Summary: March 10, 2003: Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the EU on the occasion of the Inauguration of the International Criminal Court (ICC) (New York)
The EU welcomes the election of the judges of the International Criminal Court by the Assembly of States Parties to the ICC Statute last February and the Inaugural Session of the Court on 11 March 2003 in The Hague. This is an achievement of paramount importance for the international community.
The EU reaffirms its commitment to the International Criminal Court as an essential means for promoting respect for international humanitarian law. We strongly believe that the International Criminal Court will be an effective mechanism capable not only of combating impunity for the gravest crimes of international concern but also of serving as a powerful deterrent against the commission of such crimes. It will thus contribute to the strengthening of justice and the rule of law as well as to
the preservation of international peace and security in accordance with the Purposes and Principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
After almost ten years of intense work, a long-standing dream of humanity is finally taking shape. The States Parties to the Rome Statute will elect the Prosecutor and Deputy Prosecutors at the second resumed session of the Assembly in April 2003. This, together with the early election of a Registrar, will complete the establishment of the ICC. On the shoulders of the elected officials rests the august responsibility to make the ICC into the universal, strong, independent and credible
international judicial institution that the Diplomatic Conference of Rome envisaged in 1998.
The EU reiterates its commitment, as expressed in the Council Common Position of 11 June 2001 as amended on 20 June 2002, to give full support to the effective functioning of the Court and to the preservation of the integrity of the Rome Statute.
We are convinced that the establishment of the Court will encourage even more States to accede to the Statute, thus further enhancing its universal character, and to fully implement its provisions in their national legislation.
The acceding Countries Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland and Slovenia, the Associated Countries Bulgaria and Romania and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area align themselves with this declaration.
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