The MSFD commission staff working paper (CSWP) defines predominant habitat types required for use in MSFD habitats initial reporting article 8 - "Analysis of essential features and characteristics (Art 8.1a - Habitats)". These predominant habitat typologies broadly correspond to EUNIS level 2 habitat typologies. This supported the process of mapping existing habitat types (evidence based and predicted) to the CSWP PHT classification by means of data re-engineering.

In areas where neither evidence nor predicted data was available, a depth proxy was created using INFOMAR bathymetry.

When viewing the PHT habitats layer, the Predominant Habitat Confidence should be also be used as reference as this provides the user with a means to establish the data source underpinning the derived PHT habitat type per polygon.