Legislative assistance to implement UN Security Council 1540

Where should my State’s legislative drafters turn for co-operative assistance?

States, inter-governmental organisations, international organisations and non-governmental organisations have offered legislative assistance with different elements of UNSCR 1540 implementation. The UN 1540 Committee maintains a list of assistance providers on its website and co-ordinates assistance offers and requests.

In co-ordination with other assistance providers, VERTIC offers assistance with legislative drafting to implement obligations under certain CBRN treaties and related legal instruments (and UNSCR 1540), remotely or in capitals, at no cost. VERTIC proposes tailored approaches to implementation, including amendments to existing legislation, single issue laws, or omnibus legislation covering several CBRN treaties and related legal instruments. Please contact the NIM Programme for more information.

A list of the NIM Programme’s current and recently completed assistance projects can be found here.

The Implementation Support Branch and Office of the Legal Adviser (Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) provide assistance to states parties with the establishment of their National Authorities and national implementation of the CWC through appropriate legislation and regulations.

A BWC Implementation Support Unit (ISU) was established within the United Nations in August 2007 to provide administrative support in relation to the BWC, to receive and distribute Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) among states parties, to promote the universalisation of the BWC, to serve as a focal point for the exchange of information on national implementation measures, and to act as a clearinghouse for assistance requests and offers.

The objectives of the IAEA Office of Legal Affairs legislative assistance programme are to create awareness in Member States of the legally binding and non-binding international instruments in the nuclear field; enable Member States to comply with their international obligations and commitments; enable Member States to establish national legal frameworks governing the safe and peaceful uses of nuclear energy; and transfer relevant knowledge to Member States. It covers all branches of nuclear law, in particular nuclear safety; nuclear security; safeguards; and liability for nuclear damage. Legislative assistance is provided on request and is available to all Member States, regardless of the size of their nuclear programme. It would be of particular benefit to those states which are either in the process of, or seeking to, establish new laws; update existing laws; or consolidate their existing national nuclear legal frameworks.