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Chemical weapons are a threat to international security. According to an international convention, the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), all chemical weapons fall under a stringent and irreversible disarmament regime that seeks the abolition of the use and existence of chemical weapons altogether. The CWC is considered to be the first verifiable disarmament treaty; furthermore, it targets an entire category of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Unfortunately there is a gap between the legal requirements of the CWC disarmament regime and its implementation. This gap between the theoretical and practical aspects of disarmament implies a practical, result-based approach to disarmament throughout this study; it raises doubts about the feasibility of chemical weapons disarmament under international law. The central question of this study is whether international law can achieve the effective disarmament of chemical weapons. A background on the chemical weapons disarmament regime is provided in this study. The legal control of chemical weapons follows a clear evolution, from the ban on the use of chemical weapons in conflicts to the international consensus to disarm them altogether. Concerning the legal control for chemical weapons, questions arise about the type of instrument suited for effective disarmament.

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