge Inspections under Part III of the Convention - French
  • Decree No. 2002-1408 of 28 November 2002 to Apply Section 83 of Law No. 98-467 of 17 June 1998 Concerning the Implementation of the Convention - French
  • Order of 25 March 1999 on the Systematic International Verification Conducted in Application of the Convention - French
  • Order of 8 March 2001 Setting the Conditions for Drawing Up Licences under Decree No. 2001-143 of 15 February 2001 Concerning the Application of the Provisions of Part II of Law No. 98-467 of 17 June 1998 Concerning the Implementation of the Convention - French
  • Order of 8 March 2001 Setting the Conditions for Drawing Up Declarations Under Decree No. 2001-143 of 15 February 2001 Concerning the Application of the Provisions of Part II of Law No. 98-467 of 17 June 1998 Concerning the Implementation of the Convention - French
  • Order of 13 November 2001 Containing Miscellaneous Provisions Relating to Decree No. 2001-269 of 26 March 2001 on Challenge Inspections under Part III of the Convention - French
  • Order of 23 November 2001, Containing Miscellaneous Provisions Relating to Decree No. 2001-144 of 15 February 2001 Setting the Conditions for the Taking of Samples Under Section 51 of Law No. 98-467 of 17 June 1998 Concerning the Implementation of the Convention - French
  • Order of 7 March 2002, Applying Section 2 of Decree No. 2001-143 of 15 February 2001 Concerning the Application of the Provisions of Part II of Law No. 98-467 of 17 June 1998 Concerning the Implementation of the Convention - French
  • Order of 24 April 2002, on the Import and Export of Chemicals in Schedule 1, and the Export of those in Schedule 3 of the Convention - French

Germany

• CWC Legislation and related documents, including:
  • Act Implementing the Convention of 13 January 1993 on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction of 2 August 1994
  • Regulation Implementing the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction of 20 November 1996 and its 2000 and 2001 Amendment

Greece

• Law No. 2991 of 27 February 2002 on the Application of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction

Ireland

• Chemical Weapons Act, 1997

Kiribati

• Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Act - 2006

Lesotho

• Lesotho - Chemical Weapons Act - 2005

Mali

• Ordinance No. 07-021 of 18 July 2007 implementing the Convention - French

Malta

• National Implementing Legislation

Mauritius

• The Chemical Weapons Convention Act 2003 (Act No. 3 of 7 May 2003)

Monaco

• Sovereign Edict No. 16.382, dated 20 July 2004 relating to the application of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction, made at Geneva on 3 September 1992 English | French
• Ministerial Order No. 2004-390, dated 20 July 2004 in application of the Sovereign Edict relating to the application of the United Nations Convention of 3 September 1992 on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction English | French

Netherlands, the

• Act of 8 June 1995 containing rules on the implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction (Chemical Weapons Convention Implementation Act)
• Order of 24 April 1997, issued by the Minister of Justice, for the publication in the Bulletin of Acts and Decrees of the text of the Chemical Weapons Convention Implementation Act, as last amended by the Decree of 22 April 1997
• Ministry of Economic Affairs (CWC)

New Zealand

• Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Act - 1996

Pakistan

• Ordinance to give effect in Pakistan to the Convention (Presidential ordinance) (11 October 2000)

Palau

• Title 17 Chapter 40 of the Palau National Code - Prohibitions against Chemical Weapons

Poland

• Law of 22 June 2001 on the Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and On Their Destruction

Portugal

• Lei no. 66/2007 relativa à implementação da Convenção sobre a Proibição de Armas Químicas

Republic of Korea

• Act on the Control of the Production, Export, Import, etc. of Specific Chemicals for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

Romania

• Act to Implement the Provisions of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction
• Information on the Legislative and Administrative Measures Taken to Implement the CWC in Romania

Saudi Arabia

• Implementation Act of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction (Council of Ministers Resolution No. 261 of 28 November 2005) Arabic | English

Senegal

• Loi sur l'interdiction de la mise au point de la fabrication, du stockage et de l'emploi des armes chimiques et sur leur destruction

Singapore

• CWC implementing legislation and regulations, including:
  • The Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Act 2000
  • The Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2007
  • The Chemical Weapons (Prohibition) Regulations 2007

Slovakia

• Act No. 129, of 1 April 1998, On Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and On Changes and Amendments to some Acts
• Decree No. 44 of the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic, dated 19 February 1999, Implementing Act on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and on Changes and Amendments to some Acts

Slovenia

• Chemical Weapons Act (repealed)
• Law on Control of Strategic Goods of Particular Significance to Safety and Health (Official Journal RS, No. 29/06)
• Rules on the Conditions for the Production of Toxic Chemicals and the Operation of Facilities for the Production Thereof
• Decree Setting the List of Strategic Goods and Related Control Regimes (Official Journal RS, No. 48/07)
• Decree on the Principles and the Procedure to Draft a Strategic Risk Assessment (Official Journal RS, No. 48/07)

South Africa

• South African Council for the Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

Sri Lanka

• Chemical Weapons Convention Act, No. 58 of 2007 (certified on 20 November 2007; into force as of 15 April 2008)

Switzerland

• Ordinance on the control of chemicals for civil and military applications (SECO-#312037-1)
• Federal Law on War Material (KMG) of 13 December 1996 (status as of 26 November 2002) English | French

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

• Law On the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and Use of Chemical Weapons (8 June 2006)

Turkey

• Law On The Prohibition Of The Development, Production, Stockpiling And Use Of Chemical Weapons

United States of America

• Chemical Weapons Convention Legislation
• U.S. Chemical Weapons Convention Web Site