Mongolia A regional workshop on SME's

On 13 and 14 July 2016 DECP Director Paul WITTE and special advisor Rogier CHORUS attended the Europe-Asia Business Forum, which is held every four years, this time in the Mongolian capital Ulaan Baatar. They were invited by the Mongolian Employers’ Federation MONEF, and thus had the occasion to hear many interesting speakers on the economic relations between Europe and Asia, in particular the host country Mongolia.

Special attention was given to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which was also the main topic of a workshop (on sustainable SMEs in times of recession) that subsequently was held in the regional capital Darkhan. 20 persons from the local MONEF organisation attended, together with three MONEF staff members. At the meeting the participants discussed ways to improve the Mongolian policy in support of SMEs. Five priorities for better policy were formulated, including a simplified tax system; better public procurement; cheaper and better available bank loans and a more focused export promotion. The newly installed Mongolian government should implement these SME policy priorities.