EU support for the International Criminal Court 

On 9 October, the US government announced sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing it of politicisation and of unfairly targeting US nationals for war crimes prosecutions. To date, the United States has imposed sanctions on 17 individuals affiliated with the ICC. The latest measures will, among other actions, freeze any ICC assets held within US jurisdiction.

MEPs have repeatedly criticised the US campaign against the ICC. In their most recent statement, issued on 9 October, lead MEPs condemned the sanctions as “an unacceptable assault on the foundations of international justice” and called on the EU to demonstrate active solidarity with the ICC and its personnel.

In her statement of 10 October, the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that threats against the Court are unacceptable. UN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly criticised the US decision, describing the sanctions as “a serious blow to our collective pursuit of international criminal justice, of which the ICC is a key pillar”.

Established in 2002, the ICC is an international court mandated to prosecute individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.

Council and Commission statements, without resolution

Debate: Tuesday 20 October