Human Rights: EU and Mongolia hold dialogue

The eighth Human Rights Dialogue between the European Union and Mongolia was held online on 24 June. 

The dialogue was conducted in an open and constructive atmosphere and provided the opportunity to discuss a broad range of human rights issues. The EU and Mongolia reviewed recent developments and updated each other on their respective human rights policies and priorities for action. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to the universality and indivisibility of human rights and to the full realisation of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, including to further strengthening cooperation on human rights and the rule of law. 

The EU and Mongolia underscored the importance of cooperation in international human rights fora, including the UN General Assembly. The two sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation under the Alliance for Torture-Free Trade. Mongolia briefed the EU on the follow-up to the outcomes and recommendations of its fourth Universal Periodic Review, held in November 2025. 

The EU and Mongolia exchanged views on the situation of media freedom, including the protection of journalists and media workers and the fight against disinformation and hate speech. The EU welcomed Mongolia’s plan to reform the Law on Media Freedom, following the December 2025 ruling of the Constitutional court which declared that the criminalisation of the dissemination of false information is unconstitutional. The EU encouraged Mongolia to establish a legal framework that protects the freedom of press organisations and ensures that any new legislative initiatives are aligned with its international human rights obligations. The EU also noted that the freedom, independence and plurality of Mongolian press and media must be fully guaranteed.

The parties emphasised the importance of combatting discrimination with particular focus on the persons with disabilities, LGBTQI+ persons and gender-based violence. The EU highlighted the need to adopt comprehensive legislation prohibiting discrimination, including multiple, direct, and indirect discrimination on all grounds prohibited under international law. 

The sides also discussed the protection of children’s rights, including violence against children, sexual violence against minors, child labour and the issue of child jockeys. The EU invited Mongolia to take more decisive and practical measures in these areas, in line with Mongolia’s commitment to improving child protection, strengthening the relevant legal and institutional framework, and ensuring better implementation on the ground. The EU called on Mongolia to continue its efforts to combat child labour, including in rural areas and in hazardous work, increase the minimum age for child jockeys, and align the minimum age of admission to employment with the age of completion of compulsory education.

Mongolia updated on the implementation of the human rights and labour conventions under the GSP+. The EU recalled the importance of fulfilling GSP+ related commitments, and the human rights-related priorities of the current GSP+ monitoring cycle.

The meeting was co-chaired by Nicoletta Pusterla, Acting Head of Division for China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Mongolia at the European External Action Service and by Soyolmaa Jambaldorj, Director-General of Treaty and Law Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia.