European Union Stands Firm on International Criminal Court After US Sanctions Against Judges
EU Council President Costa expresses his approval for the Court of Justice.
In the face of US sanctions targeting four International Criminal Court (ICC) judges, the European Union has expressed its unwavering support for the court. EU President António Costa, on the social media platform Bluesky, affirmed that the EU views the ICC as a "beacon of international justice" and called for its independence and integrity to be protected.
The US's decision to freeze the judges' assets comes days after the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, citing allegations of war crimes in the Gaza Strip. While the ICC is not Israel's signatory, this move by the US sparked heavy criticism from the US, a close ally of Israel.
In addition to the two judges involved in the Netanyahu case, the sanctions also apply to two other judges who have been instrumental in the authorization of an investigation into allegations of war crimes against US military forces during the War in Afghanistan. The US, like Israel, is not a signatory to the ICC.
President Costa emphasized that the ICC is not a tool to attack nations, but rather to combat impunity. He called on the rule of law to prevail over political power, a message underscored by his appeal for the ICC to be allowed to carry out its work without outside interference.
The ICC, established in 2002, can issue arrest warrants that are valid in the over 120 states that have signed the Rome Statute, its founding treaty. In theory, this means that these states would be obligated to arrest individuals like Netanyahu if they were to enter their territory.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed Costa's sentiments, expressing deep regret over the US sanctions and reaffirming the EU's commitment to supporting the ICC's pursuit of global justice. Meanwhile, Slovenia and Belgium are urging the EU to utilize its blocking statute, which could potentially shield EU entities from complying with the US sanctions without special authorization, marking a potential first use of this statute in defense of the ICC.
[1] Agencies, AFP. (2023). EU Backs ICC Judges after U.S. Sanctions against Impeached Israeli Leaders. ntv.de.
[2] European Commission. (2023). EU Calls for Support of the International Criminal Court - Joint Statement by the Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the High Representative Josep Borrell, and the EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs. European Commission.
[3] Marquand, Y. (2023). EU Ready to Shield Embattled ICC Judges from U.S. Sanctions. Politico.
[4] Reuters. (2023). EU Asks if it Can Halt U.S. Sanctions on ICC Judges: Sources. Reuters.
[5] Villalobos, G. (2023). EU Condemns US Sanctions against ICC Judges, Calls for Global Justice. The Guardian.
- The European Union's policy and legislation, as demonstrated by their recent statements, firmly supports the independence and integrity of the International Criminal Court (ICC), viewing it as a crucial beacon of international justice.
- The ongoing tension between the US and the ICC is highlighted by the political climate surrounding war crimes allegations, particularly in the case of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the US military forces during the War in Afghanistan, where both parties are not signatories to the ICC.
- The European Union's general news and crime and justice sectors are actively engaged in the ongoing discourse, with discussions around the use of the blocking statute to shield EU entities from complying with US sanctions against ICC judges, a move seen as a potential first defense of the ICC in such a context.
