Advance version
16 June 2010 12:00

Resolution RC/Res.6
Adopted at the 13th plenary meeting, on 11 June 2010, by consensus

RC/Res.6
The Crime of Aggression
The Review Conference,
Recalling paragraph 1 of article 12 of the Rome Statute,
Recalling paragraph 2 of article 5 of the Rome Statute,
Recalling also paragraph 7 of resolution F, adopted by the United Nations Diplomatic
Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court on
17 July 1998,
Recalling further resolution ICC-ASP/1/Res.1 on the continuity of work in respect of
the crime of aggression, and expressing its appreciation to the Special Working Group on the
Crime of Aggression for having elaborated proposals on a provision on the crime of
aggression,
Taking note of resolution ICC-ASP/8/Res.6, by which the Assembly of States Parties
forwarded proposals on a provision on the crime of aggression to the Review Conference for
its consideration,
Resolved to activate the Court’s jurisdiction over the crime of aggression as early as
possible,
1.
Decides to adopt, in accordance with article 5, paragraph 2, of the Rome Statute of
the International Criminal Court (hereinafter: “the Statute”) the amendments to the Statute
contained in annex I of the present resolution, which are subject to ratification or acceptance
and shall enter into force in accordance with article 121, paragraph 5; and notes that any State
Party may lodge a declaration referred to in article 15 bis prior to ratification or acceptance;
2.
Also decides to adopt the amendments to the Elements of Crimes contained in annex
II of the present resolution;
3.
Also decides to adopt the understandings regarding the interpretation of the abovementioned amendments contained in annex III of the present resolution;
4.
Further decides to review the amendments on the crime of aggression seven years
after the beginning of the Court’s exercise of jurisdiction;
5.

Calls upon all States Parties to ratify or accept the amendments contained in annex I.

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Annex I
Amendments to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal
Court on the Crime of Aggression
1.

Article 5, paragraph 2, of the Statute is deleted.

2.

The following text is inserted after article 8 of the Statute:
Article 8 bis
Crime of aggression
1.
For the purpose of this Statute, “crime of aggression” means the planning,
preparation, initiation or execution, by a person in a position effectively to exercise
control over or to direct the political or military action of a State, of an act of
aggression which, by its character, gravity and scale, constitutes a manifest violation
of the Charter of the United Nations.
2.
For the purpose of paragraph 1, “act of aggression” means the use of armed
force by a State against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence
of another State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Charter of the United
Nations. Any of the following acts, regardless of a declaration of war, shall, in
accordance with United Nations General Assembly resolution 3314 (XXIX) of 14
December 1974, qualify as an act of aggression:
a)

The invasion or attack by the armed forces of a State of the territory of
another State, or any military occupation, however temporary, resulting from
such invasion or attack, or any annexation by the use of force of the territory
of another State or part thereof;

b)

Bombardment by the armed forces of a State against the territory of another
State or the use of any weapons by a State against the territory of another
State;

c)

The blockade of the ports or coasts of a State by the armed forces of another
State;

d)

An attack by the armed forces of a State on the land, sea or air forces, or
marine and air fleets of another State;

e)

The use of armed forces of one State which are within the territory of another
State with the agreement of the receiving State, in contravention of the
conditions provided for in the agreement or any extension of their presence in
such territory beyond the termination of the agreement;

f)

The action of a State in allowing its territory, which it has placed at the
disposal of another State, to be used by that other State for perpetrating an act
of aggression against a third State;

g)

The sending by or on behalf of a State of armed bands, groups, irregulars or
mercenaries, which carry out acts of armed force against another State of such
gravity as to amount to the acts listed above, or its substantial involvement
therein.

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3.

The following text is inserted after article 15 of the Statute:
Article 15 bis
Exercise of jurisdiction over the crime of aggression
(State referral, proprio motu)
1.
The Court may exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression in
accordance with article 13, paragraphs (a) and (c), subject to the provisions of this
article.
2.
The Court may exercise jurisdiction only with respect to crimes of aggression
committed one year after the ratification or acceptance of the amendments by thirty
States Parties.
3. The Court shall exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression in accordance
with this article, subject to a decision to be taken after 1 January 2017 by the same
majority of States Parties as is required for the adoption of an amendment to the
Statute.
4.
The Court may, in accordance with article 12, exercise jurisdiction over a
crime of aggression, arising from an act of aggression committed by a State Party,
unless that State Party has previously declared that it does not accept such jurisdiction
by lodging a declaration with the Registrar. The withdrawal of such a declaration may
be effected at any time and shall be considered by the State Party within three years.
5.
In respect of a State that is not a party to this Statute, the Court shall not
exercise its jurisdiction over the crime of aggression when committed by that State’s
nationals or on its territory.
6.
Where the Prosecutor concludes that there is a reasonable basis to proceed
with an investigation in respect of a crime of aggression, he or she shall first ascertain
whether the Security Council has made a determination of an act of aggression
committed by the State concerned. The Prosecutor shall notify the Secretary-General
of the United Nations of the situation before the Court, including any relevant
information and documents.
7.
Where the Security Council has made such a determination, the Prosecutor
may proceed with the investigation in respect of a crime of aggression.
8.
Where no such determination is made within six months after the date of
notification, the Prosecutor may proceed with the investigation in respect of a crime
of aggression, provided that the Pre-Trial Division has authorized the commencement
of the investigation in respect of a crime of aggression in accordance with the
procedure contained in article 15, and the Security Council has not decided otherwise
in accordance with article 16.
9.
A determination of an act of aggression by an organ outside the Court shall
be without prejudice to the Court’s own findings under this Statute.
10.
This article is without prejudice to the provisions relating to the exercise of
jurisdiction with respect to other crimes referred to in article 5.

