Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM)

Date of adoption: 26 October 1979

Place of adoption: Vienna, Austria

Date of entry into force: 8 February 1987

Depositary: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

About CPPNM

• The main international legal instruments in the area of nuclear security adopted under the IAEA’s auspices are the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) and its 2005 Amendment.
• The CPPNM establishes legal instrument for Parties regarding the physical protection of nuclear material used for peaceful purposes during international transport; the criminalization of certain offences involving nuclear material; and international cooperation, for example, in the case of theft, robbery or any other unlawful taking of nuclear material or credible threat thereof.
• It extends the scope of the original treaty to cover physical protection of nuclear facilities and nuclear material used for peaceful purposes in domestic use, storage and transport.
• The entry into force of the CPPNM in 1987 and its Amendment in May 2016 were crucial milestones in the development of the international legal framework for nuclear security, as they remain the only internationally legally binding undertakings in the area of physical protection of nuclear material and of nuclear facilities used for peaceful purposes. 

• The IAEA actively promotes and helps facilitate adherence to and effective implementation of the CPPNM and its Amendment.