Decree
The Government of Slovenia passed the Decree on Sečovlje Salina Nature Park with the aim to protect the natural area and to conserve biodiversity of this typical salina ecosystem.
In 2001, the Sečovlje salt-pans were proclaimed a protected area of national concern.

Ramsar Convention
The Convention on conservation of wetlands of international importance, especially as habitats of marsh birds (Ramsar Convention), was the very first agreement on conservation and wise use of natural resources. The Convention serves as a framework for international cooperation in the field of conservation and wise use of wetlands. The Ramsar Convention, or the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, particularly as habitats of marsh birds, was signed on February 2nd, 1971, in the Iranian town of Ramsar. Its intention is »to conserve and wise use the wetlands at the national level and to implement, through international cooperation, the principles of sustainable management«.
The Ramsar Convention has been ratified by over 100 countries. Slovenia joined the Ramsar family in 1992, and a year later the Sečovlje salt-pans were inscribed on the List of wetlands of international importance. The second Slovene wetland inscribed on the List is the system of underground wetlands in the Škocjan Caves.
In remembrance of the actual signing of the Ramsar Convention, February 2nd has been proclaimed World Wetlands Day.

EU Birds Directive
he European Commission's guidelines imposed on the EU members a series of strict legal obligations, including the necessity to conserve, within specially protected areas, the existing populations of wild birds.
According to this directive, the Sečovlje salt-pans (or, to be more precise: the Fontanigge area) were proposed to be included in the network of specially protected areas of European concern NATURA 2000.
The areas, stipulated in accordance with the Birds Directive, constitute the NATURA 2000 network.

EU Habitat Directive
The aim of these directives issued by the European Commission is to preserve biodiversity by maintaining or restoring natural habitats of wild animals.
According to these directives, the entire area of Sečovlje salt-pans (Lera and Fontanigge) was proposed to be included into NATURA 2000, the network of specially protected areas of European concern.
Biodiversity is being preserved through conservation of wild animals' natural habitats.

NATURA 2000 Network
Sečovlje Salina fulfills the criteria for designation of NATURA 2000 site, according to both EU Directives (the Birds and the Habitats Directive). Although the area has obtained national and international conservation status (nationally designated Nature Park and Ramsar Site – wetland of international importance) the presurres on the Park from outside are still visible. The designation of the NATURA 2000 site is therefore an essential measure at the European level to prevent harmful »development options« arising from the local scale.
Almost the entire area of Sečovlje Salina is state owned. This means that the implementation of the LIFE project, as well as some of the management options, are not restricted by the questions of land-ownership. That is why the model of Sečovlje Salina will be used for demonstration of certain issues of the concept of NATURA 2000 (especially promotion of the concept of sustainable use (traditional salt-making) on the NATURA 2000 sites.

Sečovlje Salina form an important part in the network of the remaining coastal wetlands in the wider area of the Eastern Adriatic. Some of these areas are already (or will soon become) a part of the NATURA 2000 network, together with Sečovlje Salina Nature Park.
NATURA 2000 serves as a legal basis for the establishment of the network of areas of special conservation importance in the European Union.

Barcelona Convention
Its prime objective, i.e. to reduce pollution in the Mediterranean Sea, has been advanced by numerous regulations connected with this area. In 1982, the directive on specially protected areas in the Mediterranean Sea was thus passed and advanced with a new directive, called Decree on specially protected areas and biodiversity.
The aim of specially protected areas is to preserve:

• the characteristic types of suitably large coastal and marine ecosystems, in order to provide for their long-term viability and to protect biodiversity in them;
• the habitats, which are in danger of completely disappearing from their natural Mediterranean areas, or whose range has been reduced due to their regression or significantly limited surface areas;
• the habitats with critical degree of survival of their highly endangered or endemic animal and plant species;
• the sites of special concern due to their scientific, aesthetic, cultural or educational values.

The Barcelona Convention serves as an international legal framework for the conservation of coastal and marine areas in the Mediterranean.