Afgørelsen blev truffet efter -ulykken i november 2002, da Rådet indtog en mere energisk holdning med hensyn til behovet for en supplerende erstatningsordning, og den 21. marts 2003 opfordrede Rådet medlemsstaterne til, "at medlemsstaterne i forbindelse med den kommende diplomatiske konference i IMO-regi i maj arbejder for en forhøjelse af det nuværende loft for erstatning til ofre for forurening, herunder miljøskader, til 1 milliard euro".
This decision follows the accident involving the in November 2002, when the Council adopted a firmer position on the need for additional compensation. More recently, the European Council of 21 March 2003 confirmed the point of view expressed at various Council meetings, calling on Member States, ‘in terms of compensation for the victims of pollution, including environmental damage (...) to pursue within the forthcoming diplomatic conference at the IMO in May an increase in the current ceiling on compensation to EUR one billion’.