OPCW Policy on Confidentiality

Recalling that the Preparatory Commission developed a Draft OPCW Policy on Confidentiality (OPOC) that includes the above mentioned issues as well as rules governing the composition and operating procedures of the Commission for the Settlement of Disputes Related to Confidentiality (hereinafter the Confidentiality Commission ) as required by paragraph 23 the Confidentiality Annex to the Chemical Weapons Convention (hereinafter the the Confidentiality Annex ), in a combined manner  

Recalling also that the Preparatory Commission adopted the draft OPOC, as annexed to PC-XI/BAVP.8, dated 23 June 1995, and as amended by Working Group B, and decided to apply the provisions of this draft OPOC, mutatis mutandis, to the work of the Preparatory Commission, (paragraph 7.7 of PC-Xl/17, dated 27 July 1995 Corr.l dated 14 August 1995 and Corr.2, dated 12 September 1995)  

Recalling further that the Preparatory Commission decided to correct the clerical error in the seoond-to-last line of subparagraph 6.2 of Part VI of the Draft OPOC by replacing the word should with shall , (paragraph 8.7 of PC-XII/17, dated 14 December 1995)  

Bearing in mind that the Preparatory Commission recommended, in paragraph 45.4 of its final report that the Conference of State Parties (hereinafter the Conference ) adopt the above mentioned OPOC, as corrected. 

Adopts the above-mentioned OPOC, which is annexed hereto, as corrected. 

---

In accordance with the provisions of the Convention and with the OPCW Policy on Confidentiality, Section VI, subsection 3.4.3, paragraphs 3, 4 and 5, the following technical measures relate to situations where, after the selection of information relevant to the purpose of the inspection by the inspection team for inclusion in its preliminary findings, information not relevant to the purpose of the inspection has to be removed before the inspection team leaves the site. Any fact of application of these technical measures will be recorded in the preliminary findings. It should be kept in mind that in many cases the inspection team may request the inspected State Party to dispose of detachable or consumable parts of equipment when contaminated or used. 

The revised version of the OPCW Policy on Confidentiality annexed hereto contains three sets of changes - those that were made in C-l/DEC.13/Corr.l, removing references to the draft OPOC submitted by the Preparatory Commission, those that were made in C-II/DEC.14 paragraph 3, amending Rule 1.4 of Part IX.2 of the Policy (Rules Governing the Confidentiality Commission) and those from C-10/DEC.9 which contained amendments to the OPCW Policy on Confidentiality [footnote in original]. 

The Preparatory Commission also decided that the Draft OPCW Policy on Confidentiality and the Draft OPCW Media and Public Affairs Policy would apply, mutatis mutandis, to the work of the Preparatory Commission (PC-Xl/17, subparagraph 7.7 and PC-X/23, subparagraph 6.12 respectively). 

Recalling further that the Commission, in PC-XI/17, paragraph 7.7, adopted the Draft OPCW Policy on Confidentiality, as annexed to PC-XI/B/WP.8 and amended by Working Group B in... 

The implementation of the Media Policy shall be consistent with the OPCW Policy on Confidentiality. 

Matters related to confidentiality are governed by the Convention, including its Confidentiality Annex, and the OPCW Policy on Confidentiality. The specific arrangements for implementing the provisions of the Convention and the OPCW Policy on Confidentiality in relation to the protection of confidential information at the facility are contained in Attachment 3. 

Annex 1 OPCW Media and Pubhc Relations Policy Annex 2 OPCW Health and Safety Policy and Regulations Annex 3 OPCW Policy on Confidentiality Annex 4 Facility Declaration... 

Nothing in these rules may be implemented or interpreted in any way which would prejudice the OPCW policy on confidentiality. 

I, the Signatory, confirm that I have familiarised myself with the Staff Regulations, Staff Rules, the Confidentiality Annex of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Etevelopment, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction ( the Convention ), the OPCW Policy on Confidentiality, and the administrative directives which support it. 

As a condition for employment with the OPCW Secretariat, I hereby undertake to comply with the letter and spirit of the OPCW Policy on Confidentiality and the administrative directives which support that Policy. 

The External Auditor and his staff shall have free access at all convenient times to all books, records and other documentation which are necessary for the performance of an audit. The External Auditor and his staff shall respect the confidential nature of any classified information provided and shall not make use of it except in direct connection with the performance of audits. The External Auditor may draw to the attention of the Conference of the States Parties any denial of information classified as confidential which was required for an audit. Without prejudice to his duty to report to the Conference of the States Parties, the External Auditor and his staff shall comply with the OPCW Policy on Confidentiality. 

Members of the Scientific Advisory Board and the temporary working groups shall be bound by the provisions of the Confidentiality Annex to the Convention, and of the OPCW Policy on Confidentiality, and shall, when using confidential documents, apply the OPCW Manual of Confidentiality Procedure, mutatis mutandis. 

C-III/DEC.lO/Rev.2 adopted by the Conference of the States Parties at its Ninth Session on 4 December 2013 entitled Operating Procedures of the Confidentiality Commission . The rules governing the Confidentiality Commission are contained in Part K.2 of the OPCW Policy on Confidentiality. 

---