Netherlands denies active talks with US over curbing ICC powers to lift sanctions
Netherlands denies active talks with US over curbing ICC powers to lift sanctions Submitted by Sondos Asem on Fri, 11/13/2026 - 16:06 Dutch government says no concrete proposals address Washington’s demands, but confirms it is exploring scope for dialogue Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Tom Berendsen reacts prior to a debate on the national security strategy of the United States, in The Hague…
The Dutch government has denied rumors of active negotiations with the US to curb the powers of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in order to lift sanctions imposed on the court. Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen told parliament that no concrete proposals have been discussed, though he confirmed the government is exploring the possibility of dialogue with non-state parties to the ICC on the issue.
The proposed amendments to the Rome Statute, such as immunity for heads of state and exclusion of non-member states from the court's jurisdiction, would require substantial legal hurdles to pass through consensus or a two-thirds majority vote, followed by ratification by seven-eighths of member states. The US sanctions, imposed on the ICC and its officials, are seen as a financial "death penalty" and could cripple the court's operations.
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