MEP members call to protect the ICC against US sanctions

In their letter to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Union (EU) Commission, 58 members of the European Parliament (EP) asked for all available tools to be urgently activated to protect the International Criminal Court (ICC) from US sanctions.

According to the letter obtained by Politico, 58 MPs, led by AP Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee Chairperson Aurore Lalucq, a member of the Socialists and Democrats Group, and Dutch parliamentarian Dirk Gotink from the European People's Party Group, called on the Commission to take a clear stance against the US administration.

In the letter they sent before the EU summit to be held in Brussels on October 15-16, the MPs described the sanctions as "an attack by a foreign power on an institution on EU territory, using the Union's own financial system."

In the letter, it was requested that all tools at the EU's disposal be used urgently to protect the ICC from the consequences of sanctions.

In the letter, MEP members asked for the "Blocking Regulation" to be put into effect, which would prevent EU companies from complying with US sanctions.

The letter also called for this protection to be implemented after the 180-day transition period for sanctions expires.

US sanctions on the ICC

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that they decided to impose sanctions on the Court after South African lawyer Navi Pillay, a former judge of the ICC, won the "2026 Nobel Peace Prize".

Rubio stated that the USA will not allow Americans to be tried by the ICC and said, "Either the ICC will end its threats or we will abolish the ICC." He used the expression.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024, and the USA opposed the decision.

The Washington administration imposed sanctions on judges and prosecutors, including ICC President Tomoko Akane, in August.