The declaration of a new Biosphere Reserve is promoted by the government of the country in which it is, through the corresponding National Committee. The MaB International Coordinating Council (ICC) studies this proposal and it is approved based on a series of criteria or requirements. These criteria are the following ones:

• To contain a mosaic of ecological systems representative of important biogeographical regions, that includes a progressive series of human intervention forms in the environment.
• To have importance for the conservation of biological diversity.
• To offer possibilities of trying and demonstrating methods of sustainable development in regional scale.
• To have the adecuate dimensions to develop the three functions that Biosphere Reserves must fulfil.
• To facilitate the integration and participation of a suitable range of sectors, among others, public authorities, local communities and private interests in the conception and execution of Biosphere Reserves functions.
• To have taken, in addition, measurements to equip itself with:
  
  
• Management of mechanisms of resources uses and human activities in the damping or buffer zone.
• A policy or a territorial management plan in its quality of biosphere reserve.
• An authority or an institutional device in charge of applying that policy or plan.
• A permanent programme based on observation, research, education and qualification.

Once a Biosphere Reserve is declared, this one could be including in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves by means of designation made by the International Coordinating Council (ICC) of the MaB Programme in accordance with the following procedure:

1) The States, by means of the MaB National Committees when it comes, will present their designation proposals to the Secretariat, with the corresponding justificatory documentation, after having identified the places that can adjust to the previously exposed criteria.

2) The Secretariat will verify the file and documentation content; in case that the proposal is incomplete, it will ask for complementary information to the State that presents it.

3) Proposals will be examined by the Biosphere Reserves Consultative Committee, which will present a recommendation to the ICC.

4) The MaB Programme ICC will decide respect to the designation.

The UNESCO General Manager will communicate to the interested State the decision of the ICC.

It is urged to the States to examine and improve the situation and the operation of the existing Biosphere Reserves, and to propose its extension if it proceeds, in order that they can work in the Network. Extension proposals will have to follow the applicable procedure to the new designations.

Biosphere Reserves that have been designated before the adoption of Statutory Framework will be considered part of the Network. Therefore, they will be subject to Statutory Framework dispositions.