EU-ICC: Amnesty International Legal Analysis Released

Amnesty International’s legal experts have released a 25-page legal analysis of the conclusions of the EU Foreign Ministers meeting of 30 September which agreed common guidelines for bilateral agreements with the United States on immunity for US citizens from the International Criminal Court.

International Criminal Court: The need for the European Union to take more effective steps to prevent members from signing US impunity agreements (click on title to link to document).

Amnesty International’s legal analysis points to specific weaknesses in the guidelines agreed by EU foreign ministers. Amnesty International also reiterates that it is a misinterpretation by the EU that new agreements to exempt persons from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court are permissible under the Rome Statute establishing the ICC.

This analysis has been forwarded today to the Danish Foreign Minister, Per Stig Moller, representing the EU Presidency, as well as representatives of all EU member state governments, the President of the European Parliament, the President of the European Commission and the High Representative for CFSP.

In conveying its report to EU leaders, Amnesty International calls on the European Union to revise its decision and its principles so that they can be made consistent with the Rome Statute and international law. At the same time Amnesty International renews its call on all governments not to enter into impunity agreements with the US.

For further information or interviews:
Amnesty International EU Office (Brussels):
Tel: 32-2-5021499
Fax: 32-2-5025686
E-mail:
[email protected]