The International Criminal Court is urging the European Commission to issue clear guidance on US sanctions as soon as possible in order to protect the institution from restrictions.
This was stated by ICC Registrar Osvaldo Zavala Giler, Politico reports.
According to him, the lack of a clear position from Brussels leaves private companies and non-governmental organisations uncertain about whether they should comply with Washington’s sanctions and what risks they face if they refuse.
The US administration imposed the first restrictions on ICC prosecutors and judges in February 2025, and in October announced sweeping sanctions that are due to take effect in April next year.
In preparation for the restrictions, the court has already spent six months moving away from American software, switching to open-source systems. Over 20 months, the institution also shifted its financial operations into euros in order to completely eliminate the use of the dollar and the involvement of US banks. All staff were required to open accounts with European banks.
In The Hague, there are calls for the EU to activate a special mechanism — the so-called “blocking statute”, which prohibits European companies from complying with extraterritorial US sanctions.
The ICC Registrar stressed that the uncertainty is already negatively affecting the work of non-governmental organisations that help the court gather evidence and support victims, including in Ukraine. The European Commission is currently trying to resolve the issue through dialogue with the United States, but the court insists that action is needed immediately.
US Sanctions Against the ICC: What We Know
- US President Donald Trump’s administration is imposing sanctions on representatives of the International Criminal Court amid investigations into Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip and the arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
- Those sanctioned include the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, eight ICC judges and three prosecutors. The restrictions against Albanese were introduced after her report on the activities of major companies which, in her assessment, contribute to violations of Palestinians’ rights.
- The White House is also demanding that the ICC amend its founding statute to prevent investigations targeting Trump and his closest aides. The US State Department continues to work on new sanctions, including against lower-level court staff, to secure an end to the Gaza investigations.
- US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Washington will not allow the ICC to violate the country’s sovereignty or, as the United States considers unlawful, apply its jurisdiction to US and Israeli citizens.
- It was previously reported that the International Criminal Court had taken steps to protect itself from potential US sanctions.
- In particular, the court carried out substantial work to preserve its autonomy and minimise the impact of possible restrictions in the future.
- In October, 58 MEPs appealed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with a call to protect the ICC from US sanctions.