last update: March 2024
The Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC) is the result of efforts of the international community to internationally regulate the area of ballistic missiles capable of carrying weapons of mass destruction. Along with the MTCR, the HCOC is the only multilateral transparency and confidence building instrument concerning the spread of ballistic missiles.
By subscribing to the HCoC, members voluntarily commit themselves politically to provide pre-launch notifications (PLNs) on ballistic missile and space-launch vehicle launches (SLVs) and test flights. Subscribing States also commit themselves to submit an annual declaration (AD) of their country’s policies on ballistic missiles and space-launch vehicles.
Since the signing and entering into force of the politically-binding HCOC in November 2002 in The Hague (Netherlands) the number of signatories has increased from 93 to 145. Austria signed the HCOC in 2002.
As agreed by the conference in The Hague, Austria serves as the Immediate Central Contact (Executive Secretariat) and therefore coordinates the information exchange within the HCOC framework.
The link between the UN and the HCOC, a multilateral code negotiated outside the context of the United Nation System, is established with the Resolutions regarding the HCOC that were adopted during the 59th, 60th, 63rd, 65th, 67th, 69th, 71st, 73rd, 75th and 77th UN-General Assemblies in New York.
Since the entry into force of the HCoC in November 2002, annual Regular Meetings of Subscribing States to the HCOC (annual conferences) are held in Vienna.
Source: Austrian Foreign Ministry