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.

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].