Sanctioned ICC judge presses EU to counter US pressure and cut reliance on American payment and tech systems
An International Criminal Court judge targeted by US sanctions is urging the European Union to push back, warning that the measures are designed to intimidate judges and officials beyond America’s borders. He argues the pressure risks eroding democratic decision-making by encouraging self-censorship.
Nicolas Guillou, one of the ICC’s sitting judges, was added to a US sanctions list after the court issued an arrest warrant for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes connected to the Gaza conflict. Guillou says the sanctions are meant to send a message that judicial actions can be punished.
He is due to meet senior EU officials in Brussels, including economy and financial services leaders, to discuss possible responses and legal remedies. Guillou has described the sanctions’ real-world impact as severe, citing blocked access to major payment networks and everyday online services operated by US companies.
A fight over legal independence
Guillou says the scale and targeting of judges is unusual and could set a precedent for political interference in judicial work. He argues the broader risk is that judges, lawmakers, and regulators begin to avoid lawful decisions out of fear of personal consequences.
The measures are part of wider US actions affecting ICC judges and prosecutors, alongside other Europeans connected to decisions made in an official capacity. Critics of the sanctions say they undermine the court’s independence, while Washington has framed its approach as a response to ICC actions it rejects.
EU tools and longer-term options
Guillou has called on the EU to consider using the Blocking Statute, an EU mechanism designed to reduce the impact of certain extraterritorial sanctions on EU persons and businesses. Supporters argue it could offer at least partial protection by limiting compliance within the EU.
He also points to longer-term steps, including reducing Europe’s dependence on US-controlled financial rails and digital platforms that can enforce sanctions quickly. Among the options discussed in EU policy circles is accelerating work on the digital euro and strengthening European payment alternatives.
Guillou says the core issue is resilience, arguing that sanctions bite hardest when access to essential services can be switched off remotely. He is calling for EU solidarity so officials can carry out their duties without fearing personal restrictions tied to foreign policy disputes.
