U.S. Sanctions on the International Criminal Court
Since the negotiation of the Rome Statute, U.S. relations with the Court have zig-zagged between quiet support and open hostility. With President Trump’s return to office, we are back to confrontation. On June 5, Secretary of State Marco Rubio made sanction designations of four ICC judges – two of whom authorized the investigation into Afghanistan and two of whom approved the Netanyahu and Gallant arrest warrants. This post describes these developments and situates them within the broader context of U.S.-ICC relations.
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“The Rule of Law Depends on Administration With Integrity”
Five Questions to Till Patrik Holterhus
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„Der Rechtsstaat ist auf eine redliche Verwaltung angewiesen“
Fünf Fragen an Till Patrik Holterhus
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Migrant “Instrumentalisation” before the ICJ
On 19 May, Lithuania introduced proceedings against Belarus before the International Court of Justice for the alleged smuggling of migrants. Lithuania claims that Belarus violated provisions of the Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, which supplements the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. This blog will detail several difficulties with Lithuania’s argument which seeks to collapse key differences between migrant smuggling and the practice of migrant “instrumentalisation”.
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Using Immigration Court as a Trap
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has begun apprehending noncitizens at immigration court – where individuals appear to seek humanitarian relief or defend against deportation – immediately after the government moves to dismiss their case. Immigrants and their attorneys are increasingly reporting that ICE, in coordination with government lawyers, is detaining individuals as they exit court following such dismissals. Rather than providing a reprieve, dismissal is now being used to facilitate detention and potentially summary deportation, raising serious concerns about due process and adherence to governing statutes in the United States.
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Sleeping on Bills
In a landmark judgment from April 2025, the Indian Supreme Court ruled that gubernatorial inaction is unconstitutional. Responding to the Governor of Tamil Nadu’s failure to act on ten bills, the Court declared such inaction “illegal” and reasserted limits to gubernatorial discretion. It not only imposed a timeframe for assent but also used its extraordinary powers to deem the bills passed.
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CURRENT DEBATES
GEAS-Reform: Halbzeit bis zur Anwendung
Acht Jahre wurde verhandelt, bis sich EU und Mitgliedsstaaten im Mai 2024 durch die Verabschiedung im Parlament auf eine Reform des Gemeinsamen Europäischen Asylsystems (GEAS) einigen konnten. Die Erwartungen sind immens. Dieses Symposium nimmt die Halbzeit bis zur Anwendung im Sommer 2026 zum Anlass, um einen genaueren Blick auf die Rechtsakte und deren Umsetzung zu werfen. Was ändert sich konkret? Wo gibt es Fortschritte? Und wo gibt es Lücken?
Read all articles >>Ongoing Controversies over Methods in EU Law – Towards a Reflexive Turn
The ongoing controversies over methods in EU law reflect a broader rethinking of the discipline, influenced by multiple crises in the European Union. Scholars are questioning traditional conceptions of EU law as a law of integration and its disconnection from European societies. The rise of critical approaches and empirical methods, alongside interdisciplinary perspectives, challenges doctrinal and functionalist interpretations. This shift, often referred to as a methodological turn, does not imply dominance over classical approaches but calls for a “reflexive turn.” Scholars are urged to reflect on their methods and the role of EU law in the production of legal knowledge, fostering greater awareness of historical and contemporary debates in the field.
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Volume 7,Issue 1
April 2025
JUS COGENS
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C. CORRADETTI, G. DAMELE
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Machiavelli’s State and its Later Reception
GÜRKAN ÇAPAR
OUR LATEST PUBLICATION
Alberto Alemanno & Jacquelyn D. Veraldi (eds.)
Musk, Power, and the EU: Can EU Law Tackle the Challenges of Unchecked Plutocracy?
At a time when calls for the EU to respond to Musk’s actions are multiplying, the question of whether, why, and how the EU may react remains largely unanswered. What makes Musk’s conduct problematic under EU law? Is it a matter of disinformation, electoral integrity, foreign influence, unprecedented market concentration, or possible abuse of power? This edited volume assesses whether and how EU law may address plutocratic power and explores a multitude of legal avenues, from freedom of speech to competition law, technology law, data protection and corporate taxation.
Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Grant Agreement No. 101143236.
PROJECTS
VB Security and Crime
In cooperation with:
VB Security and Crime is a cooperation of the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law (MPI-CSL) and the Verfassungsblog in the areas of public security law and criminal law. The MPI-CSL Institute is a member of the Max Planck Law network.
Das Justiz-Projekt
Weltweit gerät die unabhängige und unparteiische Justiz unter den Druck des autoritären Populismus.
Wie verwundbar ist die rechtsprechende Gewalt in Deutschland – im Bund und in den Ländern?
VB Security and Crime
In cooperation with:
VB Security and Crime is a cooperation of the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law (MPI-CSL) and the Verfassungsblog in the areas of public security law and criminal law. The MPI-CSL Institute is a member of the Max Planck Law network.
EDITORIAL
“The Rule of Law Depends on Administration With Integrity”
Five Questions to Till Patrik Holterhus
Continue reading >>„Der Rechtsstaat ist auf eine redliche Verwaltung angewiesen“
Fünf Fragen an Till Patrik Holterhus
Continue reading >>