EWG-NLW : European Working Group on Non-Lethal Weapons

Background

EWG-NLW is founded in 1998.  It is open to all European organizations working in the area of non-lethal weapons.

Mission statement

The EWG-NLW supports the development, validation and use of technologies, devices and tactics which are intended to preserve life whilst enabling lawful and appropriate use of force in response to threats, be they individual or crowd based.
Furthermore the EWG-NLW advocates full co-operation between European partners to share information, scientific advancement and recommended operational practice.

Aims

There are two complementary strategies of the EWG-NLW to improve awareness of NLW:

1. Holistic approach, i.e. by considering all essential aspects (legal, ethical, sociological, technological, medical etc) and,
2. High Tech solutions

Activities

  • Exchange of information and harmonisation of activities.
  • To promote research & development of non-lethal weapon technologies to meet future operational requirements.
  • To encourage the European defence industry to become more innovative and more competitive in designing, developing and validating new non-lethal weapon technologies.
  • To include related activities on law enforcement and homeland security.
  • Independent operational expertise of NLW technology, development and deployment.