Today marks the 50^th anniversary of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention.

The Biological Weapons Convention is a cornerstone of global security. It was the first multilateral treaty to ban an entire category of weapons of mass destruction, establishing stringent international norms against their development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use.

The Treaty now has 188 States Parties. All States not yet party to the Convention should join without delay - universal adherence is essential to addressing both traditional and emerging biological threats.

The European Union remains committed to ensuring that biological weapons are never developed, produced, or used.

We will continue to promote consistently and tirelessly the universalisation, confidence-building measures, and strengthening of the Convention.

Rapid scientific advancements demand heightened vigilance and decisive collective action. The EU is committed to strengthening the Convention. All States Parties must redouble their efforts and work together to enhance the effectiveness of the Convention against evolving global threats.

Background

Since 2006, the European Union has contributed over €15 million to support the Biological Weapons Convention. This includes funding the Implementation Support Unit, national implementation efforts, and capacity-building.