International legal regulation of the circulation of dual-use biotechnologies

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the vulnerability of each country, regardless of the economic well-being and health system development, highlighting the need for further rethinking of the global security and human security concepts. The need to sustain the spread of infectious diseases, as well as the treatment of life-threatening diseases, determine the relevance of scientific research on all key aspects related to the development of technologies, both by states and non-state actors. In view of the efforts made over the past decades, significant advances have been made in the field of biotechnology, which allows to detect the vulnerability of viruses, as well as to influence the genes responsible for the development of diseases. Such trends not only contribute to ensuring the human right to health and the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress, but also bring humanity closer to executing Sustainable Development Goals. The reverse side of the scientific research increase is the expansion of the availability of scientific data, as well as the simplification of the reproduction of various technological solutions, which leads to the risk of their use for military and terrorist purposes. The development of technologies, the use of which can not only counteract life-threatening diseases, but also create new threats to human security, has influenced the formation of the term “dual-use technologies” in the scientific literature and documents of international organizations. The article presents a systematic analysis of biotechnologies impact on the formation of “human security” concept, as well as the definition of “biological security” concept. The authors consistently consider international treaties, as well as documents of international intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations in the field of regulating the circulation of technologies that pose a threat to state security. Special attention is paid to the consideration of the features of control over the spread of biological agents in the context of the activities of the European Union, as well as ensuring the implementation of the national security strategy of the Russian Federation.

About the authors

Aslan Kh. Abashidze

RUDN University

Email: aslan.abashidze@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-0012-8795
SPIN-code: 8944-1427

Doctor of Legal Sciences, Full Professor, Honored Lawyer of the Russian Federation, Head of the Department of International, Law Institute

6 Miklukho-Maklaya str., Moscow, 117198, Russia Federation

Vladislav S. Malichenko

Institute of Legislation and Comparative Law under the Government of the Russia; Higher School of Economics (National Research University)

Author for correspondence.
Email: vlad.malichenko@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3136-8054
SPIN-code: 4939-0747

Candidate of Legal Sciences, Senior Researcher, Department of Social Legislation, Institute of Legislation and Comparative Law under the Government of the Russian Federation; Researcher, Institute of National and Comparative Legal Studies, Faculty of Law, Higher School of Economics (National Research University)

34 Bolshaya Cheremushkinskaya str., Moscow, 117218, Russia Federation; 3 B Trekhsvyatitelsky per., Moscow, 109028, Russia Federation

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Copyright (c) 2023 Abashidze A.K., Malichenko V.S.

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