Towards an EU strategy to protect and strengthen the international justice system and its institutions, mechanisms and partners

This own-initiative report (INI) concerns an EU strategy to protect and strengthen the international justice system and its institutions, mechanisms and partners. The amendments add references to International Criminal Court arrest warrants against Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova over the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine, and to coercive measures by third countries against the Court and figures such as Francesca Albanese. They debate the EU's obligations under the Rome Statute and its cooperation agreement with the ICC, including Member States' duty to comply with arrest and surrender requests, while some amendments insist that foreign affairs and international justice remain Member State prerogatives. Others raise concerns about the Court's perceived impartiality following warrants against Israeli leaders, note the suspension of prosecutor Karim Khan amid sexual abuse allegations, and stress independence, complementarity and the avoidance of double standards.