Under the previous two packages of maritime safety legislation (known as Erika I and Erika II), the EU adopted important maritime safety and security laws providing among other things for ship inspections in port, a ban on single-hull vessels to transport oil and the creation of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).
Sākumā šos divus pretrunīgākos projektus ES Padome noraidīja, bet Parlaments panāca, ka strīdīgākie punkti tiek iekļauti citos.