Ulaanbaatar, February 11, 2026 /MONTSAME/. The official visit of Speaker of the State Great Khural (Parliament) Uchral Nyam-Osor to Russia is ongoing.

On February 9, Speaker Uchral delivered opening remarks at a seminar on the Interim Trade Agreement organized by the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) for Mongolian private sector.

In his opening address, he emphasized that the EAEU and its member states are strategically important partners of Mongolia with longstanding historical ties in trade, economic cooperation, and cultural exchange. However, he noted that Mongolia’s foreign trade and economic cooperation with EAEU member states has yet to reach its full potential. To expand and strengthen regional economic cooperation, Mongolia signed the ITA on June 27, 2025, in Minsk, Belarus, and the agreement was ratified by a plenary session of the State Great Khural on December 12, 2025. According to estimates, the implementation of the ITA is expected to increase Mongolia’s exports to the Eurasian market by 24.2 percent.

He stressed that, as for Mongolia that is a global leader in cashmere production, it is necessary to promptly reduce and resolve non-tariff barriers hindering its access to the Eurasian market in order to fully implement the agreement. He noted that providing businesses with clear, practical information on rules of origin, tariff preferences, customs procedures, technical regulations, standards, and certification, which directly affect trade would be concrete support for Mongolian businesses seeking to enter the Eurasian market and expand export opportunities.

He also cited specific initiatives required in the field of standardization and highlighted that the agreement goes beyond tariff and non-tariff regulations, contributing to the expansion of business cooperation, the reduction of border and customs bottlenecks, and the increase of investment flows. As a result, operational costs for businesses are expected to decrease, investor confidence to grow, and the prices and accessibility of goods and services for consumers to improve.

The business seminar was jointly organized by the Ministry of Economic Development of Mongolia, the Eurasian Economic Union, and the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Participants included representatives from key institutions involved in implementing the Interim Trade Agreement, such as the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry, the Customs General Administration, the Agency for Standardization and Metrology, the Plant Protection Agency, the Small and Medium Enterprises Agency, the General Authority for Veterinary Services, the National Accreditation Center, as well as representatives from the private sector. Business representatives from the food and light industry, leather, construction material, cement, mining, fuel, trade, quality standards, transport and logistics, and pharmaceutical sectors participated in the discussion, raising questions and receiving answers during the seminar.

Mongolia and Russia sign Memorandum on Accreditation Cooperation

During the event, accreditation organizations of Mongolia and Russia signed and endorsed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation. The MoU was signed by Director of the National Accreditation Center of Mongolia, Nyam-Erdene Ser-Od, and Head of the Federal Accreditation Service of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Volvach.

Participants noted that this agreement represents a concrete solution and a significant step toward reducing technical barriers to trade between the two countries. In particular, the mutual recognition of accredited conformity assessment results for exported products is expected to create substantial time and cost savings.

The parties expressed their commitment to close cooperation in line with international practice that regulates certain domestic and foreign trade and export-related issues through accreditation mechanisms. Planned activities within the bilateral cooperation include conducting joint assessments, strengthening coordination among laboratories and certification bodies, eliminating discrepancies in standards, and enhancing the capacity of professionals working in conformity assessment and accreditation.