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Decision took effect immediately

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has ended its contract with French health and life insurer AXA with immediate effect. The court said it will work with another insurance provider going forward. The decision was taken amid rising concern that new sanctions from the US could affect the institution and its service providers.

According to the Financial Times, which first reported the story, talks between the ICC and Paris-based AXA lasted for months. However, the two sides were unable to agree on a solution that would offset the legal and financial risks posed by possible US measures.

US sanctions preparation sped up the process

The Wall Street Journal reported late last month that the White House was preparing new sanctions against the court. The report said the process gained pace after the ICC sought arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

The Donald Trump administration had already placed more than a dozen judges and prosecutors, including the ICC president, on its sanctions list in August. Speaking sharply against the court at the UN General Assembly last week, Trump called on countries to withdraw from the ICC. So far, only the Pacific island nation of Nauru, formerly known as Naoero, has followed that call.

  • Washington argues that the ICC has overreached by claiming jurisdiction over nationals of countries that have not ratified the Rome Statute, including the US and Israel.
  • The court says possible sanctions could block transactions in US dollars.

New provider has not yet been announced

An ICC spokesperson told Reuters that the contract with AXA had been ended by mutual agreement. The Financial Times said the court will move to a new health insurance provider, but the company has not been made public.

According to the paper, the parties looked for a solution without resorting to a mechanism similar to a blocking statute, which is designed to protect European companies from sanctions by third countries. Even so, the contract could not be maintained because the sanctions threat remains.

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