Common Rules and Conditions

Common Rules and Conditions governing the Internship and Visiting Professional Programme at the International Criminal Court

Applicants are reminded that these Common Rules and Conditions constitute a common basis for all Interns and Visiting Professionals taking up placements at the Court.  These rules and conditions may be supplemented by specific requirements of the Organs of the Court offering placements as necessary. Successful applicants will be notified of the complete rules and conditions applicable for the Organ to which they are attached upon commencement.

1. Status of Interns and Visiting Professionals

Interns and Visiting Professionals are not considered in any respect as officials or staff members of the International Criminal Court.  They do not have any supervisory responsibility nor represent the Court in any official capacity.

2. Fundamental duties of Interns and Visiting Professionals

Interns and Visiting Professionals are bound by the same duties and obligations as staff members.  They shall observe all applicable rules, regulations, instructions, procedures and directives of the Court in addition to these Rules and Conditions; refrain from any conduct that would adversely reflect on the Court and abstain from engaging in any activity incompatible with the aims, objectives and interests of the Court.  Furthermore, they shall respect the impartiality and independence required of the Court and therefore the obligation not to seek or accept instructions regarding the services performed from any Government or from any authority external to the Court.  

All Interns and Visiting Professionals are required to sign a confidentiality undertaking and as such are obliged to keep confidential any and all unpublished information made known to him or her by the Court or any personnel therein during the course of their placement.  Except with the explicit authorisation of the President, Chief Prosecutor or Registrar, as appropriate, Interns and Visiting Professionals shall not publish any reports or papers on the basis of information obtained during their participation in the Programme, either during or after the completion of the placement.

There should be no expectancy of employment at the Court during or subsequent to the completion of the placement.  

3. Conflicts of interest

Visiting Professionals may participate in the Visiting Professional Programme while on paid or unpaid leave or while otherwise affiliated with external entities during the course of their placement.  During the course of the placement, all duties and obligations of Visiting Professionals owed to the Court, however temporary and whether expressed or implied, shall take precedence over duties owed to external entities, including professional associations.  Visiting Professionals shall report any potential or perceived conflict of interest arising during the course of the placement to their direct supervisor.  The Court shall have sole discretion to solve any such conflict of interest as it deems appropriate, including termination of a placement in accordance with Rule 15. 

 

4. Visas and identity cards 

The Travel Unit of the Registry of the Court assists applicants who are selected for participation in the Programme with the visa application procedure.  Normally, non-EU citizens require a letter of invitation from the Court for the Dutch consulate in their country of residence, in which reference is made to the period of time for which the visa applicant will join the Court as an Intern or Visiting Professional and that proof of emergency health insurance is provided (if applicable).  Upon arrival in The Netherlands, Interns and Visiting Professionals of non Dutch nationality will be required, with the assistance of the Protocol Unit of the Court, to apply for an identity card.  

5. Family members 

Interns and Visiting Professionals are reminded that they are subject to Dutch immigration laws and thus may not be entitled to bring family members to reside in The Netherlands.

 

6. Funding

Interns and Visiting Professionals will not receive any remuneration for their work.

Thanks to grants from the European Union and the Governments of The Netherlands, Switzerland, Republic of Korea, Finland, and from The MacArthur Foundation, the Court has limited funds to support Interns and Visiting Professionals who are deemed to be most in need of financial assistance in order to take up a placement at the Court.  The Internship and Visiting Professional Selection Committees of the Organs of the Court determine which applicants will receive financial assistance using common eligibility criteria reflecting the aims of the EC grant, namely to:

Increase the number of participants from developing countries, thus contributing to a more equitable geographic representation of Interns and professionals by delinking the participation in the Court’s Internship and Visiting Professionals programme from the personal availability of funds.

Facilitate the contacts between the Court and academic institutions around the world in order to allow the Court to access a pool of highly talented (legal) professionals from all over the world and to contribute to including the Court in a world wide network of intellectual and academic excellence.

Give effect to the principle of complementarity by raising awareness and improving knowledge of the Rome Statute provisions in states whose nationals will participate in the Internship and Visiting Professional Programme and will concretely and practically use the practical experience and theoretical knowledge accumulated at the Court at the national level.

Increase public awareness and support for the mandate of the Court.

Strengthen the system established by the Rome Statute

The decisions of the Internship and Visiting Professional Selection Committees of the Organs of the Court in relation to the eligibility of selected applicants to receive financial assistance are final and shall not be subject to appeal.

