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The amendment was considered and adopted by consensus at a conference held in Vienna on 4–8 July 2005 to consider and adopt amendments to the Convention.

The Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, adopted on 26 October 1979, is a fundamental comprehensive international treaty concerning the security of nuclear materials.

The amendment provides for a significant strengthening of the nuclear safety regime and for countering the threat of nuclear terrorism in the light of new challenges and threats.

The amendment improves the mechanism for ensuring cooperation among states and parties to the Convention in order to prevent the theft of this material and the sabotage of nuclear facilities, to eliminate the negative consequences of such actions, as well as to enhance the role of the IAEA as a single focal point in situations in which nuclear safety is threatened.

The amendment prohibits attempts to justify violations of nuclear safety for political reasons.

The amendment also prohibits invoking the Convention to justify the use of force or the threat of use of force against nuclear material or nuclear facilities used for peaceful purposes.

The amendment introduces a provision according to which the Convention does not preclude the transfer of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes or for strengthening the physical protection of nuclear material and nuclear facilities.