EU Statement – UN General Assembly: Report of the International Criminal Court

- CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY -

Madam Vice-President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries Montenegro*, Serbia^*, Albania^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina^*and Georgia, as well as Andorra and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

Let me first start by thanking President Tomoko Akane for presenting the report of the ICC and by congratulating her, the Vice-Presidents, the newly appointed judges, and the new President of the Assembly of State Parties, Ms. Päivi Kaukoranta on their appointment. We would like to assure you of our steadfast support for the work of the ICC and of the Rome Statute System.

The European Union and its Member States recognise the Court's central role and achievements in the fight against impunity at the international level. We commend the unabated efforts and the significant progress of work of the Court over the past year, particularly at a time of increased workload and challenging operational environment. The commitment of the EU to support the Court is notably illustrated by the agreement between the EU and the Court on cooperation and assistance which was already concluded in 2006, and on which basis we have a standing cooperation between our respective services.

Madam Vice-President,

The list of judicial and prosecutorial activities detailed in the ICC report is remarkable and confirms the need for accountability around the world and the key role that the Court plays in that respect.

At the same time, the more the Court strives to carry out its mandate independently and impartially, the greater the threats, intimidation and pressure against it.

The European Union and its Member States condemn any attacks or threats on the Court, its Prosecutor, judges, and personnel as unacceptable attempts at influencing their actions and the Court's independent and objective investigations and impartial judicial proceedings.

The Court pursues no political objective. It has no agenda other than to deliver justice for victims. This is why it must be protected from external interference and pressure. We will continue to protect the ICC from attacks and actions intended to destabilize its judicial activity and discredit it.

To become truly effective the ICC must become truly universal. We congratulate Armenia for having ratified the Rome Statute on 14 November 2023, becoming the 124^th State Party. We also warmly welcome the deposit by Ukraine of its instrument of ratification of the Rome Statute this last Friday. This is one further step towards the universalisation of the Statute, and it also reflects a commitment of Ukraine under its Association Agreement with the EU and its Member States. We encourage all States that have not yet done so to ratify the Rome Statute.

The ICC remains reliant on the firm support of its 124 - soon 125 - States Parties in order to operate effectively and safely. We call on all States to follow up on their obligations to cooperate with the Court to put an end to the impunity for the gravest international crimes. Equally, we call on the Security Council to refrain from using the right of veto in cases of mass atrocities and to use its right of referral.

At the heart of all efforts in pursuit of truth, justice and accountability stand the victims and survivors. We encourage the States Parties and others to continue to support the Trust Fund for Victims for its important work in this regard and similarly support the Court's survivor-centred approach to accountability for sexual and gender-based crimes.

Madam Vice-President,

The ICC remains a Court of last resort. Complementarity of jurisdiction is at the core of the ICC's mandate. States have the primary responsibility to investigate and prosecute serious international crimes. It is important to build solid national structures that are able to address these crimes effectively.

Now more than ever, we need to stand by the rules, norms and institutions that prioritise the peaceful settlement of disputes and justice. The ICC is a pillar of this international legal order.

In closing, Madam Vice-President, the European Union and its Member States reiterate their resolute commitment to the Court and will continue to support it politically, diplomatically and financially.

I thank you.

*Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.