A small body attached to the UN Department of Disarmament Affairs currently provides meeting support to the BWC on a year-to-year basis. Many observers and States Parties believe that stronger support is required if collective action focused on today’s needs and challenges is to be effective. Accordingly, there are a wide variety of proposals for enhancing the level of institutional support. These range from the establishment of a standing Secretariat, to scientific and technical advisors units, panels, or networks, to an “implementation support unit” that would help facilitate a work program focused on implementation of the Convention, particularly in regards to national implementation, CBMs, and universalization.

The most widespread support among BWC members currently appears to exist for an “implementation support unit.” Such a unit could be created via a small expansion in the size and duties of the current support staff. However, the United States questions the need for any support beyond that which already exists, and views proposals for support structures with suspicion. Yet, it is difficult to see how a serious work program, even if narrowly focused on national implementation, can succeed without some additional support. Nonetheless, establishing an implementation support unit will require intense negotiations over its size, functions, and responsibilities, and a minimal outcome seems likely.

1. Taking Effective Action: A New Work Program

2. Enabling Effective Action: A Stronger Support Mechanism

3. Fulfilling Obligations: National Implementation

4. Enhancing Transparency: Information Exchange and Confidence Building Measures

5. Resolving tensions: The relationship between non-proliferation and peaceful cooperation

6. Addressing Scientific and Technological Advance

7. Achieving Universality