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Rh options for such companies. The report recognised the benefits of PMCs and stated that a new regime for regulation should not undermine these. However, the report concluded that:

"a voluntary code is insufficient to regulate the private military industry, because it would not enable the Government to prevent the activities of disreputable companies which were detrimental to the United Kingdom’s interests"

The report recommended that the UK Government (with others) develop a new international convention to regulate PMCs, which might replace the UN Mercenaries Convention. It also made recommendations to balance the benefits and costs of new regulation and proposed a distinction between combat and non-combat activities when regulating PMCs (even if difficult to determine). It is worth noting that a draft UN Convention on Regulating PMSC Activities has been the subject of international debate since 2011. That no meaningful progress has been made on these issues is disappointing

81. International crimes abroad may be prosecuted before the UK courts when there is a connection between the perpetrator and the UK. However—as explained above (paragraph 19)—there are many practical obstacles to holding Wagner fighters to account. These obstacles apply to other, if not all, PMCs. In February, the Government told us that it is “spending more time and focus on accountability” than it was a “few months ago”. The UK has provided significant support to the Ukrainian legal system and to the International Criminal Court, to enable accountability for crimes in the Russia-Ukraine war. This assistance is likely to support the prosecution of offences committed by Wagner fighters in Ukraine. The UK is “not specifically” pursuing accountability for crimes committed within the context of Wagner’s operations in other countries. The FCDO told us that: