The EUSeaMap2 project (Physical Habitat Map of European Seas) aimed to expand the work carried out in the EUSeaMap preparatory phase 1, to evolve from a prototype to an operational service, and to provide full coverage of a large-scale map of European sea basins. Habitat maps contain essential information about the seabed, necessary for the sustainable management and development of the economic potential of European sea basins. European habitat maps serve to design ecologically coherent networks of marine protected areas, to model species distribution, to support benthic habitat monitoring programmes and to support maritime spatial planning. One way to save time and money, necessary for a wider coverage of benthic habitats, is to use low-resolution maps and predictive models, which can be generated by combining a series of proxy measurements (water depth, sediment type and light intensity) with statistical analysis and geographic information system modelling. The project consortium is committed to developing habitat maps and facilitating easier public access to the data.