CCW regulates, or completely bans, some kinds of conventional weapons including incendiary weapons, blinding laser weapons, mines or explosive remnants of wars. CCW constitutes a vital tool of international humanitarian law, which serves to minimize the civilian suffering and casualties caused by above listed weapons in post-conflict areas. Czechoslovakia became a party to this Convention on 2 December 1983 and subsequently the Czech Republic on 20 February 1993. As of July 2015 there are 121 member States and 5 signatory States to the CCW. However, not all the member States have ratified the 5 additional Protocols.

The protocols are as follows:

• Protocol I on Non-Detectable Fragments
• Protocol II on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby Traps and Other Devices
• Protocol III on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Incendiary Weapons
• Protocol IV on Blinding Laser Weapons
• Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War

The 4th Review Conference of the CCW held in Geneva from 14 to 25 November 2011 concluded without any major success in negotiations on new protocols (such as cluster munitions or mines other than anti-personnel mines). The debates during the Review Conference focused on the use of white phosphorus as an incendiary weapon and the need to amend Protocol III. The universalization on the Convention and its Protocols has been identified as the biggest challenge. In this regard a new Plan of Action (Accelerated Plan of Action on Universalization of the Convention and its annexed Protocols) was introduced at the 4th Review Conference in order to bolster the universalization of the Convention. The 5th Review Conference is going to be held between the 12 and 16 December 2016 in Geneva.

priorities

The Czech Republic held the position of the Vice-President of the Protocol V sessions in 2013 and presided over these session in 2014. The Czech presidency focused on promoting universalization of the Protocol V under the Accelerated Plan of Action on Universalization of the Convention and its annexed Protocols. In the same year we also coordinated a specific issue of Assistance and Cooperation. The Czech Republic is further active in areas such as technical assistance and regularly participates in NATO Trust Fund Projects. In the long term, we are promoting universalization of the Convention and its annexed Protocols. Since 2014, the Czech Republic holds the position of a coordinator for the Steering Committee of the Sponsorship Programme.