[as corrected by the procés-verbaux of 10 November 1998 and 12 July 1999]
 
 
PART 1. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COURT
 
Article 1
The Court

            An International Criminal Court ("the Court") is hereby established. It shall be a permanent institution and shall have the power to exercise its jurisdiction over persons for the most serious crimes of international concern, as referred to in this Statute, and shall be complementary to national criminal jurisdictions. The jurisdiction and functioning of the Court shall be governed by the provisions of this Statute.

 
Article 2
Relationship of the Court with the United Nations

            The Court shall be brought into relationship with the United Nations through an agreement to be approved by the Assembly of States Parties to this Statute and thereafter concluded by the President of the Court on its behalf.
 

 Article 3
Seat of the Court

1.         The seat of the Court shall be established at The Hague in the Netherlands ("the host State").
 
2.         The Court shall enter into a headquarters agreement with the host State, to be approved by the Assembly of States Parties and thereafter concluded by the President of the Court on its behalf.

3.         The Court may sit elsewhere, whenever it considers it desirable, as provided in this Statute.

 
Article 4
Legal status and powers of the Court

1.         The Court shall have international legal personality. It shall also have such legal capacity as may be necessary for the exercise of its functions and the fulfilment of its purposes.
 
2.         The Court may exercise its functions and powers, as provided in this Statute, on the territory of any State Party and, by special agreement, on the territory of any other State.
 

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preamble / Part 2
 
(entire Statute (261K))