EU delays response to US sanctions on ICC, Kallas says

Key facts

• EU will not immediately act against US sanctions on the ICC.
• Additional consultations are needed before EU action.
• Nearly 60 MEPs urged the use of the blocking statute.
• US sanctions have a 180-day transition period starting Oct. 9.
• Washington has sanctioned nine ICC judges and the prosecutor.

The European Union will not immediately respond to U.S. sanctions imposed on the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. Speaking in Strasbourg on October 20, Kallas stated that additional consultations are necessary before any action can be taken, despite calls from nearly 60 Members of the European Parliament to utilize the EU's blocking statute. This mechanism is designed to shield European companies from foreign sanctions. The U.S. sanctions, which began an 180-day transition period on October 9, have already targeted nine ICC judges and the prosecutor. European officials intend to use the transition period for negotiations and to assess legal ramifications. Kallas also cautioned that countries withdrawing from the ICC could weaken the international justice system, citing the court's work on war crimes in Ukraine as crucial.