Summary of Treaty

GENERAL DATA

Official Title Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer

Type of Agreement Multilateral

Place of Signature Montreal

Date of Signature 16/09/1987

Date of Entry Into Force 01/01/1989

Duration Indefinite

Objective of Agreement

To protect the ozone layer through enhanced international cooperation by taking precautionary measures to control equitably total global emissions of substances that deplete it. Each party undertakes to communicate statistics on its annual production, imports and exports of the substances listed in Annex A to the Protocol and to promote research and development activities and information exchange.

Remarks

The Montreal Protocol supplements the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (Vienna 22/03/1985) and was signed by 29 countries in Montreal on 16/9/1987. The Protocol is designed to regulate the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances (ODS). Controlled substances are listed in four annexes, and their respective phase-out schedules are designed to allow for progressive tightening over time as scientific evidence for ozone depletion trend is strengthened and as substitutes for the ODS in question are developed. The parties committed to reduce production and consumption of CFCs by half by 1998 and to freeze production and consumption of halons by 1992. Developing countries were granted a 10-year grace period to meet both obligations. The Montreal Protocol was amended in London on 29/06/1990, Copenhagen on 25/11/1992, Montreal on 17/09/1997 and Beijing in December 1999. The Protocol and its 4 amendments have all been concluded by the Community, respectively on: 16/12/1988 (Council Decision 88/540/EEC, OJ L 297 of 31/10/1988, p.8); 20/12/1991 (Decision 91/690/EEC, OJ L 377 of 31/12/1991); 2/12/1993 (Council Decision 94/68/EC, OJ L 33 of 07/02/1994, p.1); 17/10/2000 (Council Decision 2000/646/EC, OJ L 272 of 25/10/2000, p.26) and on 04/03/2002 (Council Decision 2002/215/EC, OJ L 72 of 14/03/2002, p.18). The Vienna Convention together with the Montreal Protocol make up the “Ozone Treaties”. Participation in the Protocol implies participation in the Convention (Article 16(1)).

OJ Reference L297, 31/10/1988, p. 21

Nature of Agreement Multilateral Environmental Agreement (MEA)

Depositary United Nations

Contracting Parties European Economic Community, Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland,

Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Surinam, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Authentic Texts Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish

Subject Matters

Environment atmospheric pollution international convention ozone prevention of pollution protocol to an agreement stratospheric pollution

Clause(s) Entry into force conditions Article 16 Convention

EU PARTICIPATION

Date of Signature 16/09/1987

Conclusion Date 16/12/1988

Ratification Status AP

Conclusion DecisionCouncil Decision of 2 December 1993 concerning the conclusion of the amendment to the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer; OJ L33 of 07/02/1994, p.1

Date of Entry Into Force 01/01/1989

ReservesA declaration of EU competence exists for this treaty. To consult the text click on "to load all the summary data of the treaty".

Competence Mixed

Legal Basis Treaty EEC: Article 130S