Recent Developments in the National Implementation of Biological Weapons Convention: What Happened Since Resolution 1540?

Abstract

The national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) has long been a point of discussion. One aspect of this national implementation concerns the enactment of penal legislation addressing the prohibitions of the BWC. There has been a clear increase in the past 18 years of penal legislation addressing biological weapons. This coincides with the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1540. Through a comprehensive assessment of the adopted national legislation it is possible to see trends and consider the extent to which such legislation seeks to address the BWC or Resolution 1540. The assessment clearly indicates that there is a divergence between the legislation addressing biological weapons in a general manner and legislation specifically seeking to address biological weapons in a terrorism context. This analysis will recognize potential avenues to increase national implementation of the BWC by looking at the progress made in the context of Resolution 1540.