The BWC opened for signature in 1972 and entered into force three years later. It was the first major multilateral treaty to outlaw an entire class of weapons, prohibiting parties developing, producing, stockpiling or otherwise acquiring or retaining biological weapons and their means of delivery.
The BWC does not explicitly ban the use of biological weapons, which are already banned by the Geneva Protocol, but the prohibitions it contains and the requirement that states parties destroy any stockpiles accumulated before accession, amount to an effective ban on use. The BWC also prohibits states parties from assisting other countries to acquire biological weapons, directly or indirectly. Further, it requires states parties to facilitate technical and scientific cooperation in the use of biotechnology for peaceful purposes. The last review conference was held in Geneva in November 2016.
Australia signed the BWC on the day that it was opened for signature, 10 April 1972, and ratified it in 1977. As of 10 November 2016, there were 178 States Parties to the BWC.