Context: Recently, the head of the international chemical weapons watchdog told the U.N. Security Council that its experts have investigated 77 allegations against Syria.

• Under this  Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) informed the United Nations (UN) that in 17 cases chemical weapons were likely or definitely used by Syria.

About Chemical Weapons Convention

• It is a multilateral treaty that bans chemical weapons and requires their destruction within a specified period of time.
• It is of unlimited duration and is far more comprehensive than the 1925 Geneva Protocol, which outlaws the use but not the possession of chemical weapons.
• The CWC negotiations started in 1980 in the UN Conference on Disarmament. 
• The convention opened for signature on January 13, 1993, and entered into force on April 29, 1997.
• It is implemented by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
• Currently ,it has 192 state parties and 165 signatories and India signed the treaty in January 1993.

Convention Prohibits

• The development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, or retention of chemical weapons.
• Transferring of chemical weapons.
• Using chemical weapons.
• Assisting other States to indulge in activities that are prohibited by the CWC.
• Using riot-control devices as ‘warfare methods’.

Declaration Requirements under Chemical Weapons Convention

• It requires states-parties to declare in writing to the OPCW their chemical weapons stockpiles, chemical weapons production facilities (CWPFs), relevant chemical industry facilities, and other weapons-related information.
• It must be done within 30 days of the convention's entry into force for each member state.

Penalties for Non-compliance under Chemical Weapons Convention

• The OPCW could recommend collective punitive measures to other states-parties.
• The OPCW could bring the issue before the UN Security Council and General Assembly.
• The states-parties must take measures to address questions raised about their compliance with the CWC.

About Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

• It is headquartered in The Hague with about 500 employees.
• It receives states-parties’ declarations detailing chemical weapons-related activities or materials and relevant industrial activities.
• It inspects and monitors states-parties’ facilities and activities, after receiving declarations, that are relevant to the convention, to ensure compliance.
• Its mission is to implement the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention to achieve the vision of a world free of chemical weapons

By: Shubham Tiwari