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]
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:
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.
Original ratifiers of the agreement in 2008 were:
Afghanistan 
Angola 
Australia 
Austria 
Canada 
China 
France 
Germany 
Iraq 
Poland 
Sierra Leone 
South Africa 
Sweden 
Switzerland 
Ukraine 
United Kingdom 
United States As of July 2021, 58 states and 3 international organizations had joined the Montreux Document. [4]
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