Key facts
- ICC registrar Osvaldo Zavala Giler urged the EU to act quickly on U.S. sanctions.
- The U.S. imposed sweeping sanctions on the ICC on October 9, 2026.
- The sanctions are set to take effect in April 2027.
- The ICC has moved to an open-source software environment and made financial transactions dollar-proof.
- Uncertainty over compliance has affected NGOs working with the court.
The International Criminal Court's top administrative official, Osvaldo Zavala Giler, has called on the European Commission to swiftly provide clear guidance regarding U.S. sanctions imposed on the court. The White House announced sweeping sanctions on October 9, 2026, following earlier restrictions targeting prosecutors and judges in February 2025. Zavala Giler stated that the "lack of clarity" from Brussels leaves companies and NGOs uncertain about compliance and potential risks. The sanctions are scheduled to take effect in April 2027. The ICC has undertaken significant efforts to mitigate the impact, including transitioning to open-source technology and making its financial transactions dollar-proof, a process that has been a "huge undertaking" for his team. The court has also reduced its reliance on U.S. tech providers and ensured its financial transactions have no U.S. nexus, with staff members using European bank accounts and contracts denominated in euros. The registrar expressed concern that without clear EU guidance, the court's ability to transact within the eurozone could be jeopardized, raising questions about European financial sovereignty. He suggested the use of "comfort letters" as an intermediate step to reassure firms. The uncertainty has also created a "chilling effect" on NGOs that support the court's work, such as providing reparations for victims.