Why has monitoring compliance with the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention been difficult?

Monitoring compliance with the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) is inherently difficult because the treaty lacks formal verification or inspection procedures. Unlike other arms control agreements, the BWC provides no mechanism for intrusive inspections to ensure that signatories are adhering to the ban on developing, producing, or stockpiling biological agents.12

Several factors contribute to this challenge:

• Ease of Concealment: Biological weapons programs can be easily disguised within legitimate, dual-use infrastructure, such as vaccine-production facilities or pharmaceutical plants.12
• Lack of Signatures: These clandestine facilities often produce few unique "signatures" or telltale signs, making them difficult to detect through national technical means like satellite surveillance.2
• Low Threshold for Entry: Because biological weapons do not require large-scale industrial plants or massive personnel, even small states or non-state actors can potentially develop them with limited financial and technical resources.12

Consequently, the international community lacks strong assurance that it can verify compliance, leading some to rely on the threat of retaliation as a primary deterrent rather than the treaty itself.2