Committed to preventing crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide, as well as impunity for the perpetrators of such crimes, the EU provides unwavering support to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and other international criminal tribunals.

The EU as a body cannot be party to the ICC, but all EU countries are signatories, and the EU has been a vociferous supporter of the ICC’s work. Support is political, financial and technical and is underpinned by an EU Common Position on the ICC , which established an agreed policy on supporting the Court.

A cooperation agreement signed in 2006 also obliges the EU and its members to assist the ICC, for example by passing on classified information.

At an international level, the EU frequently includes a binding clause in agreements with third countries, requiring them to work with the ICC.

EU member countries are the biggest financial contributors to the ICC budget, and the EU itself funds projects supporting the ICC and international criminal justice through its European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR).