Germany ratified the Convention on 23 July 1998, and the Convention entered into force for Germany on 1 March 1999.

Stockpile Destruction (Article 4)

In its initial transparency report submitted on 31 August 1999, Germany reported that it had completed the destruction of all stockpiled anti-personnel mines in 1997.

In total, Germany reported having destroyed 1,700,000 mines.

Retained Mines (Article 3)

Notwithstanding the obligation to destroy all stockpiled anti-personnel mines, the Convention permits the retention of the minimum number of anti-personnel mines absolutely necessary for the development of and training in mine detection, mine clearance, or mine destruction techniques.

As of 2020, Germany has reported having retained 583 anti-personnel mines for these permitted purposes. Necessary quantities, types and estimated future requirements in terms of retained anti-personnel mines are reviewed on an annual basis. Since 2009, some mines were disassembled for use as inert training mines, others were used for different development programs in mine protection and clearance and some others were destroyed.

Mine Clearance (Article 5)

In June 2011 (i.e., after Germany’s original deadline to implement Article 5 had expired), Germany informed the Convention’s Standing Committee on Mine Clearance that it had discovered a previously unknown area under its jurisdiction suspected to contain anti-personnel  mines.

In 2012, in submitting updated information, as required by Article 7 of the Convention, on the location of all mined areas that contain or are suspected to contain anti-personnel mines under Germany’s jurisdiction or control, Germany formally reported the former military training area Wittstock in the north of the federal state of Brandenburg, as an area suspected to contain anti-personnel mines.

On 15 April 2013, Germany, in accordance with decisions of the Twelfth Meeting of the States Parties on the matter of previously unknown mined areas, submitted a request for a deadline to implement its Article 5 obligation. On 6 November 2013, Germany withdrew its request of April 2013 as historical research, technical survey and clearance of sample areas in 2013 did not confirm the suspicion of anti-personnel mines in the former military training area.

Deadline Request

Germany's Deadline Request Received 15 April 2013, PDF 414



Update on Cooperation and Assistance, November 2019

Update on Cooperation and Assistance, November 2018


Germany's update on Article 5 implementation, May 2013


Germany's 2018 Article 7 transparency report

Germany's 2017 Article 7 transparency report



Snapshots of Germany at Convention-related activities on Flickr.