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DRAFT REPORT (2026/2004(INI))

Towards an EU strategy to protect and strengthen the international justice system and its institutions, mechanisms and partners

AFET-PR-787829

Committee on Foreign Affairs · Rapporteur: Mounir Satouri

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This draft report by Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs calls for a comprehensive EU strategy to protect and strengthen the international justice system against unilateral foreign coercive measures. It condemns such measures as unlawful interference with European sovereignty and calls for diplomatic and legal action to revoke them. It urges the Commission to activate the EU Blocking Statute and to adopt an action plan addressing the extraterritorial effects of these measures. It calls for full domestic implementation of the Rome Statute, for Hungary to reverse its withdrawal, and for the Rome Statute's inclusion in the EU acquis. It asks for protection of civil society organisations, human rights defenders and private operators, including EU guidelines against overcompliance and European independent financial and digital infrastructure.

Committee position. The rapporteur proposes that Parliament call for a comprehensive EU strategy and action plan to protect the international justice system, activate the EU Blocking Statute, protect targeted stakeholders, and strengthen European financial and digital sovereignty.

Key points

  1. Recalls that protecting and enforcing international criminal justice is an objective of EU foreign policy, and notes the EU's existing legal, diplomatic, operational and financial instruments.
  2. Condemns all unilateral foreign coercive measures targeting international judicial institutions, UN mandate holders and cooperating human rights organisations, and considers them unlawful interference with European sovereignty.
  3. Calls for EU diplomatic and legal action to revoke all such measures, and for an assessment of EU tools to identify gaps such as the absence of a dedicated strategy.
  4. Calls on the Commission and the High Representative, with Parliament, to propose a comprehensive EU Strategic Framework, with extensive civil society consultation.
  5. Calls on the Commission to adopt an action plan allowing sanctioned entities and individuals to keep access to IT providers, bank accounts, insurance and health coverage.
  6. Urges the Commission to activate the EU Blocking Statute as an immediate instrument against the extraterritorial effects of foreign coercive measures.
  7. Calls on the Commission and Member States to address incomplete domestic implementation of the Rome Statute, and urges Hungary to reverse its withdrawal.
  8. Reaffirms the centrality of the Rome Statute and calls on the European Council to work towards its explicit inclusion in the EU acquis.
  9. Deplores that coercive measures divert resources from investigations, prosecutions and victim protection, create chilling effects and endanger the integrity of evidence.
  10. Commends practices such as Eurojust liaison prosecutors and CICED, calls for their broader worldwide use, and asks to update Europol's mandate so ICC arrest warrants are automatically transferred and implemented.
  11. Recognises civil society's role in documenting international crimes and supporting victims, and deplores restrictions on targeted stakeholders' access to banking, insurance, digital accounts and mobility.
  12. Calls for EU public support for targeted organisations, facilitated visas for ICC witnesses and human rights defenders, and EU guidelines to address overcompliance by private actors.

Who is affected

  • ICC judges, prosecutors and officials, who face coercive measures and restrictions.
  • Civil society organisations documenting international crimes, which face restrictions on banking, insurance, digital accounts and mobility.
  • UN mandate holders and human rights defenders working on accountability, who face coercive measures and need facilitated visas.
  • Banks, insurers and payment providers, which face fines and market exclusion risks and are asked to avoid overcompliance.
  • EU citizens and entities working on international accountability mechanisms, who are targeted by coercive measures.

Figures and deadlines

  • Executive Order 14203 of 6 February 2025, 'Imposing Sanctions on the ICC'.
  • Designations on 6 February, 5 June, 20 August and 18 December 2025 of ICC officials under Executive Order 14203.
  • Coercive measures adopted by the US Government on 9 July and 4 September 2025 affecting UN mandate holders and organisations.
  • Preliminary injunction of 13 May 2026 halting sanctions against Francesca Albanese.
  • Criminal proceedings initiated on 20 March 2023 by the Russian Federation against ICC officials.
  • Judgments in absentia in December 2025 in Moscow against the ICC Prosecutor and eight judges.
  • Decision of 21 May 2023 by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs to place ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan on the federal wanted list.
  • Trust Fund for Victims created in 2004 by the ICC Assembly of States Parties under Article 79 of the Rome Statute.

Legal basis: Articles 2, 3(5), 21, 23, 36 and 37 of the Treaty on European Union, and Articles 208, 212, 220 and 221 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.