The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) is a key treaty for the regulation of conventional weapons. The CCW is a framework instrument, with its individual protocols containing the substantive rules on the prohibitions or restrictions on the use of certain weapons. There are currently five protocols to the CCW.
The travaux préparatoires of the these instruments are largely available electronically on the UN website. However, the materials relating to the drafting of the convention itself and the first three protocols can be slightly difficult to find. This page seeks to provide a systematic guide to the documents, along with links.
Comments or corrections are welcome and may be sent to Dr Rain Liivoja ().
Note that links to UN documents might not work unless you have UN’s Official Document System (ODS) open in another browser tab.
The Convention and Its Protocols
| Title | Place of adoption | Date of adoption | Entry into force | Citation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects | Geneva | 10 October 1980 | 2 December 1983 | 1342 UNTS 137 | Link |
| Protocol on Non-Detectable Fragments (Protocol I) | Geneva | 10 October 1980 | 2 December 1983 | 1342 UNTS 168 | Link |
| Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-Traps and Other Devices (Protocol II) | Geneva | 10 October 1980 | 2 December 1983 | 1342 UNTS 168 | Link |
| Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Incendiary Weapons (Protocol III) | Geneva | 10 October 1980 | 2 December 1983 | 1342 UNTS 171 | Link |
| Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons (Protocol IV) | Vienna | 13 October 1995 | 30 July 1998 | 2024 UNTS 163 | Link |
| Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-Traps and Other Devices as amended on 3 May 1996 (Amended Protocol II) | Geneva | 3 May 1996 | 3 December 1998 | 2048 UNTS 93 | Link |
| Amendment to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects | Geneva | 21 December 2001 | 18 May 2004 | 2260 UNTS 82 | Link |
| Protocol on Explosive Remnants of War (Protocol V) | Geneva | 28 November 2003 | 12 November 2006 | 2399 UNTS 100 | Link |
Materials relating to the Convention and Protocols I, II and III
General Assembly
Agenda item: Respect for Human Rights in Armed Conflict
| Report of the Secretary-General | A/7720 | 20 November 1969 | ¶¶ 32-69, 183-201 |
| Report of the Secretary-General | A/8052 | 18 September 1970 | ¶¶ 122-126 |
| Report of the Secretary-General | A/8370 | 2 September 1971 | ¶¶ 98-108 |
| Existing Rules of International Law Concerning the Prohibition or Restriction of Use of Specific Weapons: Survey Prepared by the Secretariat | A/9215 (Vol. 1) A/9215 (Vol. 2) | 7 November 1973 |
Agenda item: Incendiary and Other Specific Conventional Weapons which May Be the Subject of Prohibitions or Restrictions of Use for Humanitarian Reasons
| Report of the Secretary-General | A/31/146 | 10/09/1976 |
| Report of the First Committee | A/31/372 | 07/12/1976 |
| Resolution | A/RES/31/64 | 10/12/1976 |
| Report of the Secretary-General | A/32/124 | 08/09/1977 |
| Report of the First Committee | A/32/369 | 05/12/1977 |
| Resolution | A/RES/32/152 | 19/12/1977 |
Agenda item: United Nations Conference on Prohibitions or Restrictions of Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which May be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects
| Report of the First Committee | A/33/437 | 07/12/1978 |
| Resolution | A/RES/33/70 | 14/12/1979 |
| Report of the First Committee | A/34/751 | 05/12/1979 |
| Resolution | A/RES/34/82 | 11/12/1979 |
| Report of the First Committee | A/35/695 | 05/12/1980 |
| Resolution | A/RES/35/153 | 12/12/1980 |
Meetings of Experts
- Weapons that may Cause Unnecessary Suffering or have Indiscriminate Effects: Report of the Work of Experts (ICRC 1973)
- Conference of Government Experts on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons, Lucerne, 24.9–18.10.1974: Report (ICRC 1974)
- Conference of Government Experts on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons, Second Session – Lugano, 28.1–26.2.1976: Report (ICRC 1976)
Diplomatic Conference on the Reaffirmation and Development of International Humanitarian Law Applicable in Armed Conflicts
The Conference, which negotiated Additional Protocols I and II to the Geneva Conventions, met in four sessions:
- First Session – 20 February to 29 March 1974
- Second Session – 3 February to 18 April 1975
- Third Session – 21 April to 11 June 1976
- Fourth Session – 17 March to 10 June 1977
The issue of prohibitions or restrictions for humanitarian reasons on the use of specific conventional weapons was the subject of substantive discussion in the Ad Hoc Committee on Conventional Weapons of the Conference at all four sessions of the Conference.
Summary Records of the Ad Hoc Committee can be found in Official Records of The Diplomatic Conference on the Reaffirmation and Development of International Humanitarian Law Applicable in Armed Conflicts Geneva (1974–1977): Volume XVI (Swiss Federal Political Department 1978).
