How is the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) enforced?
The implementation of the CWC is overseen by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) based in The Hague. The UK has been represented on the Executive Council of the OPCW from the start because of our large chemical industry. The OPCW has made an effective start to implement a rigorous verification and inspection regime. Over 3,800 inspections have taken place worldwide (as of August 2009). ‘Challenge Inspections’ can also be made if there are strong grounds to suspect a country’s declaration is inaccurate or incomplete. This has not yet been required. Implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in the UK The Department for Energy & Climate Change (DECC) is responsible for implementation of the CWC in the uK and our dependencies and overseas territories. It oversees all Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) inspections in the UK – there have been 113 routine inspections of UK industrial and defence sites as of April 2010. DECC also fu
