States and some organisations have expressed their views about the utility, purpose, scope and process of the legal review of weapons in various different contexts. Some of these views have been recorded domestic documents, such as military manuals on the law of armed conflict. Increasingly, however, States and organisations have articulated their positions in a range of international fora, either through written submissions or oral interventions.
This database compiles and organises publicly expressed views in relation to legal reviews, without prejudice to their relative significance or effect (for example, in terms of the development of customary international law). The database aims to comprehensively reflect the views of states but only covers the positions of a small number of selected organisations.
This database currently contains 379 positions and is continuously updated. Any corrections, or suggestions to add material, are welcome.
14 positions France (remove filter)
2026
REAIM Pathways to Action
… 7. Building on the Call to Action advanced at the REAIM Summit 2023 in The Hague and the Blueprint for Action advanced at the REAIM Summit 2024 in Seoul, convinced that the time has come to take steps towards operationalization of the principles reflected …
2023
Statement by France
… we believe that states should commit themselves to adopt and implement national measures with a view of accompanying the development and employment of weapon systems that have autonomy, in order to guarantee full compliance with IHL. Such measures should cover the entire life-cycle of …
2022
Working Paper
B. In order to operationalize the two-tier approach, the HCP should: (b) Commit to only develop, produce, acquire, modify, deploy or use lethal weapons systems featuring autonomy when the following provisions are fulfilled: i. compliance with international law is ensured when studying, acquiring, adopting or …
France, Military Manual
5.6. The legal review of new weapons, means and methods of warfare Under Article 36 of AP I, in the study, development, acquisition or adoption of a new weapon, means or method of warfare, States parties are under an obligation to determine whether its employment …
2021
Outline for a normative and operational framework on emerging technologies in the area of LAWS
II. Operational Framework 3. To operationalize the principles enshrined in the normative framework, the High contracting Parties could agree on a compilation of measures and policies, to be implemented at national level: … (b) To operationalise the general provision 2c, an appropriate/sufficient scheme of human …
Possible consensus recommendations in relation to the clarification, consideration and development of aspects on the normative and operational framework on emerging technologies in the area of LAWS
9. … within the future normative and operational framework, High Contracting Parties should: … ii. Undertake and implement national policies and measures in order to regulate the development and use of partially autonomous lethal weapons systems, guided by the following principles: (i) ensure full compliance …
Written contribution of France on possible consensus recommendations
This paper is submitted under the responsibility of the Chair. The following are elements for discussion for possible inclusion in the report of the GGE, which will be prepared at a later stage. This paper does not prejudge the outcome of the 2021 GGE session, …
Opinion on the Integration of Autonomy into Lethal Weapon Systems
c) Compliance: ensure legality is correctly monitored throughout the life cycle of weapon systems (126) Article 36 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts of 8 June 1977 (Protocol I) …
2020
Parliamentary Commission Report
En France, le ministère des Armées a remis à plat les procédures internes relatives à l’examen de la licéité des armes ; une instruction a été communiquée en 2019 afin d’expliquer sa mise en application. Le champ d’application de l’article 36 du premier protocole additionnel …
National Commentary by France
In concrete terms, in order to ensure that IHL is fully applied to weapons systems based on emerging technologies in the area of LAWS – in compliance with guiding principle “a”5 and in line with their existing obligations – High Contracting Parties (HCPs) should, for …
2018
Statement by France (9 April 2018)
Au-delà de ces aspects fondamentaux, je souhaite rappeler les points essentiels pour ma délégation : … L’Article 36 du Protocole I additionnel aux Conventions de Genève, qui prévoit l’évaluation des nouveaux systèmes d’armes au regard du DIH, constitue un cadre de réflexion pertinent à cet …
2017
For consideration by the Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
C. Options for transparency and confidence building 9. Voluntary measures that could enhance compliance with the existing regulations (Article 36 of [AP I] on weapons reviews) and increase confidence between States include: (a) Establishing transparency and facilitating the identification of best-practices in conducting weapons reviews …
2016
Non-Paper of France
L’article 36 du premier Protocole additionnel aux Conventions de Genève du 12 août 1949 (PA I), en exigeant que les États parties vérifient la conformité au DIH des nouvelles armes, moyens ou méthodes de guerre, témoigne de la continuité d’application du DIH au développement et …
2005
IHL and ERW: Response from France
16. The action of designing a weapon for a specific purpose is indeed an action in application of the principle of discrimination. It is complemented, within an overall legal approach, by the fulfilment of the obligations stemming from article 36 of the first additional Protocol …