Recent Developments in the National Implementation of Biological Weapons Convention: What Happened Since Resolution 1540?

The article examines the national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), focusing on the enactment of penal legislation to prohibit biological weapons in accordance with Article IV of the BWC. It highlights a significant increase in such legislation over the past 18 years, coinciding with the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1540, which mandates states to prohibit biological weapons proliferation by non-state actors, particularly in terrorism contexts. The analysis reveals a divergence between legislation addressing biological weapons broadly under the BWC and that which targets terrorism-related proliferation under Resolution 1540, with many states adopting the latter but not fully complying with the broader BWC obligations. The article underscores the role of the 1540 Committee in facilitating implementation through monitoring and assistance, contrasting it with the more limited mandate of the BWC's Implementation Support Unit (ISU), and suggests that lessons from Resolution 1540's implementation could enhance compliance with the BWC's national measures.