Six Members of the European Parliament visited Mongolia from 26 to 30 May, holding talks with politicians, ministers, businesses and civil society as part of an inter-parliamentary tour of Central Asia, including on EU visa liberalisation.
The delegation was led by Giuseppina Princi, Chair of the European Parliament delegation for relations with Central Asia and Mongolia, and included MEPs Sven Simon, Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, Thierry Mariani, Jonas Sjöstedt and Chiara Gemma, the European External Action Service (EEAS) informed on Tuesday.
“Mongolia represents a strategic partner for the European Union at a decisive geopolitical crossroads,” Princi said, citing the country’s location between Russia and China and its “commitment to strengthening ties with Europe.”
The centrepiece of the visit was the 18th EU–Mongolia Inter-Parliamentary Meeting, held at the State Palace in Ulaanbaatar and co-chaired by Mongolian MP G. Temuulen and Princi.
Trade between the EU and Mongolia totals about $1 billion, with imports accounting for 91% and exports 9%, Mongolian MP E. Bolormaa told the meeting.
Mongolian MPs raised issues including co-operation on cybersecurity, data protection and tackling online disinformation, while also discussing a Geographical Indications Agreement — a system that protects product names linked to specific regions — and Mongolia’s use of the EU’s GSP+ trade scheme.
Visa facilitation request raised in talks
Deputy Speaker J. Bat-Erdene told the delegation Mongolia was interested in visa facilitation and working with the EU on issues including disinformation and geographical indications, the EEAS informed.
Princi noted the European Parliament had formally submitted a request to the European Commission and EU Council to start a visa facilitation agreement with Mongolia, modelled on the framework used with Kazakhstan.
During the visit, the delegation also met Mongolia’s Minister of Energy, Naidalaa Badrakh, to discuss energy sector reforms, renewable energy potential and energy co-operation.
The group visited the Mongolian Wool and Cashmere Association and the Evseg Cashmere Factory, and later travelled to Baganuur District to tour Baganuur Electromechanical Plant LLC and meet the district governor, S. Davaasuren.
The next EU–Mongolia Inter-Parliamentary Meeting is scheduled to take place in Brussels in 2027.
