What was the Preparatory Commission?
Appendix I of the CWC established the Preparatory Commission (PrepCom) as a political and technical decision-making entity composed of all initial signatories of the treaty. During the interim period between the signing of the CWC and its entry into force, the PrepCom met in The Hague to make “the necessary preparations for the effective implementation” of the CWC. The PrepCom was charged with setting procedures for verification, preparing a budget, recruiting and training inspectors, and establishing the infrastructure and rules of procedure for implementing the treaty. The PrepCom had three working levels in which signatories were entitled to participate: plenary, working groups, and groups of experts. When possible, decisions were taken by consensus. The PrepCom concluded when the treaty entered into force.
