Milestones of the EU-Mongolia relations
1989 Establishment of diplomatic relations between the European Community and Mongolia
1992 Trade and Cooperation Agreement signed in Luxembourg on 16 June (entered into force in March 1993)
Commissioner F. Andriessen pays an official visit to Mongolia.
Prime Minister of Mongolia Byambasuren Dash visits Brussels
1993 Trade and Cooperation Agreement enters into force. First meeting of the Joint Committee in Ulaanbaatar
Speaker of the Mongolian Parliament Bagabandi Natsag visits Brussels
1994 Mongolia becomes eligible for TACIS Programme (Technical Assistance to Community of Independent States and Mongolia)
1995 President of Mongolia Ochirbat Punsalmaa visits Brussels
1996 External Relations commissioner Hans Van den Broek visits Mongolia, first visit of a Commissioner
The European Commission approves the 1996 TACIS Democracy Programme in favour of the New Independent States (NIS) and Mongolia
2001 Mongolia's Prime Minister Enkhbayar Nambar visits Brussels
The European Commission adopts first Country Strategy Paper which outlines the priorities for EC cooperation with Mongolia
The President of the Mongolian Parliament Tumur-Ochir Sanjbegz visits Brussels
2003 European Commission sponsors 5th International Conference of New or Restored Democracies in Ulaanbaatar
European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, P. Nielson, visits Mongolia
2005 Mongolian Prime Minister Elbegdorj Tsakhia meets Commissioner Figel in Brussels
Mongolia enjoys duty-free access to the EU market for practically all of its products under the new General System of Preferences (GSP+)
2006 June 9th EC-Mongolia Joint Committee meeting and first-ever EU-Troika visit to Mongolia
First ever EU-Troika visit (EU Presidency, Commission and Council Secretariat) to Mongolia
The European Commission opens a Technical Office in Ulaanbaatar
2007 New Country Strategy Paper 2007-2013 finalised with a focus on rural development
2009 EU signs civil aviation agreement with Mongolia
2013 HRVP Catherine Ashton first visit to Mongolia, signature the European Union's Partnership and Cooperation agreement with Mongolia
European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dacian Cioloș visits Mongolia
First visit of a President of the European Commission, Mr José Manuel Barroso, to Mongolia
2014 European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, Androulla Vassiliou, pays an official visit to Mongolia
2016 Vice-President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis visits Mongolia in the framework of ASEM Finance Ministers' Meeting
President of the European Council Donald Tusk, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, HRVP Federica Mogherini visit Mongolia in the framework of ASEM Summit
2017 EU-Mongolia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement enters in force
European Union Establishes a Delegation in Ulaanbaatar (November)
2018 First-ever resident EU Ambassador to Mongolia Traian Laurentiu Hristea presents credential to the President of Mongolia
2019 EU-Mongolia celebrate 30th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations
Political relations
Prior to the political reforms of 1990 relations between the EU and Mongolia were extremely limited. Since that year, relations have developed fairly rapidly. The first EU mission visited Ulaanbaatar in October 1990 to open discussions on cooperation and the possibility of concluding a trade and cooperation agreement. In January 1991 Mongolia entered under the EU's GSP arrangement, and in February the same year a high-level Mongolian delegation visited Brussels. The EU Delegate in Beijing was accredited in Ulaanbaatar in May 1991, while the Mongolian ambassador to the EU presented his credentials in November 1992. The dialogue between the European Community and Mongolia intensified during 1995, and included a visit to Brussels by President Ochirbat Punsalmaa.
On 1 November 2017, the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between the European Union and its Member States and Mongolia entered into force. Replacing the 1993 Agreement on trade and economic cooperation, the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement strengthens the existing relationship between the EU and its Member States and Mongolia, consolidates existing areas of cooperation and engagement, and deepens and diversifies relations further in areas of mutual interest. The entry into force of the PCA coincided with the establishment of the EU Delegation in Mongolia, for which implementing the Agreement will be a top priority. The Agreement provides the legal framework for expanding EU-Mongolia relations and covers issues such as political dialogue, trade, development assistance, cooperation in the field of agriculture and rural development, energy, climate change, research and innovation, education and culture.
On 29 May 2018, the EU Ambassador to Mongolia H.E. Traian Laurentiu Hristea presented the credential to the President of Mongolia H.E. Battulga Khaltmaa.
On 12-13 November 2019, Commissioner Neven Mimica, responsible for International Cooperation and Development, paid an official visit to Mongolia, where he met political leaders of Mongolia, including President Battulga Khaltmaa, Minister of Foreign Affairs Tsogtbaatar Damdin, Minister of Finance Khurelbaatar Chimed and Minister of Labour and Social Protection Chinzorig Sodnom. The inauguration ceremony of the EU Delegation premises took place during his visit.
In 2019, the EU and Mongolia celebrated the 30th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations. On this occasion, the Delegation of the European Union to Mongolia hosted the EU day Mongolia on May 26 at the Sukhbaatar square. Present at the event which was organized for the first time, were the Ambassador of the European Union to Mongolia Traian Laurentiu Hristea, Ambassadors and diplomats of 15 EU member states to Mongolia, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs B.Battsetseg and Governor of the capital city and Mayor of Ulaanbaatar S.Amarsaikhan. The event provided the public with an opportunity to get to know the EU member states through their tradition and culture, receive detailed information and advice on studying and travelling in the countries and getting Schengen visa, visit a trade fair of EU countries' entities, as well as to enjoy the countries’ cuisine and art performances. Moreover, during the event, information was given on over 20 EU-funded projects being implemented in Mongolia.
Framework Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Mongolia, of the other part, 2012: eur-lex.europa.eu
Factsheet on the EU-Mongolia Framework Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation: eeas.europa.eu
Summary of the Treaty: ec.europa.eu
Ratification details: consilium.europa.eu
European Parliament non-legislative resolution of 15 February 2017 on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Framework Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and Mongolia, of the other part : europarl.europa.eu