Understanding the EU Blocking Statute: Spain’s legal strategy to shield the ICC from US sanctions

on 6 May 2026, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s called for the European Union to activate its Blocking Statute in response to U.S. sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC). This call is not merely a diplomatic gesture; rather, it constitutes a legal mechanism that may be employed to shield the ICC from U.S. sanctions and to uphold the rule of law. It may also be regarded as a genuine test of Europe’s credibility as a defender of international law. Sánchez called for sanctioning those who uphold international justice threatens “the entire human rights system,” and Europe “cannot stand idly by” in the face of such pressure.” Slovenia has joined the call of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez urging the European […]