The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer was adopted in 1985 and entered into force in 1988. In 2009, the Vienna Convention became the first Convention of any kind to achieve universal endorsement. The objectives of the Convention were for parties to adopt legislation or administrative measures against activities that are likely to have adverse effects on the ozone layer. This would be achieved through systematic observations, research and information exchange.
The Vienna Convention did not require countries to take concrete actions to control ozone-depleting substances.
As an important part of the international ozone regime, the Vienna Convention provides a forum for discussions on scientific research and observations of the ozone layer. The parties to the Vienna Convention meet once every three years, back to back with the parties to the Montreal Protocol, in order to make decisions to administer the Convention.