Foreign Affairs
Emergency Brake Exists to Counter Trump’s ICC Attack, But Government Hesitates
US President Trump intensified his attack on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague during his UN speech, calling for countries to withdraw from the institution. Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen expressed regret over the hardened tone but emphasized efforts to protect the court through discreet measures. While an EU blocking regulation exists to neutralize US sanctions, the Dutch government prefers not to use it to avoid escalating diplomatic tensions with Washington. Former diplomat Tom de Bruijn noted that such instruments are rarely used, highlighting EU member states' perceived powerlessness against such attacks.
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