Anyone importing or exporting CWC Scheduled chemicals, into or from the UK, must meet certain legal requirements. The exact requirements depend on whether the country, which is supplying the import or receiving the export, has signed up to the CWC and is therefore a State Party. An up-to-date list available on the OPCW: Member states web page.
To date seven countries, known as States Non Party, have not signed up to the CWC. They are Angola, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Egypt, Israel, Myanmar, Somalia and Syria.
For the purpose of meeting the CWC obligations set out below, Taiwan should be regarded as a State Non Party.
CWC import obligations in the UK
Schedule 1
Under the CWC, imports into the UK of Schedule 1 chemicals from any States Party must:
i) only be for research, medical, pharmaceutical, or protective purposes; and
(ii) of the types and quantities strictly limited to those which can be justified for such purposes; and
(iii) not be retransferred to a third State.
Schedule 1 chemicals are prohibited from being imported, into the UK, from any State Not Party.
Any person wishing to import, into the UK, CWC Schedule 1 chemicals must ensure either they, or the intended possessor of the chemicals (if it is to be imported directly to another entity), hold a relevant CWC Schedule 1 chemicals possession licence issued by the CWC UK National Authority.
Any person wishing to import CWC Schedule 1 chemicals must, in addition to meeting the possession licence requirements, apply for an CWC S1 Chemical Import Licence, which may be obtained from the CWC UK National Authority (see contact details below). Applications must be made to the National Authority at least 60 days in advance of the proposed date of shipment.
Anyone contemplating importing, into the UK, CWC Schedule 1 chemicals should contact the UK National Authority for advice.
Schedule 2
There are no CWC restrictions on imports, into the UK, of Schedule 2 chemicals from any States Party.
Schedule 2 chemicals are prohibited from being imported, into the UK from any States Not Party.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Chemical mixtures low concentration exemption
Imports, into the UK, of CWC Schedule 2 chemicals in mixtures, at low concentrations, from States Not Party are permissible under the CWC when they are:
(i) goods or chemical mixtures which contain one (1) per cent or less by weight of a Schedule 2A/2A* chemical;
(ii) goods or chemical mixtures which contain ten (10) per cent or less by weight of a Schedule 2B chemical; or
(iii) consumer goods that are either packaged for retail sale for personal use or packaged for individual use.
Schedule 3
There are no CWC restrictions on imports, into the UK, of Schedule 3 chemicals from either States Party or States Not Party.
CWC export obligations in the UK
Schedule 1
Under the CWC, exports, from the UK, of Schedule 1 chemicals to States Party must:
(iv) only be for research, medical, pharmaceutical, or protective purposes; and
(v) of the types and quantities strictly limited to those which can be justified for such purposes; and
(vi) not be retransferred to a third State.
Schedule 1 chemicals are prohibited from being exported, from the UK, to any States Not Party.
Any person wishing to export, from the UK, CWC Schedule 1 chemicals must ensure either they, or the possessor of the chemicals (if it is to be exported directly from another entity), hold a relevant CWC Schedule 1 chemicals possession licence issued by the CWC UK National Authority.
The CWC UK National Authority must be informed of the intended export, from the UK, of CWC Schedule 1 chemicals at least 60 days in advance of the proposed date of shipment.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Saxitoxin medical/diagnostic notification allowance
The export of the CWC Schedule 1 chemical saxitoxin, in quantities of 5 milligrams or less and if only for medical/diagnostic purposes, must be reported to the CWC UK National Authority, at least 1 working day in advance of the proposed date of shipment.
Anyone contemplating exporting, from the UK, CWC Schedule 1 chemicals should contact the CWC UK National Authority for further advice.
Schedule 2
There are no CWC restrictions on exports, from the UK, of Schedule 2 chemicals to States Party. However separate controls, not specific to the CWC, may apply to exports of these chemicals so please check with the Export Control Organsiation.
Schedule 2 chemicals are prohibited from being exported, from the UK, to any States Not Party.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Chemical mixtures low concentration exemption
Exports, from the UK, of CWC Schedule 2 chemicals in mixtures, at low concentrations, to States Not Party are permissible under the CWC when they are:
(i) goods or chemical mixtures which contain one (1) per cent or less by weight of a Schedule 2A/2A* chemical;
(ii) goods or chemical mixtures which contain ten (10) per cent or less by weight of a Schedule 2B chemical; or
(iii) consumer goods that are either packaged for retail sale for personal use or packaged for individual use.
Schedule 3
There are no CWC restrictions on exports, from the UK, of Schedule 3 chemicals to States Party. However separate controls, not specific to the CWC, may apply to exports of these chemicals so please check with the Export Control Organisation.
Under the CWC, the export of any Schedule 3 chemical from the UK, to a States Not Party requires an end-use certificate stating, in relation to the transferred chemical(s):
a) that they will only be used for purposes not prohibited under the Chemical Weapons Convention
b) that they will not be re-transferred
c) their types and quantities
d) their end-use(s); and
e) the name(s) and address(es) of the end-user(s).
The certificate must be issued by a competent Government Department/Ministry within the recipient country.
The Export Control Organisation, within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, require the completion of an End-User Undertaking, as part of the application process for the required export licence, in order to meet the above CWC end-user obligations.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Chemical mixtures low concentration exemption
Exports, from the UK, of CWC Schedule 3 chemicals in mixtures, at low concentrations, to States Not Party do not require an end-use certificate under the CWC when they are:
(i) products containing thirty (30) per cent or less by weight of a Schedule 3 chemical;
(ii) consumer goods that are either packaged for retail sale for personal use or packaged for individual use.
Import licence requirements
Import licence applications must be submitted to the CWC UK National Authority (UKNA) for all intended imports of CWC Schedule 1 chemicals. Information on this process is available from the UKNA:
Tel: +44 (0)300 068 5941
Fax: +44 (0)300 068 6772
Email: cwcna@decc.gsi.gov.uk.
Export licence requirements
Export licence applications must be submitted to the Export Control Organisation (ECO) in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills for all intended exports of CWC Schedule 1, 2 or 3 chemicals, including Schedule 2 and Schedule 3 chemicals in mixtures, at low concentrations, intended for States Not Party. For information on this process, see the BIS: Export Control Organisation web pages.
CWC UK National Authority
Tel: +44 (0)300 068 5941 / 5925 / 5927
Fax: +44 (0)300 068 6772
Email: cwcna@decc.gsi.gov.uk