The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) is the first multilateral disarmament treaty that bans the development, production, and stockpiling of this category of weapons of mass destruction. The Second Review Conference in 1986 decided to require Parties to implement confidence-building measures in order to clarify ambiguities and suspicions. Parties became obligated to provide annual reports on relatable activities. Information required is data on laboratories, vaccine production, defense research, development programs, past offensive activities, outbreaks of diseases, and publication of research knowledge. The Sixth Review Conference in 2006 adopted a final document and establishes an Implementation Support Unit to help parties implement the BWC.

Opened for Signature: 10 April 1972

Entry into force: 26 March 1975

Official Text: http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/bwc/text

Status and Signatories: http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/bwc

ACA Backgrounder: https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/bwc