The CD meets in an annual session, which is divided in three parts of 10, 7 and 7 weeks, respectively. The first week shall begin in the penultimate week of the month of January. The CD is presided by its members on a rotating basis. Each President shall preside for a period of  four weeks.

The terms of reference of the CD include practically all multilateral arms control and disarmament problems.

The CD and its predecessors have negotiated such major multilateral arms limitation and disarmament agreements as

• Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,
• Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques ,
• Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction
• Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction
• Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty

Currently the CD primarily focuses its attention on the following issues: cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament; prevention of nuclear war, including all related matters; prevention of an arms race in outer space; effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons; new types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons including radiological weapons; comprehensive programme of disarmament and transparency in armaments.

The CD has a special relationship with the United Nations; it adopts its own Rules of Procedure and its own agenda, taking into account the recommendations of the General Assembly and the proposals of its members.

It reports to the General Assembly annually, or more frequently, as appropriate. Its budget is included in that of the United Nations. Staff members of the Geneva Branch of the Department for Disarmament Affairs service the meetings of the CD, which are held at the Palais des Nations.

The Conference conducts its work by consensus.

As originally constituted, the CD had 40 members. Subsequently its membership was gradually expanded to 65 countries. The Czech Republic is not a member of the CD. To see all the members of the CD, click here.

 

Czech presidency of the EU

Under the Czech Presidency, there were several statements on behalf of the EU that were delivered at the CD.

If interested, you can download them here: