A group of States that adhere to common guidelines for controls on exports with the aim of preventing the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons.

Formed in 1984 as a result of chemical weapons use in the Iran-Iraq War, the Australia Group, whose members include the United States, has worked to establish export controls on the precursor chemicals required to manufacture chemical weapons. In 1984, the group established a core list of five controlled chemicals. The list has since been expanded several times and now covers 54 common chemicals used in the manufacture of chemical weapons. In 1990, the group agreed to expand its activities into biological weapons proliferation.

The members belonging to this group have agreed to adopt controls on dual-use chemicals, i.e., weapons precursors, equipment, and biological microorganisms and related equipment in order to prevent the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons. Member countries as of October 1996 include: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

An informal arrangement established in 1985 to limit the spread of chemical and biological weapons (CBW) through the control of exports of chemical precursors, equipment, agents, and organisms. As of May 2001, there were 32 members in the Australia Group: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Republic of Turkey, United Kingdom, and United States.

Australia Group is an informal group of countries established in 1985 (after the use of chemical weapons by Iraq in 1984) to help reduce the spread of chemical and biological weapons by monitoring and controlling the spread of technologies required to produce them. The group, initially consisting of 15 countries, has increased to 40, including the European Commission and all 27 EU member states, all OECD members except Mexico, and Argentina.