The Action Plan for European Protected Areas is a comprehensive document elaborated in cooperation of international organizations IUCN, CNPPA, FNNPE, WWF and WCMC. The Council of Europe promulgated it in Strasbourg on September 19, 1994. In the Slovak Republic, it was promulgated by the Ministry of Environment on October 21, 1994. Its aim is to ensure a convenient, operational and well organized network of protected areas in Europe in order to protect the landscape and biological diversity of our continent. It sets forth the necessary conceptional approaches and measures. Concerning the area of protected areas Slovakia belongs with the first European states but the protection of certain biotopes and landscape types in Slovakia is insufficient. The Action Plan devotes attention to 3 categories of protected areas: national parks, nature reserves with an organized regime of protection and protected landscape areas. In terms of national parks Slovakia has an excellent position in Europe. But is unable to care about them more intensively. There must be a significant shift – their territorial zoning and the programmes of care of protected areas is more operational means. The protected landscape areas fulfill significant ecological and cultural function in the complex of protected areas. They serve either as means of nature protection, or they help to conserve life style in harmony with nature. These areas may be the models for sustainable life. In the Slovak Republic there are 16 areas of this kind – three of them (Slovenský kras, Poľana and Východné Karpaty) are declared biosphere reserves. The Action Plan pays attention also to formation of climate for success – to obtain public support to protected areas. It puts emphasis to education in schools to utilize protected areas in the educational process.