Europe has been confronted with spectacular cases of marine oil pollution. The Erika (1999) and Prestige (2002) are well-known incidents that will last in the memory of many Europeans. The European Union has been taking a proactive approach in dealing with major oil catastrophes, through promoting European legislation, thereby equally enhancing the development of international conventions. Moreover, some national courts went even further than the international conventions in order to provide better compensation for oil pollution victims.