In force · As amended up to 2026-08
7. The Director-General shall prepare a list of qualified experts whose particular field of expertise could be required in an investigation of alleged use of chemical weapons and constantly keep this list updated. This list shall be communicated, in writing, to each State Party not later than 30 days after entry into force of this Convention and after each change to the list. Any qualified expert included in this list shall be regarded as designated unless a State Party, not later than 30 days after its receipt of the list, declares its non-acceptance in writing.
17. A State Party shall start:
(a) The destruction of Category 1 chemical weapons not later than two years after this Convention enters into force for it, and shall complete the destruction not later than 10 years after entry into force of this Convention. A State Party shall destroy chemical weapons in accordance with the following destruction deadlines:
(i) Phase 1: Not later than two years after entry into force of this Convention, testing of its first destruction facility shall be completed. Not less than 1 per cent. of the Category 1 chemical weapons shall be destroyed not later than three years after the entry into force of this Convention;
(ii) Phase 2: Not less than 20 per cent. of the Category 1 chemical weapons shall be destroyed not later than five years after the entry into force of this Convention;
(iii) Phase 3: Not less than 45 per cent. of the Category 1 chemical weapons shall be destroyed not later than seven years after the entry into force of this Convention;
(iv) Phase 4: All Category 1 chemical weapons shall be destroyed not later than 10 years after the entry into force of this Convention;
(b) The destruction of Category 2 chemical weapons not later than one year after this Convention enters into force for it and shall complete the destruction not later than five years after the entry into force of this Convention. Category 2 chemical weapons shall be destroyed in equal annual increments throughout the destruction period. The comparison factor for such weapons is the weight of the chemicals within Category 2; and
(c) The destruction of Category 3 chemical weapons not later than one year after this Convention enters into force for it, and shall complete the destruction not later than five years after the entry into force of this Convention. Category 3 chemical weapons shall be destroyed in equal annual increments throughout the destruction period. The comparison factor for unfilled munitions and devices is expressed in nominal fill volume (m3) and for equipment in number of items.
7. Each State Party shall:
(a) Submit detailed plans for the destruction of chemical weapons specified in paragraph 1 not later than 60 days before each annual destruction period begins, in accordance with Part IV (A), paragraph 29, of the Verification Annex; the detailed plans shall encompass all stocks to be destroyed during the next annual destruction period;
(b) Submit declarations annually regarding the implementation of its plans for destruction of chemical weapons specified in paragraph 1, not later than 60 days after the end of each annual destruction period; and
(c) Certify, not later than 30 days after the destruction process has been completed, that all chemical weapons specified in paragraph 1 have been destroyed.
(p) call for such information from any person which the National Authority has reasonable cause to believe that such information may be required for complying with the provisions of the Convention;
(q) approve and declare, on behalf of the Government of India, a single small-scale facility for production of Toxic Chemicals listed in Schedule 1 in the Annex on Chemicals to the Convention for purposes not prohibited under the Convention;
(r) provide training to enforcement officers;
(s) ensure protection of environment, health and safety of the people during transportation, sampling, storage or destruction of Chemical Weapons, Chemical Weapons Production Facilities, Old Chemical Weapons or Abandoned Chemical Weapons;
(t) co-ordinate exchange of scientific and technological information among laboratories handling Toxic Chemicals or Precursors;
(u) determine, from time to time, the quantity limit that a person at any time may produce, otherwise acquire, retain, transfer or use any Toxic Chemical or Precursor listed in any of the Schedules 1 to 3 in the Annex on Chemicals to the Convention, any Discrete Organic Chemical including Discrete Organic Chemical containing elements of phosphorous, sulphur or fluorine for purposes not prohibited under the Convention;
(v) such other functions as may be prescribed.
7. Each State Party shall:
(a) Close, not later than 90 days after this Convention enters into force for it, all chemical weapons production facilities specified in paragraph 1, in accordance with Part V of the Verification Annex, and give notice thereof; and
(b) Provide access to chemical weapons production facilities specified in paragraph 1, subsequent to closure, for the purpose of systematic verification through on-site inspection and monitoring with on-site instruments in order to ensure that the facility remains closed and is subsequently destroyed.
7. Not later than thirty days after this Convention enters into force for it, each State Party shall make an initial declaration on relevant chemicals and facilities in accordance with the Verification Annex.
7. Each State Party undertakes to cooperate with the Organization in the exercise of all its functions and in particular to provide assistance to the Technical Secretariat.
ARTICLE VIII
THE ORGANIZATION
A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
7. The costs of the Organization's activities shall be paid by States Parties in accordance with the United Nations scale of assessment adjusted to take into account differences in membership between the United Nations and this Organization, and subject to the provisions of Articles IV and V. Financial contributions of States Parties to the Preparatory Commission shall be deducted in an appropriate way from their contributions to the regular budget. The budget of the Organization shall comprise two separate chapters, one relating to administrative and other costs, and one relating to verification costs.
7. If the doubt or concern of a State Party about a possible non-compliance has not been resolved within 60 days after the submission of the request for clarification to the Executive Council, or it believes its doubts warrant urgent consideration, notwithstanding its right to request a challenge inspection, it may request a special session of the Conference in accordance with Article VIII, paragraph 12(c). At such a special session, the Conference shall consider the matter and may recommend any measure it deems appropriate to resolve the situation.
