On 2 May 2017, PGA's Secretary General Dr. David Donat-Cattin addressed a panel of the European Parliament Foreign Affairs' Committee (AFET) together with the Chief of Staff of the ICC Presidency, Ms. Kimberly Prost, and the Deputy Permanent Representative of Liechtenstein to the EU, Mr. Stefan Barriga.
PGA's International Law & Human Rights Program Convenor Ms. Barbara Lochbihler MEP (Germany) and the PGA EP Group Chair Ms. Ana Gomes MEP (Portugal) intervened in the debate with questions and comments. The Human Rights' Director of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Ms. Mercedes Garcia-Perez, also addressed the session and replied to the MEPs.
This Exchange of Views on the ICC was chaired by Mr. Anders Primdahl VISTISEN MEP (Denmark), who made introductory remarks and posed critical questions for the experts.
The session highlighted the pivotal role of the EU in the creation and support of the permanent system of international criminal justice centered on the Rome Statute of the ICC, which entered into force 15 years ago.
The presenters addressed the main achievements and challenges for the ICC ahead of the 2017 Assembly of States' Parties session which is mandated to decide on the activation of the Court's jurisdiction over the crime of aggression, which is contained in Article 5 of the Rome Statute and forms part of the "most serious crimes of concern to the International Community as whole" adjudicated in the Nuremberg trial of 1945-46.
Participating MEPs from various political groups recognized the essential role that the Rome Statute plays in the global efforts to fight impunity for atrocity-crimes and called for a renewed leadership of the EU in support of its universalization and its effectiveness, especially with reference to the duty of cooperation, the duty to investigate and prosecute at domestic level (complementarity) and the need to increase political support for the ICC.
A specific emphasis was made by PGA presenters on the need for Ukraine to ratify the Rome Statute and reaffirm its commitment against impunity without any reservation or delay.
