IMPORT LICENSING SYSTEM OF MONGOLIA

QUESTIONS FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM TO MONGOLIA

Licensing Requirements for Alcoholic Beverages

The following communication, dated 26 June 2025, is being circulated at the request of the delegation of the United Kingdom.

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The following questions are in relation to Mongolia's licensing requirements for alcoholic beverages. The UK would like to thank Mongolia on their cooperation thus far in addressing our concerns.

Question 1

According to GATT Article XI, no restrictions made effective through import licences shall be instituted or maintained by any Member on the importation of any product from any other Member. Any import licensing regime instituted by a Member must therefore be justified by an exception in GATT. In Mongolia's Quantitative Restrictions notification to the Committee on Market Access (G/MA/QR/N/MNG/1), exceptions of "necessary to protect public morals" and "necessary to protect human, animal or plant life or health" (from GATT Article XX (a) and (b), respectively) are referenced.

a)_   Can Mongolia confirm which exception it is relying on to justify their non-automatic import licensing procedure for alcoholic beverages?

b)_   Can Mongolia please provide an explanation as to how these import licensing measures fulfil the requirements of the relevant exception (both the relevant sub-paragraph and chapeau of Article XX)?

Question 2

Can Mongolia confirm the current cost of import licences for alcoholic beverages and provide a justification for the cost of these licences, with specific reference to whether these costs could have a trade-restrictive effect?

Question 3

Can Mongolia provide information regarding the import licences of alcoholic beverages granted and licence applications rejected over the last twelve months, as well as the distribution of such licences among supplying countries?

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