Montreux Document

The Montreux Document is a multinational agreement specifying governance practices regarding private military and security companies in war zones. It was ratified in Montreux, Switzerland, in September 2008.[1]

Content

Its full name is 'The Montreux Document on Pertinent International Legal Obligations and Good Practices for States related to Operations of Private Military and Security Companies during Armed Conflict of 17 September 2008'.

The document lists some 70 recommendations for state practices such as verifying company track records, examining procedures used to vet staff, conduct prosecution when breaches occur, and ensure compliance and personnel training compatible with international humanitarian and human rights law.[1]

Provisions specify legal obligations incumbent on private security companies. The focus is on times of armed conflict – but the principles are expressly relevant to non-armed conflict situations. It is a non-binding, non-legal document in that it neither creates nor alters legal obligations, but articulates existing requirements pertinent to private security operations.[2]

This document states that governments take responsibility in these situations:

  • Contracting states: countries who contract a private military and security companies ;
  • Territorial states: countries where private military and security companies operate ;
  • Home states: countries where private military and security companies are registered.

Impact

Elements have been incorporated into the management system standards jointly authored and published by ANSI/ASIS, such as PSC.1-2012 and PSC.4-2013.

Ratifying states
The countries that have ratified the agreement as of 17 February 2020[3]

Original ratifiers of the agreement in 2008 were:

As of July 2021, 58 states and 3 international organizations had joined the Montreux Document.[4]

See also

References
  1. "The Montreux Document on Private Military and Security Companies” International Committee of the Red Cross, retrieved December 15, 2010
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2018-01-04. Retrieved 2014-05-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "Participants of Montreux Document".
  4. "Montreux Document Participants".
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