Rome Statute Definition and Overview

Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

The 1998 treaty that established the International Criminal Court and defines the core international crimes it can prosecute.
When did the Rome Statute enter into force?
Is the United States a party to the Rome Statute?
What crimes does the Rome Statute cover?

Global AffairsUpdated June 22, 2026

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Timeline

17 July 1998
It was adopted at a diplomatic conference in Rome on and entered into force on 1 July 2002 after the 60th ratification was deposited.
1 July 2002
It was adopted at a diplomatic conference in Rome on 17 July 1998 and entered into force on after the 60th ratification was deposited.

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In March 2023, ICC Pre-Trial Chamber II issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin under the Rome Statute for the war crime of unlawful deportation of children from occupied areas of Ukraine.

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Research it like a delegate

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC). It was adopted at a diplomatic conference in Rome on 17 July 1998 and entered into force on 1 July 2002 after the 60th ratification was deposited. The Court itself is seated in The Hague.

The Statute does several things at once:

It creates the ICC as a permanent, treaty-based court with international legal personality, distinct from ad hoc tribunals like the ICTY and ICTR.
It defines the crimes within the Court's jurisdiction: genocide (Article 6), crimes against humanity (Article 7), war crimes (Article 8), and the crime of aggression (Article 8 bis, added by the 2010 Kampala amendments and activated in 2018).
It sets out jurisdictional triggers: referral by a State Party, referral by the UN Security Council under Chapter VII, or a proprio motu investigation opened by the Prosecutor with Pre-Trial Chamber authorisation.
It codifies the principle of complementarity, meaning the ICC only acts where national courts are unwilling or genuinely unable to prosecute.
It establishes the Court's organs, including the Presidency, Chambers, Office of the Prosecutor, and Registry, and the Assembly of States Parties as its governing body.

The Statute has been amended, most notably at the 2010 Kampala Review Conference, which added the definition of aggression and amended Article 8 on war crimes.

Membership is not universal. Notable non-parties include the United States (which signed in 2000 but later "unsigned"), China, India, Israel, and Russia. Burundi withdrew in 2017 and the Philippines in 2019. Withdrawal is governed by Article 127 and takes effect one year after notification to the UN Secretary-General.

The Rome Statute is the principal reference text for any debate on international criminal accountability.

Frequently asked questions

When did the Rome Statute enter into force?

On 1 July 2002, after the 60th instrument of ratification was deposited, as required by Article 126.

Is the United States a party to the Rome Statute?

No. The U.S. signed the Statute in December 2000 under President Clinton but notified the UN in 2002 that it did not intend to become a party, and has not ratified.

What crimes does the Rome Statute cover?

Four core crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression (the latter activated for jurisdiction in 2018).