Basic Course for National Authority Personnel

The OPCW and National Authority of France conducted a five-day training course for personnel of National Authorities involved in receiving inspections under the CWC. This was the sixth such training course given by the French Training Centre for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (CEFFIAC) in Paris and was held from 22 to 26 September 2008.

This course is primarily intended for personnel of National Authorities who have little or no previous experience with the Convention but are responsible for implementing it at the national level. The course includes both instruction and practical exercises and covers a wide range of issues relating to the administrative, legal, and verification provisions of the CWC. During the basic course, presentations were delivered on:

• history of the CWC and OPCW;
• status of CWC implementation;
• rights and obligations of States Parties under the CWC;
• legislative and administrative measures to be adopted by States Parties to ensure appropriate implementation of the CWC;
• establishment or designation of a National Authority;
• National Authority tasks;
• CWC verification regime and different types of inspections;
• old and abandoned chemical weapons;
• identification of declarable facilities under the CWC;
• Declarations Handbook and Handbook on Chemicals;
• transfer provisions of the CWC;
• assistance and protection under the CWC;
• international cooperation in the peaceful uses of chemistry; and
• implementation support programmes of the OPCW.