The confidence- and security-building measures contained in the Vienna Document include annual exchanges of information, prior notification of exercises, verification measures (inspections, evaluation visits, observation of military activities such as exercises) and mechanisms to reduce risks in times of crisis. The aim of the Vienna Document is to increase transparency on armed forces and their activities.

It is based on the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and was adopted in 1990 after the end of the Cold War. The Document has been updated four times so far, in 1992, 1994, 1999 and most recently 2011 (which is why it is known as “VD11”). The scheduled updating of VD11 – the Document is usually updated every five years – has not been possible since 2016 because of Russia. The most recent modernisation package was submitted in Vienna in 2019 by Germany and 33 co-sponsors (all of the NATO members at the time, as well as Sweden, Finland, Georgia and Ukraine), but was categorically rejected by Russia.

Citing the pandemic, Russia first temporarily suspended implementation of the Vienna Document in January 2022 and then retreated from it permanently from March 2022 following the start of its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.

Against the backdrop of military conflicts in recent years, Armenia and Azerbaijan also only implement the Vienna Document to a limited extent. At the same time, the large number of Vienna Document measures conducted in the rest of the OSCE area, including at bilateral level, underscores the fundamental and continued relevance and importance of the Vienna Document for many OSCE participating States.

Alongside its NATO Allies, Germany therefore continues to support the implementation of VD11 as an instrument of conventional arms control in Europe. Despite Russia’s blockade, VD11 remains a significant instrument for risk reduction, military transparency and confidence-building in the OSCE area.

The Federal Armed Forces Verification Centre coordinates Germany’s contribution

In Germany, the Federal Armed Forces Verification Centre plans, coordinates and conducts all verification measures on the basis of the Vienna Document. It also guarantees that other countries are able to conduct these measures in Germany and assists them in doing so. In addition, Germany actively promotes the efforts of other OSCE participating States to implement the Vienna Document through exchanges of experience, meetings of experts, organisational and technical support, and training of verification personnel.

Further information

www.osce.org