arms control treaties

Multilateral Arms Control and Disarmament Treaties (Table)

Dr. Walter Dorn

TREATY (Common name, year opened)	PROHIBITION	DISPUTE SETTLEMENT PROVISIONS	ENFORCEMENT PROVISION	SPECIAL COMPLIANCE PROVISIONS
Geneva Protocol (1925)	Use of chemical and bacteriological weapons in war	None	None	None in treaty (in 1980s UN Secretary-General given responsibilities for expert assessments)
Antarctic Treaty (1959)	Any measures of a military nature in Antarctica	– Consultation – Referral to Int. Court of Justice (ICJ)	– "Appropriate efforts" by states parties to uphold treaty	None
Partial Test Ban Treaty (1963)	Nuclear weapons testing in the atmosphere, in outer space and under water	None	None	None
Outer Space Treaty (1967)	Nuclear weapons in outer space. Military use of celestial bodies	– Consultation	None	None
Non-Proliferation Treaty (1968)	Wider dissemination of nuclear weapons	- IAEA Statute provides for mandatory referral to ICJ and access to advisory opinions from ICJ	– IAEA Board may request a state to remedy its non-compliance – Curtailment or suspension of assistance – Return of materials and equipment – Suspension of privileges and rights of membership" – Report non-compliance to UN SC and GA	– Safeguards regime administered by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) – Assistance/ exchanges re. peaceful uses of nuclear energy
Seabed Treaty (1971)	Nuclear weapons on ocean floor	– Consultation	- Referral to UN Security Council	None
Biological Weapons Convention (1972)	Production and stockpiling of biological and toxin weapons	- Consultation	– Complaints lodged with UN Security Council	- Any necessary domestic measures - Investigations may be carried out by SC - Assistance to victims
Environmental Modification Treaty (1977)	Military or any other hostile use of environmental modification (ENMOD) techniques	- Consultation (e.g., formation of Consultative Committee of Experts)	- Complaints lodged with UN Security Council	- Any necessary domestic measures - Consultative Committee of Experts, formed on request - Exchange of information - Assistance to victims
Moon Treaty (1979)	Any hostile act on, or using, the moon. Placing nuclear weapons on, or in orbit around, the moon	- Consultation - Peaceful methods - Assistance from UN Secretary-General	None	None
Excessively Injurious Weapons Convention (1981)	Uses of certain conventional weapons e.g., mines, booby traps, blinding lasers. and incendiary weapons against civilians	None	None	- Education of armed forces
Celestial Bodies Agreement (1984)	Moon and other celestial bodies used only for peaceful purposes	– Consultations – Peaceful means – Assistance of UN SG	– States parties to assure that national activities carried out in accordance with treaty	– Reporting of activities to UN SG
Chemical Weapons Convention (1993)	Development, production, stockpiling, use and transfer of chemical weapons	– Clarification & consultation – ICJ referral – ICJ advisory opinions	– Request measure to redress non-compliance – Referral to UN SC – Recommend collective measures	– Mandatory penal legislation – Compliance promoted by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) – National authority
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (1996)	Nuclear tests and other nuclear explosions in all environments	– Consult and cooperate – Referral to ICJ	– Request to State Party to take measures to redress – Conference of the CTBTO to take the necessary measures to ensure compliance – Suspend rights and privileges – Referral to the United Nations	– Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) to ensure the implementation of treaty provisions – Any national implementation measures any necessary measures to prohibit violations of treaty – National Authority
Anti-Personnel Mines Convention (1997)	Use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines	– Consult and cooperate – UN Secretary-General's good offices- Fact-finding	Special Meeting of the States Parties may request party to take measures to address	– Fullest possible exchange – Assistance for mine victims – National measures including penal sanctions
Cluster Munitions Convention (2008)	Use, develop, produce, acquire, stockpile, retain or transfer cluster munitions; assist anyone	– Annual declarations – Consult and cooperate – Request for clarification – UN Secretary-General's good offices	– National "penal sanctions" – Meeting of States Parties
Arms Trade Treaty (2013)	International transfer of conventional arms in violation of UN arms embargoes or human rights, including terrorism	– Consult and cooperate – Arbitration (voluntary)	– National enforcement	– National control system to regulate exports – National regulation of arms brokering – Annual reporting of imports/exports to treaty secretariat

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pdf version (2012); French version