"The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction (the 'Chemical Weapons Convention' or CWC) is a landmark disarmament treaty and a crucial element in the development of international disarmament and arms control law. It is the first treaty to comprehensively and verifiably ban an entire category of weapons of mass destruction, and to that end establish a supervisory organization to monitor compliance with these commitments - an organization that has wide-ranging powers and uses methods of compliance management that are cooperative rather than adversarial...This commentary aims to provide and authoritative basis for the correct interpretation and application of the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Its purpose is to help to guide the work of the CWC's supervisory organization, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and of the National Authorities of its States Parties. Correct interpretation, learning from experience (success and mistakes alike) and the adaptation of the implementation processes to changes in the security, economic, and science and technology environments wherein the treaty functions are all essential for the effective operation of the treaty." -- From the Introduction.

Part one : Introduction and general issues :The Chemical Weapons Convention : objectives, principles, and implementation practice / Walter Krutzsch, Eric Myjer, Ralf Trapp -- The adoption of the Convention and the work of the Preparatory Commission / Daniel Feakes -- Efforts by the OPCW to promote universality / Scott Spence -- The role of civil society and industrial non-state actors in relation to the Chemical Weapons Convention / Caitríona McLeish, Maarten Lak -- Part two : The preamble to the Chemicla Weapons Convention: -- Preamble / Walter Krutzsch -- Part three : Articles on the Chemical Weapons Convention: -- Article I : General obligations / Walter Krutzsch -- Article II : Definitions and criteria / Walter Krutzsch, Ralf Trapp -- Article III : Declarations / Ralf Trapp -- Article IV : Chemical weapons / Ralf Trapp, Paul Walker -- Article V : Chemical weapons production facilities / Ralf Trapp -- Article VI : Activities not prohibited under the Convention / Mirko Sossai -- Article VII : National implementation measures / Lisa Tabassi, Anand Dhavle -- Article VIII : The organization / Walter Krutzsch, Treasa Dunworth -- Article IX : Consultations, cooperation, and fact-finding / Thilo Marauhn -- Article X : Assistance and protection against chemical weapons / Ralf Trapp -- Article XI : Economic and technological development / Maarten Lak, David Faraday -- Article XII : Measures to redress a situation and to ensure compliance, including sanctions / Guido den Dekker -- Article XIII : Relation to other international agreements / Walter Krutzsch -- Article XIV : Settlement of disputes / Jonathan Herbach -- Article XV : Amendments / Walter Krutzsch -- Article XVI : Duration and withdrawal / Natalino Ronzitti -- Part four : Final clauses: -- Article XVII : Status of the Annexes / Jonathan Herbach -- Articles XVIII to XXI : Signature, ratification, accession, and entry-into-force / Scott Spence -- Articles XXII to XXIV : Reservations, depositary, and authentic texts / Jonathan Herbach -- Part five : Annexes to the Chemical Weapons Conventio: -- Annex on chemicals / Ralf Trapp -- Verification Annex, Part I / Ralf Trapp -- Verification Annex, Part II / Walter Krutzsch, Ralf Trapp -- Verification Annex, Part III / Ralf Trapp -- Verification Annex, Part IV(A) / Ralf Trapp -- Verification Annex, Part IV(B) / Thomas Stock -- Verification Annex, Part V / Ralf Trapp -- Verification Annex, Part VI / Ralf Trapp -- Verification Annex, Parts VII to IX / Ralf Trapp -- Verification Annex, Part X / Per Runn -- Verification Annex, Part XI / Per Runn -- Annex on the Protection of Confidential Information ('Confidentiality Annex') / Eric Myjer -- Part six : Annex to the commentary: -- Issues raised by the accession of Syria to the Chemical Weapons Convention / Walter Krutzsch, Eric Myjer, Ralf Trapp.