The dataset on Natura 2000 sites was created in 2014 by Cogea for the European Marine Observation and Data Network. It is entirely based on spatial data from the European Environmental Agency (EEA), plus additional info, links and selected EEA data joined to the feature attributes, as well as the Cogea's calculation of marine and coastal location of features. It is available for viewing and download on the EMODnet web portal (Human Activities, https://emodnet.ec.europa.eu/en/human-activities). Natura 2000 is an ecological network composed of sites designated under the Birds Directive (Special Protection Areas, SPAs) and the Habitats Directive (Sites of Community Importance, SCIs, and Special Areas of Conservation, SACs). The dataset covers the whole EU. Following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU on 31 January 2020, it ceased to be part of the EEA’s institutional networks and governance. In the webmap the EEA dataset has been filtered to show only (i) marine sites, i.e. sites with a marine area percentage higher than 0 (as calculated by the EEA) and (ii) sites that, even if not identified as marine by the EEA, intersect the EEA coastline or that are within a distance of 1 km from the coastline (using a 1 km inner buffer from the EEA coastline). In both cases the COAST_MAR field value=1. The EEA coastline dataset is available at https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/eea-coastline-for-analysis-2. Where available, each polygon has the following attributes: site code, site name, country code, country name, site type (A, B, C), site description (Special Conservation Interest - SCI, Special Protection Areas - SPA, Both SPA and SCI), link to directive, area (ha), marine area percentage, release date, date classified as SPA, date confirmed as SCI, date designated as SAC, marine/coastal location of feature (1). Compared with the previous version, this one includes the updated dataset 'Natura 2000 End 2022', published by the EEA in April 2024. For further information (e.g. biogeographic region, directive, habitats, sites, impact, management, species and metadata) please visit the EEA's website hosting the Natura 2000 tabular data.

The dataset on Nationally Designated Areas was created in 2014 by Cogea for the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet). It includes polygons and points and it is based on the 'NatDA_2024_v01_public' data from the European Environmental Agency (EEA) and it is available for viewing and download on EMODnet web portal (Human Activities, https://emodnet.ec.europa.eu/en/human-activities). The European inventory of Nationally designated areas holds information about designated areas and their designation types, which directly or indirectly create protected areas. The Nationally designated areas is the official source of protected area information from the 38 European member countries to the World Database of Protected Areas (WDPA). The dataset is accompanied by tabular data which 1) includes information on the nationally designated sites and designated boundaries for public dissemination; and 2) contains information about designation types and the national and international legislative instruments, which directly or indirectly create protected designated areas in Europe. The inventory began in 1995 under the CORINE programme of the European Commission. The NatDA is now an agreed annual Eionet core data flow maintained by the European Environment Agency (EEA) with support from the European Topic Centre on DataIntegration and Digitalisation (ETC DI). The dataset is used by the EEA and e.g. the UNEP-WCMC for their main European and global assessments, products and services. The data can be queried online in the European Nature Information System (EUNIS). Geographical coverage: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo (under UNSC Resolution 1244/99), Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. The EEA does not have permission to distribute some or all sites reported by Estonia, Ireland and Türkiye. In the webmap the dataset has been filtered in order to show only marine and coastal areas. Where available each polygon/point has the following main attributes: CDDA ID, country code, country name, site name, legal foundation date, national ID, area type/code (Designated Boundary or Site), IUCN category/description (Ia: Strict Nature Reserve; Ib: Wilderness Area; II: National Park; III: Natural Monument or Feature; IV: Habitat/Species Management Area; V: Protected Landscape/ Seascape; VI: Protected area with sustainable use of natural resources; Not applicable; Not assigned; Not reported), area (ha), major ecosystem type (Marine, Marine and terrestrial, Terrestrial), marine area percentage, spatial resolution (Scale 100K-250K, Scale Larger 100K, Unknown), remarks, marine/coastal location of features (1) as per Cogea's calulation. For further information please visit the EEA's website. Compared with the previous release, this one includes the public version 22 of the Nationally designated areas dataset published by the EEA in May 2024.