The International Criminal Court (ICC) has ended its contract with health insurance provider Axa, effective October 1, as the tribunal seeks to protect itself from the ramifications of expanding U.S. sanctions. The decision comes amid heightened tensions following successive American measures targeting the court and some of its officials.

The ICC, based in The Hague, has been under increasing pressure from the U.S. government, which has accused the court of bias and threatened broad sanctions against the institution. While previous sanctions targeted specific individuals associated with the ICC, reports indicated that Washington was considering sanctions against the entire court, complicating the ICC’s ability to maintain service agreements with international firms.

Both the court and Axa, a Paris-based insurer, decided to terminate their relationship out of concern that U.S. sanctions could compel the company to cease business dealings with the ICC or face penalties. Internal discussions at Axa explored potential solutions, including the use of blocking statutes—legal provisions that protect companies from complying with extraterritorial sanctions issued by other countries—but no agreement or effective mechanism was found.

Blocking statutes, which are designed to shield companies from foreign sanctions, have been proposed by a group of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in response to U.S. measures against the ICC. Despite considerable backing from dozens of MEPs, the European Union has yet to enact such legislation specifically addressing this situation.

The ICC prosecutes individuals for serious international crimes such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Over the past two years, approximately half of the tribunal's judges and numerous other officials—13 in total—have been subjected to U.S. restrictions. This has presented significant operational challenges for the court.

Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan, who currently serves as co-head of the prosecutor’s office following the departure of former chief prosecutor Karim Khan, said in a recent interview that the ICC has taken proactive measures to insulate itself against the impact of additional sanctions.

An ICC spokesperson confirmed the mutual consent to end the contract with Axa and indicated that the court would transition to a new, as yet unnamed, health insurance provider to ensure continuity of coverage. Axa described the situation as unprecedented and reflective of an increasingly complex and tense global business environment, expressing concern for the individuals affected by these developments.