EU calls US sanctions on International Criminal Court 'regrettable'

The European Union on Friday described US sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) as "deeply regrettable" and said it was "ready to take any necessary measures to enable the court to carry out its work"."The EU will work closely with the ICC to ensure it continues to operate effectively," the European Commission said, adding it hoped that the six-month delay before the sanctions applied meant "there is room for dialogue"One possible EU response would be to activate a legal instrument known as the "blocking mechanism", which prohibits European firms from obeying the US sanctions "actively or by deliberate omission", giving the European Union a potential means of cushioning some of the impact.European Council President Antonio Costa and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten responded to the sanctions on Friday during a joint press conference in The Hague."The justice, international justice, is the only alternative to revenge.