Estonia ratifies amendments to the Rome Statute on the crime of aggression and article 8

The President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute (“the Assembly”), Ambassador Tiina Intelmann, welcomed the deposit of the instrument of ratification of the amendments to the Rome Statute on the crime of aggression by her country of origin Estonia. Estonia became the fifth State Party to ratify the crime of aggression amendment that was adopted in a historic consensus at the 2010 Review Conference of the Rome Statute in Kampala, Uganda. Estonia also ratified the amendments pertaining to article 8 on war crimes adopted at the same conference.

“I congratulate Estonia on the ratification of the Kampala Amendments. It is highly commendable that Estonia has become one of the first States to ratify these historic amendments. Having attended the Review Conference myself as Permanent Representative of Estonia to the UN at the time, today’s ratification ceremony is a very special and meaningful moment for me. We expect more ratifications of the Rome Statute amendments by States Parties over the months to come and look forward to welcoming new States joining the Rome Statute in its amended version,” stated President Intelmann speaking in New York.

Ambassador Margus Kolga, the Permanent Representative of Estonia to the United Nations, deposited the instrument of ratification and stated that it was a clear indication of the staunch support that Estonia has demonstrated towards the International Criminal Court.

Estonia ratified the Rome Statute on 30 January 2002 and became the 50th State Party. On 12 December 2011 the Assembly of States Parties elected Ambassador Tiina Intelmann President of the Assembly for a three year term.
The crime of aggression had been included in the Rome Statute in 1998 while its definition and implementation were deferred to a Review Conference. The amendments adopted in 2010 define the crime of aggression and provide for the conditions for the exercise of jurisdiction over this crime. The Court may exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression once thirty States Parties have ratified the amendments, and subject to a decision to be taken after 1 January 2017 by the States Parties.