The International Claims Commission is the second step of a comprehensive compensation mechanism for victims of the Russian Federation’s war of aggression. Once established, it will review, assess and decide upon compensation claims for damage, loss and injury inflicted by the aggression of the Russian Federation in and against Ukraine. It will operate as an independent administrative body within the framework of the Council of Europe.
The International Claims Commission builds directly upon the existing Register of Damage for Ukraine, established in 2023 within the Council of Europe framework, which collects and records claims from individuals, organisations and public bodies in Ukraine. Once the commission has been established, the register and its work will be transferred to the International Claims Commission.
The legal foundation of this body – the Convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine – was opened for signature to Council of Europe members, the European Union (EU), and other states at a diplomatic conference co-hosted by the Council of Europe and the Netherlands in The Hague on 16 December 2025. The Commission will be established once that convention enters into force. This requires ratification by 25 countries or regional integration organisations, alongside sufficient financial commitments to support its initial work. As of 20 August 2026, there were 40 signatories to the convention, and out of them, seven states and the EU have ratified it.
In February 2026, a preparatory committee for the International Claims Commission was set up by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers to lay the groundwork for the operation of the International Claims Commission for Ukraine. The preparatory committee held its first meeting in June 2026 in The Hague.
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Frequently asked questions
Preparatory Committee for the International Claims Commission
The preparatory committee was established to lay the operational and practical foundations for the International Claims Commission for Ukraine. Its mandate is to prepare proposals and practical arrangements, including drafting the rules and procedures for the different bodies of the commission. Additionally, the committee is responsible for preparing a provisional budget for the claims commission’s first financial year.
Set up by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers in February 2026, the preparatory committee is already working to advance its mandate. It held its first meeting on 22-23 June 2026 in The Hague.
As of June 2026, the preparatory committee consists of representatives from 39 states, plus the European Union, all of whom have signed the Convention establishing the International Claims Commission. Other countries and regional organisations may request to join the preparatory committee as observers. Demonstrating strong global interest, 12 additional states requested and attended the first preparatory committee meeting in June as observers.
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