The Convention on Nuclear Safety was adopted in Vienna on 17 June 1994. Lithuania signed Convention on Nuclear Safety on March 22, 1995, and submitted the ratification papers on June 12, 1996. The Convention came into force on October 24, 1996. The Convention has three main objectives:

• to achieve and maintain a high level of nuclear safety through the enhancement of national measures and technical cooperation;
• to establish and maintain effective defences against radiological hazards in nuclear installations in order to protect people and the environment, etc.;
• to prevent nuclear accidents and limit their consequences.