Positions of States and Organisations

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.

2024

  1. Draft articles on autonomous weapon systems

    26 August 2024State or organisation: AustraliaState or organisation: CanadaState or organisation: EstoniaState or organisation: JapanState or organisation: LatviaState or organisation: LithuaniaState or organisation: PolandState or organisation: Republic of KoreaState or organisation: United KingdomState or organisation: United StatesForum: GGE LAWS 2024

    Article 1. Preventing Autonomous Weapon Systems That, By Their Nature, Are Incapable of Use in Accordance With IHL IHL prohibits the use of an autonomous weapon system if it is of a nature to cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering, if it is inherently indiscriminate, …

2023

  1. Draft articles on autonomous weapon systems

    15 May 2023State or organisation: AustraliaState or organisation: CanadaState or organisation: JapanState or organisation: PolandState or organisation: Republic of KoreaState or organisation: United KingdomState or organisation: United StatesForum: GGE LAWS 2023

    Article 1. Preventing Autonomous Weapon Systems That, By Their Nature, Are Incapable of Use in Accordance With IHL IHL prohibits the use of an autonomous weapon system if it is of a nature to cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering, if it is inherently indiscriminate, …

2021

  1. Statement by Poland

    September 2021State or organisation: PolandForum: GGE LAWS 2021

    Section 5 — Weapon reviews 1. In para 1 we see the need to invoke article 36 of [API]. The new para would read as follows: “In accordance with the obligations of States under international law, in relation to Art. 36 of [API], in the …

  2. Written contribution of Poland on possible consensus recommendations

    11 June 2021State or organisation: PolandForum: GGE LAWS 2021

    6. The Group will also consider facilitating a voluntary exchange of national practices and experiences, where they exist, in the area of legal reviews of new weapons, according to Article 36 of [API].

2018

  1. Statement by Poland

    29 August 2018State or organisation: PolandForum: GGE LAWS 2018

    Having a common characterization of LAWS, or at least, a set of the key characteristics, would be a prerequisite for seeking future policy options. Pointing to these options, Poland underlines the significance of application of “Article 36 review” as essential to determining whether the adoption …

  2. Statement by Poland

    11 April 2018State or organisation: PolandForum: GGE LAWS 2018

    Having regard to the ethical dimension in the first place, we also recall that the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack are the fundamental rules and principles of international humanitarian law. They reflect efforts made by the international community to introduce effective legal …

  3. Working Paper on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems

    3 April 2018State or organisation: PolandForum: GGE LAWS 2018

    Development and use of LAWS should remain in compliance with the international law, in particular with the [IHL] and the international human rights law. According to Article 36 of [API] states should determine the lawfulness of any new weapon or means or method of warfare …

2015

  1. Statement by Poland

    April 2015State or organisation: PolandForum: MX LAWS 2015

    Much consideration might be given by High Contracting Parties to CCW to the establishment of informal and voluntary mechanisms enabling information and best practices exchange on national “legal reviews”. Poland is ready to support solutions that would bring more transparency and reflect the idea of …