On 28 June 2018, the German Parliament (Bundestag) adopted the resolution “Strengthening the International Criminal Court” (ICC), which aimed, inter alia, at examining the factors that lead to the long length of proceedings before the Court. In addition, the resolution requested the Federal Government of Germany to formulate proposals that may accelerate the proceedings of the cases under the jurisdiction of the ICC.
Based on this resolution, the International Nuremberg Principles Academy (Nuremberg Academy) conducted a joint research project with the International Criminal Law Research Unit of Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (ICLU) to analyse the length of the proceedings before the ICC. As part of the collaborative project, both institutions developed an analytical framework and assessment process which resulted in the submission of a detailed report with findings and recommendations to the Federal Government of Germany in 2022. The report was presented at the twenty-first session of the ICC Assembly of States Parties, The Hague, in December 2022 and at the German Parliament, Berlin, in October 2023, respectively. The report is freely accessible and available online on the site of the Nuremberg Academy.
In view of the keen interest in the findings and recommendations of the report, the Nuremberg Academy is currently working on examining the ICC legal framework for the purpose of introducing possible amendments to the instruments that govern the functioning of the Court. The specific focus of such approach is on determining in which text(s) should those possible amendments be codified, namely the Rome Statute, the Rules of Procedure and Evidence, the Regulations of the Court and the Rules of Procedure.
In March 2024, the Nuremberg Academy is set to host a workshop in The Hague focused on fostering insightful discussions and an exchange of perspectives with experts on the possible amendment proposals on speeding up the length of the proceedings at the ICC. (pg)
