PM MEETS WITH A EURASIAN ECONOMIC COMMISSION DELEGATION
Valovaya Tatyana Dmitriyevna, Minister and Member of the Board on the Main Areas of Integration and Macroeconomics of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), paid a working visit to Mongolia on February 2-3.
She met with Prime Minister J.Erdenebat on Friday to discuss trade and economic cooperation between Mongolia and the EEC. During their meeting, the Premier pointed out that Mongolia wants to establish a free-trade agreement between Mongolia and the EEC, and is ready to establish a joint research team to study the possibility of establishing an agreement.
Minister Dmitriyevna noted that she supports the PM’s request and that EEC member states have discussed Mongolia’s proposal and will respond soon. She stressed that trade and economic cooperation between the two parties have not increased since 2010, so there should be a focus on organizing a business forum for EEC member state entrepreneurs and Mongolian entities looking for partnerships.
The Prime Minister supported her idea to organize a business forum and said that the sides need to schedule the meeting. He highlighted that entrepreneurs from the member states of the EEC have great opportunities to conduct business in Mongolia, because Mongolians like consuming products made in EEC member states, especially Russia.
The PM underlined that the Government of Mongolia is concentrating on developing the agricultural sector and exporting agricultural products to EEC member states, but that challenges have been faced in meeting export standards.
He added that organizing a business forum and establishing a free-trade agreement are of great importance to developing trade and economic cooperation between the two sides.
During Minister Dmitriyevna’s meeting with Foreign Affairs Minister Ts.MunkhOrgil, both sides agreed to strengthen collaboration in establishing regulations and raising veterinary, sanitation, and quarantine standards between Mongolia and the EEC, and to organize joint training, seminars, and business meetings in Mongolia.
At the end of their meeting, the sides signed a protocol for a second meeting to be held in November 2016 in Moscow, and developing a 2017-2018 action plan for the working groups of the Government of Mongolia and the EEC.
The action plan will include signing documents for cooperation in roads and transportation, mining, agriculture, business, and professional exchanges, and scheduling a roundtable meeting.