Status of Ratification and Implementation of the Kampala Amendments on the Crime of Aggression

1 Information compiled from the questionnaire distributed by the Liechtenstein Mission, consultations with government officials, and from the mobilization of the members and the monitoring by the staff of Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA). For queries, additions or corrections please contact joern.eiermann@nyc.llv.li.

I.        Ratification

 A.      Ratifications registered with the Depositary of the Rome Statute (4 States Parties)

 1.       On 8 May 2012, Liechtenstein ratified, as the first country, the amendments on the crime of aggression together with the amendments on Article 8 (war crimes) adopted at the 2010 Review Conference of the Rome Statute of the ICC, held in Kampala, Uganda. The date chosen was highly symbolic, as it coincided with the commemoration of the end of World War II in Europe. The amendments will enter into force for Liechtenstein on 8 May 2013, while the Court’s jurisdiction over the crime of aggression can only be activated in 2017. In order to achieve this goal at least 30 States Parties will have ratify as early as possible, ideally by the end of 2015, and the Assembly of States Parties will have to decide to activate jurisdiction in 2017.

 2.       Since then, the following States have also ratified both Kampala amendments: Samoa (25 September 2012), Trinidad and Tobago (13 November 2012), Luxembourg (15 January 2013). Luxembourg is the first country having ratified and implemented the amendments.

 B.      Concrete progress

3.       According to the information available, government or parliamentary officials in at least the following States Parties are currently actively working on the ratification of the amendments on the crime of aggression: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Botswana, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lesotho,  Malta, the Netherlands, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Romania, Senegal, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, and Uruguay. In Finland, Ghana, Guatemala, Japan, Latvia and Venezuela, the process is in its early stages.´

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