Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called on the European Commission to activate the so-called EU blocking statute. This would protect European individuals and organizations against the consequences of American sanctions.
According to several European politicians, the American measures endanger the independence of international justice. They believe the EU cannot remain passive while ICC prosecutors and judges are affected by American financial and visa restrictions.
Arrest warrants
The sanctions by Washington are linked to investigations and arrest warrants issued by the ICC concerning Israel, Palestine, and Afghanistan. Among those sanctioned are prosecutors, judges, and also a special UN rapporteur for Palestine.
Promotion
They state that the American measures seriously disrupt their daily lives. In several cases, banking services, credit cards, and international payments have become unusable. Their travel to the United States has also become impossible.
Spain and Slovenia
Within the EU, pressure is growing to act collectively against Washington, but the EU Commissioners (still?) do not want to get involved. Spain is among the countries openly urging protection for the ICC court based in The Hague. Slovenia, the Netherlands, and Belgium are also named as countries that support measures or have imposed their own restrictions.
At the same time, the EU remains divided on further steps. A proposal to sanction two Israeli ministers at the European level did not gain unanimous support from EU countries. Several countries made clear that they were unwilling to agree.
War crimes
The debate on sanctions takes place while the ICC continues working on investigations into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity. This also involves proceedings concerning Israeli officials and the situation in the Palestinian territories.
European lawyers, parliamentarians, and human rights organizations have been urging Brussels for some time to act more decisively. They argue that the EU loses credibility if it politically supports the court but offers no concrete protection against foreign pressure.