Those Interns and Visiting Professionals granted financial assistance will receive a stipend of EUR 1000 per calendar month to cover the costs of living in The Hague. They will also be provided with medical insurance to cover medical assisance in the case of emergency; any costs for regular medical insurance must be borne by the Intern or Visiting Professional.  Additionally for Interns and Visiting Professionals granted financial assistance, the costs for return travel (economy class) from the beneficiary’s place of residence to The Hague are borne by the Court.  NB In this case all travel arrangements shall be made by the Travel Unit of the Court; Interns and Visiting Professionals shall not be reimbursed for costs incurred if travel arrangements are made independently.  Interns and Visiting Professionals already residing in The Netherlands before starting their placement shall not be entitled to any paid travel to their country of origin.  The travel itinerary scheduled by the Court cannot be changed unless authorised by the Internship and Visiting Professional Programme Coordinator.

Interns and Visiting Professionals granted a stipend will receive financial assistance for the first agreed period of placement however funding cannot be guaranteed for any period of extension to the original placement.

Interns and Visiting Professionals who are not granted a stipend under the terms of the EC grant will not receive any financial assistance during their internship at The Hague and will be required to cover all travel, living and insurance costs themselves.

7. Employment in the Netherlands

Interns and Visiting Professionals are not entitled to seek gainful employment in The Netherlands while they are participating in the Internship and Visiting Professional Programme.

8. Duration 

Interns are expected to be available to work full time for a period of between three and six months; Visiting Professionals for between one and three months.  In both cases the duration of the placement is agreed before the placement is commenced.  An extension of the placement may be granted up to the maximum allowable period for an Internship and Visiting Professional placement respectively only if the hosting section makes a request for the continued services of the Intern/Visiting Professional to the appropriate Internship and Visiting Professional Selection Committee.

Internship placements shall not be extended beyond six months.

Visiting Professional positions shall not ordinarily be extended beyond three months unless there are considerable benefits to all parties and full agreement of the Visiting Professional’s employer.

9. Accommodation

The ICC assumes no responsibility for finding accommodation for interns.

10. Duties of receiving Sections and Units

Divisions, Sections and Units receiving Interns and Visiting Professionals shall ensure that the work experience provided is rewarding and enriching.  They shall seek to ensure that assignments are related to his or her academic background, experience and expertise and appropriate in terms of complexity and variety.

11. Work schedule

In general, Interns and Visiting Professionals are expected to work regular office hours.  However there may be occasions when longer hours are requested in order to meet deadlines.  If an Intern or Visiting Professionals is required to work a significant number of extra hours or to work on weekends, arrangements should be made by the supervisor to provide compensatory time off.

12. Official holidays

 
The official holidays of the Court apply to Interns and Visiting Professionals as they do to regular staff members of the Court.

13. Authorised leave and sick leave

 
Interns and Visiting Professionals are eligible for two and half days of leave per month which must be taken during the period of their placement only with the prior authorisation of his or her supervisor.  Leave cannot be accumulated and taken at the end of the placement.  Interns and Visiting Professionals must be at the work place on the last day of their placement.  Any days of leave outstanding at the end of the placement will be considered to have been forfeited by the Intern or Visiting Professional.

Interns and Visiting Professionals accrue half a day of uncertified sick leave per month of placement.  Uncertified sick leave exceeding this entitlement will be deducted from the leave balance.

Interns and Visiting Professionals must give written notice to their supervisors should illness or other unforeseen circumstances prevent them from coming to work or completing their placement.

14. Accidents and/or illness 

 
The Court does not accept any responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness incurred during the Intern’s or Visiting Professional’s placement.

15. Separation

Interns and Visiting Professionals are required to provide their receiving Section or Unit with a copy of all materials prepared during their internship.  Interns and Visiting Professionals are to comply with all required departure procedures at the end of their placement; unless they have the right of residency in The Netherlands, they are obliged to leave the country within fourteen days of completing their placement.  

The Court reserves the right to terminate an Intern’s and Visiting Professional’s placement at any stage in the case of inappropriate or unprofessional conduct, or serious failure to
perform tasks assigned. 

16. Certificate

 
Upon completion of the Intern’s or Visiting Professional’s placement, a certificate will be issued, confirming the duration of the placement and the name of the division, section or unit to which the Intern or Visiting Professional was attached.  

17. Limitations

Interns and Visiting Professionals, where eligible, can only benefit once from funding under the terms of the EC grant provided in support of the Court’s Internship and Visiting Professional Programme. 

18. Age

At the time of commencing the placement, Interns should not be older than 35 years.

19. Submission of application

Applications should be submitted in accordance with the deadlines of the selection campaigns/calls for application for each of the Organs of the Court as published on the website. Incomplete applications may not be considered.