Government operations and workforce

Executive Order 12971: Amendment to Executive Order No. 12425

President: Bill Clinton

Expanded the statutory privileges available to INTERPOL in the United States, including customs-related treatment, while preserving specified exceptions.

Status: In effect.

Is Executive Order 12971 still in effect? Yes. Active as part of EO 12425 as amended; privileges were further expanded by EO 13524 in 2009.

What does Executive Order 12971 do?

EO 12971 amended President Reagan’s EO 12425, which designated INTERPOL under the International Organizations Immunities Act. It removed two groups of previously withheld protections, expanding INTERPOL’s treatment under the Act, including customs privileges. A 1996 Customs rule reflected the change. EO 13524 further amended EO 12425 in 2009 by deleting the remaining listed exceptions, so the current designation must be read through both amendments.

Administration position: The order granted organizational privileges defined by federal law. It did not give INTERPOL independent policing powers in the United States or place its personnel above all United States law.
SignedSeptember 15, 1995
OrganizationInternational Criminal Police Organization
AuthorityInternational Organizations Immunities Act

Before and after

Before the order

EO 12425 designated INTERPOL but withheld several statutory privileges and immunities.

After the order

Some exceptions were removed in 1995 and the remaining listed exceptions were removed in 2009.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Federal authoritiesRecognize INTERPOL’s expanded statutory treatmentContinuing under the amended designation
Customs authoritiesApply the international-organization customs rulesFrom implementation

What happened next

EO 12425 designated INTERPOL with exceptions.

EO 12971 removed selected exceptions.

Customs published implementing treatment.

EO 13524 removed the remaining listed exceptions.