The Conference adopted Resolution no 22(IV), which recommended convening an inter-governmental conference with a view to reaching a separate agreement on prohibitions or restrictions on the use of specific conventional weapons.
United Nations Conference on Prohibitions or Restrictions of Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which May be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects
The Conference met in two sessions:
- First Session – 10 to 28 September 1979
- Second Session – 15 September to 10 October 1980
The Conference adopted the text of the Convention, along with Protocols I, II and III. The main documents of the Conference are listed below.
| Provisional Agenda | A/CONF.95/1 | 29 May 1979 |
| Provisional Agenda: Corrigendum | A/CONF.95/1 Corr. 1 | 5 September 1979 |
| Provisional Rules of Procedure | А/СОNF.95/2 | 25 May 1979 |
| Report of the Preparatory Conference | А/СОNF.95/3 | 25 May 1979 |
| Organization and Methods of Work of the Conference: Note by the Secretary-General | A/CONF.95/4 | 1 June 1979 |
| Report of the Credentials Committee | A/CONF.95/5 | 27 September 1979 |
| Report of the Committee of the Whole | A/CONF.95/6 | 28 September 1979 |
| Report of the Conference Working Group on a General Treaty | A/CONF.95/7/CORR.1 | 15 October 1979 |
| Report of the Conference to the General Assembly | A/CONF.95/8 | 8 October 1979 |
| Report of the Conference Working Group on a General Treaty | A/CONF.95/9 | 6 October 1980 |
| — Report of the Conference Working Group on a General Treaty: Addendum | A/CONF.95/9/ADD.1 | 9 October 1980 |
| Statement by the Delegations of the Bulgarian People’s Republic, Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Mongolia, Poland, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Viet Nam [Representatives’ Credentials: Kampuchea] | A/CONF.95/10 | 8 October 1980 |
| Report of the Committee of the Whole | A/CONF.95/11 | 9 October 1980 |
| Credentials of Representatives: Report of the Credentials Committee | A/CONF.95/12 | 9 October 1980 |
| Statement by the Delegation of Democratic Kampuchea [Representatives’ Credentials: Kampuchea] | A/CONF.95/13 | 9 October 1980 |
| Report of the Drafting Committee | A/CONF.95/14 | 10 October 1980 |
| — Draft Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on The Use of Specific Weapons: Text agreed by the Drafting Committee | A/CONF.95/14/ADD.1 | 10 October 1980 |
| — Draft Protocol Concerning Non-Detectable Fragments: Text agreed by the Drafting Committee | A/CONF.95/14/ADD.2 | 10 October 1980 |
| — Draft Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-Traps and Other Devices: Text agreed by the Drafting Committee | A/CONF.95/14/ADD.3 | 10 October 1980 |
| — Draft Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Incendiary Weapons: Text agreed by the Drafting Committee | A/CONF.95/14/ADD.4 | 10 October 1980 |
| Final Report of the Conference to the General Assembly | A/CONF.95/15 | 26 October 1980 |
Summary Records
| 1st Meeting 10 September 1979 | (1) Opening of the Conference (2) Organization of the Conference (a) Appointment of the President (b) Adoption of the agenda (c) Adoption of the rules of procedure (d) Appointment of Officers other than the President (e) Appointment of members of subsidiary organs (g) Organization of work | A/CONF.95/SR.1 | 11 September 1979 |
| 2nd Meeting 11 September 1979 | (3) Consideration of prohibitions or restrictions … | A/CONF.95/SR.2 | 12 September 1979 |
| 3rd Meeting 11 September 1979 | (2) Organization of the Conference (b) Appointment of officers other than the President (e) Appointment of members of subsidiary organs | A/CONF.95/SR.3 | 12 September 1979 |
| 4th Meeting 12 September 1979 | Tribute to the memory of Mr. Agostinho Ne (3) Consideration of prohibitions or restrictions … | A/CONF.95/SR.4 | 14 September 1979 |
| 5th Meeting 13 September 1979 | (3) Consideration of prohibitions or restrictions … | A/CONF.95/SR.5 | 17 September 1979 |
| 6th Meeting 14 September 1979 | (3) Consideration of prohibitions or restrictions … | A/CONF.95/SR.6 | 18 September 1979 |
| 7th Meeting 28 September 1979 | (2)(f) Credentials of representatives (3) Consideration of prohibitions or restrictions … | A/CONF.95/SR.7 | 1 October 1979 |
| 8th Meeting 28 September 1979 | (5) Adoption of the report to the General Assembly Closure of the session | A/CONF.95/SR.8 | 3 October 1979 |
| 9th Meeting 15 September 1980 | Opening of the session (2)(g) Organization of work | A/CONF.95/SR.9 | 17 September 1980 |
| 10th Meeting 22 September 1980 | (2)(d) Appointment of officers other than the President (2)(e) Appointment of members of subsidiary organs | A/CONF.95/SR.10 | 24 September 1980 |
| 11th Meeting 10 October 1980 | Tribute to the memory of Mr. Peiotor Mironovich Macherov (3) Consideration of prohibitions or restrictions … – Consideration of draft resolution and a draft proposal – Report of the Conference Working Group on a General Treaty – Report of the Committee of the Whole (2)(f) Credentials of representatives | A/CONF.95/SR.11 | 3 November 1980 |