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4.

The following text is inserted after article 15 bis of the Statute:
Article 15 ter
Exercise of jurisdiction over the crime of aggression
(Security Council referral)
1.
The Court may exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression in
accordance with article 13, paragraph (b), subject to the provisions of this article.
2.
The Court may exercise jurisdiction only with respect to crimes of aggression
committed one year after the ratification or acceptance of the amendments by thirty
States Parties.
3.
The Court shall exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression in
accordance with this article, subject to a decision to be taken after 1 January 2017 by
the same majority of States Parties as is required for the adoption of an amendment to
the Statute.
4.
A determination of an act of aggression by an organ outside the Court shall
be without prejudice to the Court’s own findings under this Statute.
5.
This article is without prejudice to the provisions relating to the exercise of
jurisdiction with respect to other crimes referred to in article 5.

5.

The following text is inserted after article 25, paragraph 3 of the Statute:
3 bis In respect of the crime of aggression, the provisions of this article shall apply
only to persons in a position effectively to exercise control over or to direct the
political or military action of a State.

6.

The first sentence of article 9, paragraph 1 of the Statute is replaced by the following
sentence:
1.
Elements of Crimes shall assist the Court in the interpretation and application
of articles 6, 7, 8 and 8 bis.

7.

The chapeau of article 20, paragraph 3, of the Statute is replaced by the following
paragraph; the rest of the paragraph remains unchanged:
3.
No person who has been tried by another court for conduct also proscribed
under article 6, 7, 8 or 8 bis shall be tried by the Court with respect to the same
conduct unless the proceedings in the other court:

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Annex II
Amendments to the Elements of Crimes
Article 8 bis
Crime of aggression
Introduction
1.
It is understood that any of the acts referred to in article 8 bis, paragraph 2, qualify as
an act of aggression.
2.
There is no requirement to prove that the perpetrator has made a legal evaluation as to
whether the use of armed force was inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations.
3.

The term “manifest” is an objective qualification.

4.
There is no requirement to prove that the perpetrator has made a legal evaluation as to
the “manifest” nature of the violation of the Charter of the United Nations.
Elements
1.

The perpetrator planned, prepared, initiated or executed an act of aggression.

2.
The perpetrator was a person1 in a position effectively to exercise control over or to
direct the political or military action of the State which committed the act of aggression.
3.
The act of aggression – the use of armed force by a State against the sovereignty,
territorial integrity or political independence of another State, or in any other manner
inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations – was committed.
4.
The perpetrator was aware of the factual circumstances that established that such a
use of armed force was inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations.
5.
The act of aggression, by its character, gravity and scale, constituted a manifest
violation of the Charter of the United Nations.
6.
The perpetrator was aware of the factual circumstances that established such a
manifest violation of the Charter of the United Nations.

1
With respect to an act of aggression, more than one person may be in a position that meets these
criteria.

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Annex III
Understandings regarding the amendments to the Rome Statute of
the International Criminal Court on the Crime of Aggression
Referrals by the Security Council
1.
It is understood that the Court may exercise jurisdiction on the basis of a Security
Council referral in accordance with article 13, paragraph (b), of the Statute only with respect
to crimes of aggression committed after a decision in accordance with article 15 ter,
paragraph 3, is taken, and one year after the ratification or acceptance of the amendments by
thirty States Parties, whichever is later.
2.
It is understood that the Court shall exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression
on the basis of a Security Council referral in accordance with article 13, paragraph (b), of the
Statute irrespective of whether the State concerned has accepted the Court’s jurisdiction in
this regard.
Jurisdiction ratione temporis
3.
It is understood that in case of article 13, paragraph (a) or (c), the Court may exercise
its jurisdiction only with respect to crimes of aggression committed after a decision in
accordance with article 15 bis, paragraph 3, is taken, and one year after the ratification or
acceptance of the amendments by thirty States Parties, whichever is later.
Domestic jurisdiction over the crime of aggression
4.
It is understood that the amendments that address the definition of the act of
aggression and the crime of aggression do so for the purpose of this Statute only. The
amendments shall, in accordance with article 10 of the Rome Statute, not be interpreted as
limiting or prejudicing in any way existing or developing rules of international law for
purposes other than this Statute.
5.
It is understood that the amendments shall not be interpreted as creating the right or
obligation to exercise domestic jurisdiction with respect to an act of aggression committed by
another State.
Other understandings
6.
It is understood that aggression is the most serious and dangerous form of the illegal
use of force; and that a determination whether an act of aggression has been committed
requires consideration of all the circumstances of each particular case, including the gravity of
the acts concerned and their consequences, in accordance with the Charter of the United
Nations.
7.
It is understood that in establishing whether an act of aggression constitutes a
manifest violation of the Charter of the United Nations, the three components of character,
gravity and scale must be sufficient to justify a “manifest” determination. No one component
can be significant enough to satisfy the manifest standard by itself.
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