The Court shall maintain financial independence from governments, political parties, public authorities, corporations, donors, and other persons or organisations capable of seeking to influence its judicial decisions.
The Court shall not depend upon compulsory financial contributions from States Parties for its ordinary operation.
The Court shall seek to operate at the lowest reasonable cost while maintaining the independence, security, fairness, and effectiveness of its judicial functions.
The Court may operate primarily through secure digital systems and remote working arrangements, reducing the need for permanent buildings, offices, travel, accommodation, and other unnecessary expenditure.
The lawful sources of funding available to the Court may include: a. voluntary contributions from members of the public; b. voluntary contributions from organisations and civil-society bodies; c. lawful charitable or philanthropic contributions; d. membership or participation contributions where established by the Court; e. lawful revenue generated through digital platforms, social-media activity, broadcasting, educational material, publications, licensing, or other Court-related activities; f. grants from independent charitable, educational, humanitarian, or civil-society organisations where acceptance does not compromise judicial independence; g. lawful proceeds recovered or ordered to be paid under Court judgments where this Treaty expressly permits their use; h. voluntary contributions or assistance from States Parties where acceptance does not create an obligation or influence over judicial decisions; and i. any other lawful source approved under the financial rules of the Court.
No person, government, organisation, donor, sponsor, business, political group, or other contributor shall obtain the right to influence: a. judicial decisions; b. prosecutorial decisions; c. investigative decisions; d. appointment or removal of judges or prosecutors; e. arrest warrants; f. sentencing; g. enforcement decisions; or h. any other judicial or prosecutorial function, as a condition of providing financial or other support.
The Court shall not accept funding where there are reasonable grounds to believe that the contribution is intended to bribe, improperly influence, control, manipulate, or compromise the Court.
The Court shall establish transparent procedures for declaring significant contributions and identifying potential conflicts of interest.
The Court may refuse, return, restrict, or place conditions upon a contribution where necessary to protect its independence or public confidence.
No contributor shall acquire ownership, control, voting rights, judicial authority, appointment rights, or other institutional power over the Court merely by providing financial support.
The Court may generate lawful income through public broadcasting and digital media activities, including advertising, subscriptions, sponsorship arrangements, educational content, licensing, and other lawful digital revenue, provided that such activities do not interfere with judicial independence or the integrity of proceedings.
Commercial sponsorship shall not be permitted to influence the content, timing, outcome, publicity, or treatment of an individual case.
Advertising, sponsorship, or other commercial material shall be kept separate from judicial decisions and official Court records.
The Court may establish voluntary public membership or supporter programmes to allow members of the public to contribute to the continued operation of the Court.
Membership, donations, subscriptions, or other financial contributions shall not provide any person with special access to judges, prosecutors, evidence, witnesses, confidential information, or judicial decision-making.
The Court shall maintain financial records sufficient to demonstrate how its funds are received and spent.
The Court shall publish appropriate financial reports so that the public can examine its sources of funding and significant expenditure.
Financial information concerning individual donors may be protected where disclosure would create a genuine risk to personal safety, privacy, or other lawful interests, subject to the transparency requirements established by the Court.
The Court shall seek to minimise unnecessary expenditure on buildings, offices, travel, accommodation, equipment, and administration through remote and shared working arrangements.
Judges, prosecutors, investigators, defence representatives, and other Court personnel may perform their functions remotely where appropriate, subject to the applicable provisions of this Treaty.
The Court may establish voluntary compensation or reimbursement arrangements for judges, prosecutors, investigators, witnesses, victims, experts, and other participants where financially sustainable.
No person shall be required to make a financial contribution to obtain justice, submit a complaint, provide evidence, or participate in proceedings.
The Court shall not refuse to consider a serious matter solely because the person bringing the matter cannot afford a fee.
Court funds shall be used primarily for the administration of justice, including investigations, judicial proceedings, technology, evidence preservation, victim and witness protection, legal assistance, enforcement, security, and essential administration.
The Court may establish an emergency reserve to maintain essential operations during periods of financial difficulty or unexpected loss of income.
The Court shall establish safeguards preventing any single donor, sponsor, organisation, government, or financial contributor from becoming sufficiently influential to threaten the independence of the Court.
The financial rules of the Court shall be publicly available and shall establish procedures concerning donations, sponsorship, digital revenue, financial reporting, conflicts of interest, expenditure, reserves, auditing, and financial independence.
Nothing in this Article shall prevent the Court from receiving voluntary assistance in the form of equipment, technology, professional services, facilities, or other resources where such assistance is lawful, transparent, and does not compromise the independence of the Court.