The European Commission has labeled this Friday as "deeply regrettable" the decision of the United States to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and has emphasized that the European Union is prepared to adopt "all necessary measures" so that the court can continue carrying out "its work" of investigating and prosecuting war crimes and crimes against humanity.
"The European Union has been a strong defender of the International Criminal Court. It is deeply regrettable that the United States has announced its intention to impose sanctions," Brussels stated in a communiqué, in which it reiterates its support for the independence of this judicial body based in The Hague.
In the same note, the community executive assures that it will cooperate "closely" with the ICC so that it can continue "functioning effectively" and recalls its willingness to work with the 125 States parties to the Rome Statute to "preserve and respect its independence," so that the court can continue fulfilling its "fundamental mission."
Furthermore, the Commission emphasizes that the U.S. sanctions will not be applied until six months from now, so, in its opinion, there is still "room for dialogue" with Washington before the measures come into effect.
The community executive also insists that the bloc is ready to implement "all necessary measures" that allow the ICC to continue its investigations and proceedings for war crimes and crimes against humanity and, at the same time, protect "the interests of EU operators within the single market," that is, to prevent U.S. sanctions from harming companies, entities, or other European actors linked to the court.
The reaction from Brussels comes just minutes after the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced sanctions against the ICC itself, in a new chapter of the offensive by the Donald Trump Administration against the court, which it accuses of being a "corrupt supranational body" and "politicized" that exceeds its competencies.
In particular, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has added the court to the list of targets of its sanctions, although it has approved four licenses that allow for the maintenance of certain essential activities for the next six months, until April 7, 2027. Among them are payments from the member states, staff payrolls, healthcare, rents, and other operations essential to ensure the continuity of its activity.
The announcement of these measures came hours after the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to the former judge of the ICC and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, an award that U.S. President Donald Trump had claimed for himself in previous days.
The new round of sanctions adds to those already imposed by Washington against several judges and prosecutors of the ICC, including its president, Tomoko Akane, who was punished last August in response to the court's investigations into alleged war crimes committed by Israel in the Gaza Strip.
Reaction from the European Parliament
The presidents of the Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and Legal Affairs committees of the European Parliament have joined the condemnation expressed by Brussels and maintain that the United States has crossed a "red line."
"The U.S. sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) constitute an unacceptable attack on the foundations of international justice," they have denounced, emphasizing the seriousness of directing these measures against the court as a legal entity.
"Targeting the court as an institution means crossing a fundamental red line, which threatens the independence and integrity of a court created to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes that concern the international community," add David McAllister (Foreign Affairs), Bernd Lange (International Trade), and Ilhan Kiuchiuk (Legal Affairs), along with the president of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, Munir Saturi, and the president of the Delegation for Relations with the United States, Brando Benifei.