Further to the April 2001 agreement of co-operation between the Division of Earth Sciences of UNESCO and the European Geoparks Network, this document re-affirms the subsequent agreement reached at UNESCO (Paris) in February 2004 concerning the UNESCO Global Network of Geoparks, that:

A European territory wishing to become a member of the UNESCO Global Network of Geoparks, must submit a full application dossier to the European Geoparks Network, which acts as the integration organization into the UNESCO Network for the European continent. Should a territory’s membership application to the European Geoparks Network be rejected, or should a territory be expelled from the European Geoparks Network, then the membership of that territory in the UNESCO Global Network of Geoparks is rejected or cancelled as appropriate.

Furthermore, if in any European country a National Geoparks Network exists, then that territory must first become a member of that national network before submitting their dossier for membership to the European Geoparks Network.

At the global level:

The Division of Earth Sciences of UNESCO will ensure that within the existing International Group of Experts, the experience of the European Geoparks Network is fully recognized. This shall be demonstrated by the active inclusion of the 3 experts from the European Geoparks Network already within the International Group of Experts in the further expansion of the Global UNESCO Network.

The Division of Earth Sciences of UNESCO recognize that the office of the Coordination Committee of the European Geoparks in Digne is a fully operational office of the UNESCO Global Network of Geoparks. This information will be integrated into all information given by UNESCO and the Beijing office regarding the organizational structure of the global network. For the effective operation of the global network it is recommended that the Digne and Beijing offices regularly keep each other up to date with developments at each location.

The Division of Earth Sciences of UNESCO recognize that the European Geoparks Network is reference to follow for the creation of other continental networks of Geoparks. Therefore the Division of Earth sciences of UNESCO will use the expertise of the European Geoparks Network for the conception and development of other continental networks.

Signed

NICKOLAS
On Behalf of the European Geoparks Network
October 29, 2004

WOLFGANG EDER
On Behalf of the Division of Earth Sciences of UNESCO
October 29, 2004