The Coalition for the ICC addresses the High-Level Extended Plenary Meeting of the European Union Victims’ Rights Platform

At a high-level meeting on victims’ rights organised by the European Commission on 17 March 2026, Nour Nassif, The Hague Representative for the Coalition for the ICC, addressed a central question: how can victims of the most serious international crimes effectively access justice in the European Union? 

On 10 December 2025, the European Parliament, Council and Commission reached a provisional political agreement to revise the Victims’ Rights Directive (Directive 2012/29/EU). While formal adoption will take place at a later stage, this agreement explicitly recognises victims of core international crimes within its scope. 

After years of sustained advocacy by civil society, including the Global Initiative Against Impunity, this marks an important step forward. It acknowledges that victims of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes face specific challenges that require tailored responses. 

But recognition must translate into practice. 

As emphasised in the Coalition for the ICC’s intervention, three areas remain essential if access to justice is to become truly meaningful in practice: 

First, improving outreach and communication with victims. 

Many victims only learn about proceedings or about their rights by chance, others through civil society organisations. This shows that access to information remains a major barrier. Victims of international crimes often face specific challenges, including language barriers and outreach materials that are not adapted to their situation, as well as recent arrival in the EU and limited awareness of how justice systems operate. 

Some Member States have already taken innovative steps to address this. For example, in Sweden, the war crimes unit works closely with the Red Cross to support outreach, including developing materials explaining how victims can report international crimes to authorities.  
 
In the Netherlands, authorities have integrated proactive outreach into international crimes cases, including cases related to Afghanistan. For example by informing victims abroad about key developments, working closely with civil society to support participation, and ensuring interpretation in local language, so affected communities can meaningfully follow proceedings. 

A best practice can be found in the experience of the International Criminal Court, which demonstrates the importance of early and proactive outreach to victims. For example, in the situation in Palestine, the Pre-Trial Chamber specifically emphasised the need to ensure adequate outreach to affected communities already at the pre-trial stage, recognising that victims must be informed and engaged from the outset of proceedings. These lessons are increasingly relevant as EU Member States handle a growing number of international crimes cases. 

Building on such practices, the next EU Strategy could promote targeted information on victims’ rights for victims of international crimes, including through the e-Justice Portal, and through actors who are often the first point of contact with victims, such as migration authorities, CSOs, and refugee reception centres, creating a more targeted outreach approach.  

Second, strengthening specialised support and protection. 

Victims participating in these proceedings often face particular risks and vulnerabilities. In many cases, their family members remain in the country where the crimes occurred, which can expose them to risks of retaliation. At the same time, investigations into international crimes are often complex and lengthy, requiring victims to recount traumatic experiences multiple times. In Germany, victims participating in international crimes proceedings; like the Koblenz trial, can benefit from legal representation as joint plaintiffs, alongside psychosocial support measures- helping address both procedural and trauma-related needs. However, this is only available to victims participating and proceedings, and not all victims.  
 
A recommendation would be to strengthen protection and support for victims of international crimes by promoting targeted measures for those facing risks of retaliation, and ensuring that support is integrated and adapted to their specific needs. Also, reinforcing coordination between key actors, like closer cooperation between victim support organisations, law enforcement, prosecutors and social services, and supporting the development of good practices, including through engagement with the Genocide Prosecution Network across all stages of proceedings. 

Third, improving access to compensation. 

Compensation remains to be one of the most difficult rights to realise for victims of international crimes. Even when perpetrators are convicted, compensation is rarely obtained, often because offenders lack assets or because national compensation schemes exclude crimes committed outside the EU. 

Some Member States have introduced mechanisms to help address this challenge. For example, in France, the Crime Victims’ Compensation Recovery Assistance Service (SARVI) mechanism can provide advance payments to victims and later recover the funds from the offender. 

Encouraging Member States to review compensation schemes and explore mechanisms such as asset recovery or state advances could significantly strengthen access to reparations. 

States should also reform laws to enable asset repurposing to fund compensation for victims of international crimes. One tool that could help ensure that victims obtain compensation is the new EU Directive on Asset Recovery and Confiscation, which we call on States to fully transpose into their laws. 

To conclude, the increasing number of universal jurisdiction cases across Europe shows that the EU plays a growing role in enabling justice for victims of international crimes. 

Ensuring that victims have access to information, specialised support, and effective avenues for compensation will be key to making these justice processes meaningful for those they are intended to serve. The next EU Strategy on Victims’ Rights provides an important opportunity to build on existing good practices and ensure that victims of international crimes can effectively exercise their rights when they seek justice in Europe.