Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention
Encyclopedia
The Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (VERIFIN) is a Finnish
institute carrying out several roles in support of chemical weapons disarmament.
Established in 1994 as a continuation of a research project started in 1973, it is located within the Chemistry Department of the Kumpula Campus
of the University of Helsinki
.
Funded by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, its main task is to develop improved methods of verification of chemical weapons disarmament. The particular approach adopted is to refine analytical chemical techniques for identifying traces of chemical weapons, their precursors and their degradation products.
The institute is the National Authority for Finland under the Chemical Weapons Convention
, carrying out many of the tasks required by the treaty such as preparing the Finnish Government declarations to the OPCW of inventories of controlled substances and escorting OPCW inspections of Finnish chemical production facilities. It is also one of the 18 OPCW designated laboratories worldwide for performing chemical weapons verification tests, a role it has performed since 1998.
The institute also runs several courses on chemical weapons verification for chemists from developing countries.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
institute carrying out several roles in support of chemical weapons disarmament.
Established in 1994 as a continuation of a research project started in 1973, it is located within the Chemistry Department of the Kumpula Campus
Kumpula Campus
The Kumpula Campus is a science campus of University of Helsinki. The campus is located some four kilometres from the centre of Helsinki, in the Kumpula district...
of the University of Helsinki
University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki is a university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but was founded in the city of Turku in 1640 as The Royal Academy of Turku, at that time part of the Swedish Empire. It is the oldest and largest university in Finland with the widest range of disciplines available...
.
Funded by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, its main task is to develop improved methods of verification of chemical weapons disarmament. The particular approach adopted is to refine analytical chemical techniques for identifying traces of chemical weapons, their precursors and their degradation products.
The institute is the National Authority for Finland under the Chemical Weapons Convention
Chemical Weapons Convention
The Chemical Weapons Convention is an arms control agreement which outlaws the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons. Its full name is the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction...
, carrying out many of the tasks required by the treaty such as preparing the Finnish Government declarations to the OPCW of inventories of controlled substances and escorting OPCW inspections of Finnish chemical production facilities. It is also one of the 18 OPCW designated laboratories worldwide for performing chemical weapons verification tests, a role it has performed since 1998.
The institute also runs several courses on chemical weapons verification for chemists from developing countries.