A response by the world’s nations to the abundant evidence of the negative effects of mercury pollution on human health and the environment, the Minamata Convention on Mercury entered into force on 16 August 2017. The Convention includes provisions to control the supply, trade and use of mercury. This report provides an overview of the current state of these activities in order to assist governments and other stakeholders as the Convention moves into the implementation phase. The most important findings and observations are summarized here.