On 16 July 2026, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy issued a statement on behalf of the EU marking International Criminal Justice Day. The statement pays tribute to those working to uphold justice, accountability, and the rule of law, and reaffirms the EU's commitment to ending impunity for the world's gravest crimes. The EU reiterates its unwavering support for the international criminal justice system, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), ad hoc international tribunals, and hybrid criminal judicial bodies, and calls for the protection of international courts and their officials from threats or sanctions.
The statement emphasizes that the ICC is the cornerstone of the international criminal justice system, ensuring accountability for the most serious crimes and upholding victims' rights. The EU reaffirms its firm commitment to the Rome Statute and calls on all states to ensure full cooperation with the Court. It stresses that the independence, impartiality, and effective functioning of the ICC must be preserved, and the Court must be able to carry out its mandate free from pressure, intimidation, or interference. The EU also highlights the importance of ongoing investigations and cases currently under judicial consideration arising from situations across the world.
At a time when violations of international law continue to cause immense suffering, the EU underscores that accountability remains indispensable for justice, prevention of future atrocities, and sustainable peace. The statement places victims at the centre, affirming their rights to truth, justice, reparations, and guarantees of non-recurrence. The EU pledges continued political, diplomatic, financial, and practical support to the ICC and the broader Rome Statute system, including by strengthening national justice systems in line with the principle of complementarity. The statement concludes that there can be no lasting peace without justice, and no justice without accountability and meaningful reparations for victims.