7.2 The Australia Group
7.2 The Australia Group |
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| Complementary to the framework of the CWC, but working toward similar objectives, is The Australia Group, an informal group of 39 nations and the European Commission, mostly highly industrialized, that are all States Parties to the CWC and the BWC. This Group harmonizes national export licensing measures of the participating nations to prevent the distribution of certain facilities, equipment and materials that could be used for chemical and biological weapons programs. Some States Parties of the CWC criticize the Australia Group because its members also apply these licensing procedures to States Parties of the CWC and they feel that this conflicts with the objective of the CWC to promote exchanges of scientific and technical information, chemicals, and equipment between States Parties for peaceful purposes. The members of the AustraliaGroup, on the other hand, see their measures as fully consistent with the CWC and in harmony with their obligation not to assist in the proliferation of chemical weapons. |
