Conducting inspections for proper cause is important both for the cost of implementing the Biological Weapons Convention and because of the potential disruptions to academic and industrial research. Measures should be taken to ensure compliance with the Biological Weapons Convention. Secrecy with regard to biological weapons is undesirable. Among the steps that can be taken to achieve this goal are exchanges of scientists among countries. Regular reports of ongoing activities also would be helpful and provide a demonstration of openness.
Declarations are a provision of the Biological Weapons Convention.
Visits with minimal intrusiveness to facilities described in those declarations could help build confidence of compliance with the Biological Weapons Convention. These measures could have a deterrent effect by increasing transparency of violators of the Biological Weapons Convention. Proprietary information must be protected. Inspections must not be used for industrial espionage. Disclosure of information during an inspection by an international biological weapons inspection team must not be construed as public disclosure that would preclude obtaining patent protection.