One of the highest priority targets of a National Park is to fulfil the requirements of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), the organisation that is responsible for the international recognition of national parks.

(IUCN = International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources)

Close contacts with this organisation had already been established in the course of setting up the Nationalpark Gesaeuse. At the beginning of May 2002 a delegation from IUCN visited the Gesaeuse and told them that their prospects for speedy recognition as a Protected Area (Category II) site were extremely good.

On 5th December 2003 the Gesaeuse National Park was officially approved as one of the internationally recognised Protected Areas (Category II).