Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
Bundestag debate in 1958 on the nuclear armament of the Federal Armed Forces (Federal Photo Archives) (Bundesbildstelle)
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) of 1968 is the foundation of the international nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime.
It obliges the nuclear-weapon states which are parties to the Treaty (US, Russia, China, France, Britain) to strive for complete nuclear disarmament – in return for which non-nuclear-weapon states refrain from developing nuclear weapons. Furthermore, it contains an undertaking on the part of the contracting parties to cooperate on the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
188 states are parties to the NPT, while three are not: India, Pakistan and Israel (North Korea declared its withdrawal from the Treaty in January 2003 and North Korea's final status has been left open by the NPT community since then). Germany acceded to the Treaty on 2 May 1975. In 1995, the states parties decided to extend the Treaty indefinitely.
Challenges
Upholding and strengthening the NPT remain a key disarmament task. Maintaining a balance between nuclear disarmament, a strengthened non-proliferation regime and the peaceful use of nuclear energy is the central challenge facing the parties to the NPT. This also involves the universalization of the Treaty and the appeal to India, Pakistan and Israel to accede to the Treaty as non-nuclear-weapon states.
Non-proliferation must be further strengthened: this was highlighted, for example, by the case of North Korea, which declared its withdrawal from the NPT in January 2003 and carried out a nuclear test on 9 October 2006. The continued dispute about Iran's violations of its obligations under the Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA, which the IAEA established in 2004, demonstrates how essential it is that the non-proliferation regime be further strengthened.
However, tighter checks on access to sensitive nuclear technology must not call into question the right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes anchored in the NPT. This standpoint is also put forward forcefully by non-aligned states (Namibia, Egypt, Indonesia, South Africa and many more) which are urging nuclear-weapon states to continue nuclear disarmament and to implement concrete obligations entered into at earlier Review Conferences, for example the early ratification of the Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
Review Conferences
The aim of the Review Conferences is to document any progress made in implementing the Treaty and decide on further action. It is also aimed at strengthening the Treaty so that it measures up to current challenges by closing any loopholes, for instance regarding verification or the termination mechanism. During the last NPT Review Conference, held in New York from 2 to 27 May 2005, the vastly differing standpoints of the states parties (non-proliferation versus nuclear disarmament) prevented agreement being reached on a substantive final document. Thus an important opportunity to agree on concrete interim goals for further disarmament and non-proliferation was squandered.
Against this background, the first Preparatory Committee for the next NPT Review Conference in 2010 took place in Vienna in spring 2007. Despite the continued differing basic positions regarding the priorities of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, this first meeting of the Committee marked a positive start to the current review process. There was a substantial exchange on all core areas of the Treaty (disarmament, non-proliferation, peaceful use) and the participants agreed on key organizational issues regarding the future review process. This will be continued in Geneva in spring 2008.
The position of Germany and the EU
As the holder of the EU Presidency in the first half of 2007, Germany was keen to further heighten the EU's profile in all core areas of the Treaty. For the first time, the EU put forward several joint working papers (for example on the fuel cycle, export controls, IAEA safeguards to prevent the use of civilian nuclear energy for military purposes, nuclear safety).
The Common Position on the NPT drawn up by the EU prior to the 2005 Review Conference presents the EU's balanced approach to upholding and strengthening the Treaty in all areas. This remains the basis of the EU's common approach. The EU can thus play a key role in reconciling the differing priorities of the states parties to the NPT, thus safeguarding and further developing this important Treaty.
Last updated 12.12.2007