Council of EU adopts decision allowing EU to become founding member of Special Tribunal to investigate crime of aggression against Ukraine

The Council of the European Union has adopted a decision that will allow the European Union to become a founding member of the Special Tribunal to investigate the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

This explanation was provided to Interfax-Ukraine in Brussels by the Council of the EU, explaining the essence of the decision adopted on May 5 as part of the meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council on "the EU position regarding the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the Management Committee of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine."

"Yesterday's decision means that the EU will now notify the Council of Europe of its intention to join the Enlarged Partial Agreement, subject to the completion of internal procedures," the Council of the EU said.

In addition, the Council of the EU noted that this decision is not the final step in the procedure for establishing the Special Tribunal.

As reported earlier, on March 25, the European Commission launched the process under which the EU can become a founding member, subject to approval by EU member states. If approved, the EU will join the tribunal's Management Committee and play a central role in its governance.

The European Parliament gave its consent to this decision last week. Thus, the Claims Commission may be established during the 135th session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Chisinau on May 14.