INTERNATIONAL LAW
International law is one of the United Nations’ main areas of activity. The United Nations contributes to the codification and progressive development of international law through the International Law Commission, the Sixth (Legal) Committee of the General Assembly and the convening of international conferences such as the UN Conference on the Establishment of the International Criminal Court or, in the past, the UN Conference of the Law of Treaties, or the UN Conference on the Law of the Sea. The principal judicial organ of the United Nations is the International Court of Justice. In recent years, the Security Council has set up two ad hoc international criminal tribunals: the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). Italy strongly supports the activity of both ad hoc international criminal tribunals.
Italy contributed from the very beginning to the creation of the International Criminal Court and hosted in Rome the United Nations Conference that led to its establishment. The ICC aims at prosecuting and punishing international crimes that offend human conscience, such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Italy is proud to have helped make the Court a reality both by organizing the Conference and strongly supporting the ICC project, together with the European Union partners and the States parties of the Rome Statute.