Disarmament

The commitment to disarmament, weapons controls and non-proliferation is an essential component of Italian foreign policy. Italy has long been active on various fronts that include the United Nations, the European Union and the G8, as well as in the context of major international review conventions.
Among the most significant results achieved by our country in regard to this sector are the adoption of the European strategy against proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (adopted during the Italian duty Presidency of the EU in 2003) and its participation in the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) aimed at banning trade in weapons of mass destruction.

Italy’s engagement in the context of disarmament and non-proliferation is divided into various sectors in relation to the various categories of existing weapons. The usual distinction made is between conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction. The former of these, generally considered legitimate, are defined as “conventional” on the basis of two observable characteristics: a relatively contained capacity for causing injury and discriminating effects that allow for the greater protection of the civilian population. The latter, including include nuclear, biological and chemical weapons are distinguished for their enormous, and above all, indiscriminate potential for destruction.