| 12th Meeting 10 October 1980 | Adoption of the report of the Drafting Committee (4) Adoption of the Final Act (5) Adoption of the report of the Conference to the General Assembly Concluding statements | A/CONF.95/SR.12 | 27 October 1980 |
| 9th to 12th Meetings: Corrigendum | A/CONF.95/SR.9-12/CORR | 30 December 1980 |
Summary Records of the Committee of the Whole
| 1st Meeting 12 September 1979 | (2)(g) Organization of work | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.1 | 13 September 1979 |
| 2nd Meeting 13 September 1979 | (2)(g) Organization of work | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.2 | 14 September 1979 |
| 3rd Meeting 14 September 1979 | (2)(g) Organization of work | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.3 | 17 September 1979 |
| 4th Meeting 18 September 1979 | (3) Consideration of prohibitions or restrictions … – Proposal submitted by Morocco concerning increased protection for children against certain effects of conventional weapons | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.4 | 19 September 1979 |
| 5th Meeting 21 September 1979 | (3) Consideration of prohibitions or restrictions … | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.5 | 24 September 1979 |
| 6th Meeting 25 September 1979 | (3) Consideration of prohibitions or restrictions … – Draft resolution on small-calibre weapons systems – Draft protocol on prohibitions or restrictions on the use of mines, booby-traps and other devices] | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.6 | 26 September 1979 |
| 7th Meeting 26 September 1979 | (3) Consideration of prohibitions or restrictions … – Draft protocol on prohibition or restrictions of the use of incendiary weapons – Draft protocol on prohibitions or restrictions on the use of mines, booby-traps and other devices | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.7 | 28 September 1979 |
| 8th Meeting 27 September 1979 | (3) Consideration of prohibitions or restrictions … – Draft resolution on small-calibre weapons systems | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.8 | 27 September 1979 |
| 9th Meeting 27 September 1979 | (3) Consideration of prohibitions or restrictions … – Report of the Working Group on Landmines and Booby-Traps – Report of the Working Group on Incendiary Weapons – Draft resolution on small calibre weapon systems – Draft report of the Committee of the Whole | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.9 | 2 October 1979 |
| 1st to 9th Meetings | Corrigendum | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.1-9/CORR | 25 February 1980 |
| 10th Meeting 16 September 1980 | (2)(g) Organization of work | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.10 | 17 September 1980 |
| 11th Meeting 19 September 1980 | (3) Consideration of prohibitions or restrictions … – Report of the Working Group on Incendiary Weapons – Report of the Working Group on Landmines and Booby-Traps | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.11 | 23 September 1980 |
| 12th Meeting 26 September 1980 | (2)(g) Organization of work (3) Consideration of prohibitions or restrictions … | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.12 | 30 September 1980 |
| 13th Meeting 2 October 1980 | Tribute to the memory of Mr. Richard R. Baxter (3) Consideration of prohibitions or restrictions … – Report of the Working Group on Incendiary Weapons | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.13 | 7 October 1980 |
| 14th Meeting 3 October 1980 | (3) Consideration of prohibitions or restrictions … – Report of the Working Group on Incendiary Weapons – Report of the Working Group on Landmines and Booby-Traps – Proposal to establish a working group on small calibre weapon systems | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.14 | 10 October 1980 |
| 15th Meeting 8 October 1980 | (3) Consideration of prohibitions or restrictions … – Oral report on informal consultations on small calibre weapon systems | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.15 | 21 October 1980 |
| 16th Meeting 9 October 1980 | Adoption of the report of the Committee of the Whole Closure of the session | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.16 | 14 October 1980 |
| 10th to 16th Meetings | Corrigendum | A/CONF.95/CW/SR.10-16/CORR | 30 December 1980 |
Materials relating to Subsequent Amendments
Protocol IV and Amended Protocol II
The First Review Conference of the States parties to the Convention, held from 25 September to 13 October 1995, and 15 to 19 January and 22 April to 3 May 1996, adopted Protocol IV and Amended Protocol II. The materials are available here.
Amended Article 1
The Second Review Conference of the States parties to the Convention, which took place from 11 to 21 December 2001, adopted an Amendment to Article 1 of the Convention. The materials are available here.
Protocol V
The Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention held from 27 to 28 November 2013 adopted Protocol V. The materials are available here.