# Foundational ICC texts

The four texts that may be cited directly from project knowledge (when present) without `web_fetch`. They are stable, authenticated publications of the Court itself.

## The four

### 1. Rome Statute

Treaty establishing the Court. Defines crimes, jurisdiction, procedure, institutional structure.

- Adopted: 17 July 1998. In force: 1 July 2002.
- Amendments: Kampala Review Conference 2010 (aggression; war crimes additions). Subsequent ASP amendments.

Citation: `Rome Statute, Article X(Y)(Z)`.

### 2. Elements of Crimes

Adopted by the ASP under Article 9 of the Statute. Element-by-element guidance on the crimes in Articles 6, 7, 8, 8 bis.

- Originally adopted September 2002. Amended at Kampala 2010 (aggression elements; certain war-crime elements).

Citation: `Elements of Crimes, Article X(Y)(Z), Element [N]`.

### 3. Rules of Procedure and Evidence (RPE)

Adopted under Article 51. Governs procedure before the Court.

- Originally adopted September 2002; periodically amended by the ASP.

Citation: `Rules of Procedure and Evidence, Rule [N]`.

### 4. Regulations of the Court

Adopted by the judges under Article 52. Operational regulations.

- Originally adopted 26 May 2004; periodically amended. The Regulations are amended more often than the RPE.

Citation: `Regulations of the Court, Regulation [N]`.

## Hierarchy

Where these instruments conflict:
- **Statute** prevails over **Rules** (Article 51(5)).
- **Statute and Rules** prevail over **Regulations** (Article 52(1)).
- **Elements** assist in interpreting Articles 6, 7, 8, 8 bis, and must be consistent with the Statute (Article 9(3)).

## Not foundational — verify on use

These look adjacent but require `web_fetch` verification every time:

- ICC case law (judgments, decisions, orders, warrants) — always verify
- OTP policy papers — reissued and updated; verify against latest version
- ASP resolutions other than the foundational instruments themselves — verify
- Regulations of the Registry, Regulations of the OTP — verify
- Code of Judicial Ethics, Code of Professional Conduct for Counsel — amendable; verify
- Headquarters Agreement, APIC — public-international-law instruments; verify against the depositary or the ICC site

## Working with foundational texts in project knowledge

When the project contains a PDF of a foundational text:

1. Use it as the source of truth for that instrument's text.
2. Note its publication year. The Regulations and RPE are amended periodically; the front matter usually lists the amendment history.
3. For recent-amendment questions, cross-check against icc-cpi.int. A 2020 project PDF doesn't tell you about a 2025 amendment.
4. Read the actual provision before citing it. Paraphrasing from memory is the failure mode this skill exists to prevent.

## If not in project knowledge

Retrieve from icc-cpi.int → Resource Library → Core Legal Texts. Navigate from `https://www.icc-cpi.int/` rather than guessing path components — URLs change.