The Standing Committee to the Bern Convention adopted a series of reference documents defining the Emerald Network and its setting up.

• Recommendation No. 225 (2024) regarding the obligations of Contracting Parties towards the Emerald Network
• Resolution No. 1 (1989) relating to the conservation of habitats
• Recommendation No. 16 (1989) on areas of special conservation interest
• Resolution No. 4 (1996) listing endangered natural habitats requiring specific conservation measures (including revised Annex I to Resolution No. 4 (1996), adopted in 2014 by the Standing Committee)
• Resolution No. 5 (1998) concerning the rules for the Network of Areas of Special Conservation Interest (Emerald Network)
• Resolution No. 6 (1998) listing the species requiring specific habitat conservation measures (including revised Annex I to Resolution No. 6 (1998), adopted in 2011 by the Standing Committee)
• Resolution No. 8 (2012) on the national designation of adopted Emerald sites and the implementation of management, monitoring and reporting measures
• Revised Calendar for the implementation of the Emerald Network of Areas of Special Conservation Interest (2011-2020)
• Three dimensional road map for achieving a fully operational Emerald Network in 7 countries of Central and Eastern Europe and South Caucasus - T-PVS/PA(2016)10
• Revised criteria for assessing the National Lists of proposed Emerald sites (ASCIs) at biogeographical level and procedure for examining and approving Emerald candidate sites (adopted in 2013 by the Standing Committee)
• Revised Recommendation No. 157 (2011) on the status of candidate Emerald sites and guidelines on the criteria for their nomination (revised in 2019)
• Recommendation No. 172 (2014) interpreting certain provisions of Resolution No. 6 (1998) of the Standing Committee to the Bern Convention
• Information Form for new Species or Habitats to be added to the Bern Convention lists (Resolution No. 4 (1996) and Resolution No. 6 (1998)
• Interpretation manual of the habitats listed in Resolution No. 4 (1996) - T-PVS/PA(2019)18
• The Emerald Network: explanatory document and compilation of relevant texts
• Other Emerald related documents