“BTWC’s National Implementation ‐ Portugal”

Francisco Galamas

Workshop on BTWC’s National Implementation

Moldova, June 2011

BTWC

BTWC’s National Implementation Structure

BTWC’s National 

Implementation

BTWC’s National 

Implementation

Preventive 

Measures

Preventive 

Measures

Reactive 

Measures

Reactive 

Measures

1. Legal and Strategic Framework

• EU Directives and Strategy

• Common Military List of the European Union;

• EU Security Strategy;

•International Law

• Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention;

• United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540;

•Portuguese Laws

• Law nº 52/2003 (22nd August) – regarding terrorism including bioterrorism

• Article 283rd and 300th of the Portuguese Penal Code;

• Law nº 436/1991 (8th November) – create mechanisms to control the 

export/import certain products, equipments and technologies;

Preventive Measures

2. External Cooperation Framework

• Australia Group

• Wassenaar Agreement

• Proliferation Security Initiative

Preventive Measures

3. Intelligence Services

• SIS – Internal Threats Intelligence Service

• DIMIL – Military Intelligence (MOD)

• SIED – External Threats Intelligence Service

Preventive Measures

4. Ministry of Health - Public Health Monitoring

• SINAVE  – National  Automatic  Notification  System  of  Mandatory 

Communication Diseases

• “Sentinel Doctors” Network

• Uses family doctors from local health facilities;

• Communication is voluntary (once per week);

• Objective of anticipating the emergence of diseases;

• Emergency Services

• Work as a surveillance complement of the “Sentinel Doctors” Network

• TESSy – The European Surveillance System

• Necessary to nominate a National Point of Contact;

Preventive Measures

5. Ministry of Finances - Customs and Special Taxes for Consumption Directorate (DGAIEC)

• For Import of Dual‐Use Goods 

• If  exporting  country  requires,  the  Licensing  Services  Directorate  will  issue  an 

Import International Certificate (IIC) or a Final Destiny Certificate (FDC);

• For Exports of Dual‐Use Goods

• Needs an Export Licence (EL) issued by the Licensing Services Directorate;

• EL request must be accompanied by  an IIC and a FDC issue by the authorities of 

the cargo’s destiny country;

• Country  of  destiny must  request  the  Licensing  Services  Directorate  a  Delivery 

Guarantee Certificate after DGAIEC authorizes export;

• Listed  Pathogens  and  Toxins  require  authorization  for  export/import  – Internal 

Regulation nº 1129/95

Preventive Measures

6. Ministry of Education/Higher Education

• Universities

• Students in Medical Universities have special courses 

about  pathogens  with  potential  use  for  biological 

weapons;

• Bioethical  courses  for  students  involved  in  life 

sciences studies (medical, genetics, biology, etc.); 

Preventive Measures

7. CBM’s

Preventive Measures

Private Laboratories and Biotechnological

Institutions

Public Agencies, Ministries, Institutes

and Facilities

MOD

MFA UNOG

1. Ministry of Health

• Health General Directorate (DGS)

• Coordinates  all  efforts  regarding  medical 

containment of   disease,  in  cooperation with other 

agencies;

• Elaborates communication strategy;

Reactive Measures

2. Ministry of Justice

• Judiciary Police (PJ)

• If dissemination  is  intentional, PJ will coordinate the 

investigation in cooperation with other agencies with 

bio forensics capabilities;

• Cooperates  with  other  agencies  that  have  bio 

forensics capabilities;

• Special Operations Group (GOE) from the Portuguese 

Police  with  CBRN  equipment  for  tactical 

intervention;

Reactive Measures

3. Ministry of Defense

• Civil Protection

• Under  DGS  orientation,  applies  containment 

directives;

• Fire‐fighters Squad with CBNR capability;

• Laboratory for Biological Defense

• BSL‐3  facilities  to  help  in  epidemiological  and 

forensics investigation;

• Epidemiological  Task  Force  with  the  capability  to 

implement epidemiological control measures;

Reactive Measures

Questions

“BTWC’s National Implementation ‐ Portugal”

Francisco Galamas

Workshop on BTWC’s National Implementation

Moldova, June 2011