Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) entered into force in January 2021. The agreement, often short "Ban Treaty", prohibits member states from developing, testing, production, possession as well as use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. The Ban Treaty is the first new agreement in the area of nuclear disarmament and arms control after the entry into force of New START a decade ago. 124 states took part in the negotiations of the TPNW in 2017. Currently, there are 51 member states. However, no nuclear weapon state has joined. Germany and all other NATO members also oppose joining the treaty.

Several IFSH researchers work on various aspects of the new agreement. We compare different positions of European countries, study new possibilities for Engagement of NATO members, and assess and develop technologies for the verification of the treaty. IFSH experts contribute results to national and international debates. We want to inform the general public and decision makers about the role of the Ban Treaty for nuclear disarmament. Our work shows how the TPNW could contribute to a nuclear-weapons-free world.

More about the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons