The European Union (EU) and Mongolia held their annual Joint Committee meeting under the EU-Mongolia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, in Brussels on 26 July 2023. The meeting was an opportunity for Mongolia and the EU to reaffirm their partnership based on shared values such as democracy, human rights, the rule of law and the respect of the principles of the UN Charter.

The EU remains fully committed to supporting Mongolia’s Third Neighbour Policy and welcomes Mongolia’s long lasting commitment to multilateralism.

Mongolia and the EU share a common interest in promoting green sustainable development in Mongolia, which is a key objective under the EU-Mongolia Multiannual Indicative Programme 2021-2027 and the EU’s Global Gateway. Mongolia is among the five priority countries with whom the EU has signed a Forest Partnership Agreement as a Global Gateway Flagship in the margins of the COP 27 Climate Change Conference in November 2022. Mongolia and the EU agreed on the continued need to combat climate change and protect the environment as well as to support the full implementation of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs Agenda.

The EU remains fully committed to assist Mongolia in sustainably diversifying its economic and foreign trade structures, as well as to cooperate on improving the Mongolian business environment and maximise the efficiency of Mongolian trade policy tools. Mongolia and the EU are committed to finalise their negotiations of an agreement on the protection of geographical indications, started in 2022.

The EU and Mongolia are examining the possibility of enhancing cooperation on security including peacekeeping.

The EU and Mongolia also discussed regional and global challenges. The EU and Mongolia expressed concern over the suffering of the civilian population and the bombing of civilian infrastructures, and emphasised the need for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The EU recalled its position clearly expressed in the UNGA resolutions ES-11/1, ES-11/2, ES-11/3, ES-11/4, ES-11/5 and ES-11/6,  underscoring the grave violation of the UN Charter and international law. The EU and Mongolia reaffirmed their commitment to the Charter of the United Nations and international law, including the need to respect the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of all nations. It is essential to uphold international law and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and security.

Mongolia and the EU will continue working together to protect and promote human rights. The EU and Mongolia held their annual Human Rights Dialogue on 18 July 2023, which discussed most recent human rights related developments in the EU and Mongolia, the cooperation with UN Human Rights monitoring bodies, their respective approaches on Business and Human Rights, judiciary reforms in Mongolia and the ongoing reform of the EU’s GSP+ Scheme.

Mongolia and the EU held a meeting of the Working Group on Development Cooperation (19 July 2023), in which both parties welcomed the significant progress achieved since last year in the implementation of the Multiannual Indicative Programme for 2021-2027 and of Global Gateway, and also looked ahead towards future challenges and opportunities.

Mongolia and the EU agreed to strengthen their cooperation on green transition, connectivity and digitalisation with the support of the EU’s Global Gateway and Team Europe Initiatives with EU Member States and European Development Banks, creating synergies with Mongolia’s mid-term and long-term development agenda.

Mongolia and the EU agreed to hold their next Joint Committee meeting in 2024 in Ulaanbaatar.

The Joint Committee was co-chaired by Mr. Gunnar Wiegand, Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific at the European External Action Service (EEAS) and Mr Amarsaikhan Sainbuyan, Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia.