Brussels, 19 March 2025
MEPs discussed international justice with Tomoko Akane, President of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
On Wednesday, the Subcommittee on Human Rights and Committee on Legal Affairs hosted the President of the International Criminal Court, Judge Tomoko Akane, for the first time since the beginning of the legislature.
During the exchange of views, MEPs reaffirmed their support for the ICC, in the context of President Donald Trump’s executive order imposing sanctions on the ICC on 6 February 2025. As President Akane explained, the sanctions complicate and damage the practical work of the ICC in various areas such as banking, insurance and IT, as they make it impossible for US companies to provide services to the Court and complicate these companies’ cooperation with their European partners. They also endanger the Court’s work in various parts of the world, including Ukraine, Afghanistan and the Philippines. President Akane repeated her call on the EU to activate the ‘blocking statute’, which protects EU individuals and companies from the extra-territorial application of third-country laws, including US sanctions.
MEPs expressed their support for the ICC and repeated their call on the European Commission to enact the blocking statute as soon as possible. They also quizzed the ICC President on various cases, including those relating to crimes committed in Cuba, Venezuela, Ukraine and various parts of Africa. They also inquired about the possibility to include new crimes in the Rome Statute, including ecocide, which, as ICC President explained, can only be done by countries that are party to the Rome Statute. MEPs were also interested in the use of the Trust Fund for Victims of international crimes.
Quotes
Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) Mounir Satouri (Greens/EFA, FR) said: “The Parliament has explicitly and repeatedly called for the support and protection of the ICC; this is a legal obligation for all signatories of the Rome Statute. The Commission and Members States must wait any longer to activate the EU blocking statute and shield the Court against the US sanctions. In these turbulent times, the EU should show firm resolve in the fight against impunity, and defend the rule of law, human rights, and ultimately the victims of atrocities.”
Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Renew, BG) said: “Justice is not only about punishment, it is also about recognition, deterrence, and the affirmation of human dignity. So, for the Legal Affairs Committee, today’s exchange with the ICC was an important opportunity to discuss significant legal matters, aside from the political discourse. As Europeans, we remain committed to defending the international legal order, and as advocates for the rule of law, we must always consider the legal perspectives.”
Background
A delegation of MEPs from the Subcommittee on Human rights travelled to The Hague on 29‑30 October 2024 to meet with members of the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court (ICC), EUROJUST and other key partners. At the end of the mission, the DROI Chair expressed his concerns about the serious threats these institutions face, and said International Criminal Court decisions were binding on all EU member states.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. Judge Tomoko Akane was appointed President of the ICC in March 2024.