Procedures for challenge inspections
7. Each State Party undertakes to provide assistance through the Organization and to this end to elect to take one or more of the following measures:
(a) To contribute to the voluntary fund for assistance to be established by the Conference at its first session;
(b) To conclude, if possible not later than 180 days after this Convention enters into force for it, agreements with the Organization concerning the procurement, upon demand, of assistance;
(c) To declare, not later than 180 days after this Convention enters into force for it, the kind of assistance it might provide in response to an appeal by the Organization. If, however, a State Party subsequently is unable to provide the assistance envisaged in its declaration, it is still under the obligation to provide assistance in accordance with this paragraph.
7. "Facility Agreement" means an agreement or arrangement between a State Party and the Organization relating to a specific facility subject to on-site verification pursuant to Articles IV, V and VI.
7. If, in the opinion of the Director-General, the non-acceptance of proposed inspectors or inspection assistants impedes the designation of a sufficient number of inspectors or inspection assistants or otherwise hampers the effective fulfilment of the tasks of the Technical Secretariat, the Director-General shall refer the issue to the Executive Council.
7. In the case of a facility, referred to in paragraph 6, that will cease operations not later than two years after this Convention enters into force for the State Party, the Executive Council may decide that transitional verification arrangements, approved in accordance with Part IV(A), paragraph 51, of this Annex and including a transitional facility agreement, provisions for verification through on-site inspection and monitoring with on-site instruments, and the time-frame for application of the arrangements, are sufficient.
7. Not later than when submitting its declaration of chemical weapons, a State Party shall take such measures as it considers appropriate to secure its storage facilities and shall prevent any movement of its chemical weapons out of the facilities, except their removal for destruction.
7. Subject to paragraphs 3 to 5, a State Party shall destroy old chemical weapons that have been confirmed by the Technical Secretariat as meeting the definition in Article II, paragraph 5 (b), in accordance with Article IV and Part IV (A) of this Annex. Upon request of a State Party, the Executive Council may, however, modify the provisions on time-limit and order of destruction of these old chemical weapons, if it determines that doing so would not pose a risk to the object and purpose of this Convention. The request shall contain specific proposals for modification of the provisions and a detailed explanation of the reasons for the proposed modification.
C. REGIME FOR ABANDONED CHEMICAL WEAPONS
7. For each chemical weapons production facility that a State Party intends to convert temporarily into a chemical weapons destruction facility, the State Party shall supply the following information:
(a) Envisaged time-frame for conversion into a destruction facility;
(b) Envisaged time-frame for utilizing the facility as a chemical weapons destruction facility;
(c) Description of the new facility;
- (d) Method of destruction of special equipment;
(e) Time-frame for destruction of the converted facility after it has been utilized to destroy chemical weapons; and
(f) Method of destruction of the converted facility.
Submission of annual plans for destruction and annual reports on destruction
7. Each State Party, during production under paragraphs 8 to 12, shall assign the highest priority to ensuring the safety of people and to protecting the environment. Each State Party shall conduct such production in accordance with its national standards for safety and emissions.
Single small-scale facility
7. Declarations of a plant site pursuant to paragraph 3 shall also include, for each plant which is located within the plant site and which falls under the specifications set forth in paragraph 3, the following information:
(a) The name of the plant and the name of the owner, company, or enterprise operating it;
(b) Its precise location within the plant site including the specific building or structure number, if any;
(c) Its main activities;
- (d) Whether the plant:
- ( i) Produces, processes, or consumes the declared Schedule 2 chemical(s);
- (ii) Is dedicated to such activities or multi-purpose; and
(iii) Performs other activities with regard to the declared Schedule 2 chemical(s), including a specification of that other activity ( e.g . storage); and
- (e) The production capacity of the plant for each declared Schedule 2 chemical.
7. Declarations of a plant site pursuant to paragraph 3 shall also include, for each plant which is located within the plant site and which falls under the specifications set forth in paragraph 3, the following information:
(a) The name of the plant and the name of the owner, company, or enterprise operating it;
(b) Its precise location within the plant site, including the specific building or structure number, if any;
(c) Its main activities.
7. If a State Party, for administrative reasons, deems it necessary to ask for assistance in compiling its list of chemical production facilities pursuant to paragraph 1, it may request the Technical Secretariat to provide such assistance. Questions as to the completeness of the list shall then be resolved through consultations between the State Party and the Technical Secretariat.
Information to States Parties
7. The inspection site shall be designated by the requesting State Party as specifically as possible by providing a site diagram related to a reference point with geographic coordinates, specified to the nearest second if possible. If possible, the requesting State Party shall also provide a map with a general indication of the inspection site and a diagram specifying as precisely as possible the requested perimeter of the site to be inspected.
7. The Director-General, the inspectors and the other members of the staff shall not disclose even after termination of their functions to any unauthorized persons any confidential information coming to their knowledge in the performance of their official duties. They shall not communicate to any State, Organization or person outside the Technical Secretariat any information to which they have access in connection with their activities in relation to any State Party.
Source: India Code