Mongolian Government Introduces Positive Amendments to 2017 Budget



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Mongolia Minister of Finance B. Choijilsuren presented to the Speaker of Parliament M. Enkhbold a set of planned amendments to the 2017 state budget. These amendments have been designed to better ensure the government’s ability to meet its obligations under the International Monetary Fund’s extended fund facility program from which the government will receive substantial loans.

The amendments are intended to stabilize the national budget and the fiscal outlook financial environment, by reductions in budget deficits, and imposing discipline.

The primary changes in the new budget include:

  1. Increasing taxes on alcoholic beverages and imposing tariffs on imported cigarettes;
  2. Increasing taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel;
  3. Increasing taxes on imported vehicles, in accordance with engine capacity;
  4. Dividing personal income taxes into three brackets and increasing personal income tax for people with higher incomes;
  5. Charging a ten percent tax on interest earned from savings accounts;
  6. Raising social insurance fees;

Of these, the biggest and the one that caught the attention of our China lawyers is the changes proposed for the personal income tax. The exact income levels which will be cut off points between the three tax tiers is not yet known, however it is likely that many expatriate employees in Mongolia may be affected by higher taxes on their income.

In addition to the above, the amended budget will impose several new measures intended to reduce the government’s overall operational sending levels and bring expenditures in line with government revenues.

  1. Increase the efficiency of tenders being carried out in the medical sector;
  2. Raise the retirement age every two years;
  3. Promote the Meat and Milk Campaign to develop Mongolian meat and dairy industry;
  4. Provide the state’s monthly welfare allowance of 20,000 MNT for children and other state assistance only to targeted groups;
  5. Repeal existing laws that put pressure on the state budget.

The government will aim to limit deficit spending to 10.6% of overall GDP, with revenue expected to be 23.1 percent of GDP, and overall spending to be 33.7% of GDP.

Of the above measures, LehmanLaw Mongolia is pleased to see efforts to promote the Mongolia meat and dairy industry included. Mongolia’s large expanse of green pasture land, clean water and fresh air should provide excellent opportunities for entrepreneurs and foreign investors seeking to establish meat and dairy production operations in the country. Exports of such products to China should find a willing market, as Chinese meat and dairy consumption is expected to continue rising trends.

The other good news is the general commitment to eliminate old laws that cause unnecessary financial strain on the government. This review process is necessary and is expected to help the government identify new areas where spending can be reduced by smart changes to the law. This is the kind of reform needed to stabilize the Mongolian economy and prepare for long term growth.

What is the Mongolia Capital City Tax?



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As we have discussed in the past, the Law on Capital City Tax was approved by the Parliament and new law has come into valid since October 1, 2015. Regulations dealing with procedures to register a tax payer, removal from registration and receipt of information was also approved in order to implement the law.

According to the law, the Capital City Tax is imposed on entities providing four special services including bars, restaurants, hotels and resorts. Other type of entities are exempt from the Capital City Tax.

However, retailers of all types of alcoholic beverages (including vodka, wine, whiskey, cognac, champagne, beer and airag /horse milk/ etc) and cigarettes (cigar, pipe and tobacco), which are operating on the premises of the Capital City are also considered tax withholders under the law.

The tax rate can be determined around 0-1.0 percent by the Citizens Representative Khural of Capital City based on the location and concentration of the population of particular area in Ulaanbaatar. Thus, the Resolution No 29/19 of Citizens Representative Khural of Capital City, September 29, 2015, set the Capital City Tax at 1 percent for above mentioned services and products in Capital City.

As for improving the Capital City Tax and taxation system, the Mayor of Ulaanbaatar, S. Batbold, and Head of the General Taxation Department L. Zorig signed recently a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in 2017.

Under this document The General Taxation Department will collaborate with the Mayor’s Office to monitor the implementation of tax laws and regulations, and continue the implementation of the law on Capital City Tax and the VAT.

New Draft Mongolia Law on Investigation of Regulatory Infringment



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One of the new drafts scheduled to be considered by Parliament during its next session later this year is a new Law on Investigating Infringement.

Currently in Mongolia, regulatory infringements are addressed by a range of different laws, each addressing specific subject matter. These laws range from the Customs law, Taxation laws, Competition law, Mineral law, Law on State inspection and supervision. In the current state of things, there are several overlapping areas of regulation, sometimes resulting on conflicting provisions. There are also gaps where specific sectors are without relevant regulations. The different laws also treat procedures and process of investigations of infringements differently, which as resulted in concerns about whether constitutional rights are appropriately upheld in each case. The new draft law to be discussed will be designed to cure such faults by protecting individual rights which establishing a uniform standard of official process and powers when resolving suspected regulatory infringements.

The draft to be proposed differentiates regulatory infringement from criminal offences and will adopt a systematic approach to unifying over 230 laws which pertain to various types of regulatory infringement.

Currently the various laws grant 26 different classes of official, ranging from police officer, to tax inspectors, state inspectors, prosecutors and others) ability to investigate suspected infringement and impose penalties. This new law will consolidate those procedures seek to apply uniform procedures.

Under the draft to be proposed all procedures for resolving infringements should take up to 30 days. Up to two extensions of 15 days each will be available if authorized by higher office where additional investigative measures are required.

Individuals or organizations which are the subject of a decision following the investigation of an infringement will be obligated to comply with the terms of the decision within 14 days. In the event there is no compliance, the official Court enforcement agency will have responsibility to enforce the decision.

Individuals or organizations challenging the results of an investigator may appeal the final decision to the prosecutor’s office, and will also have the opportunity to appeal the decision of the prosecutor to a court.

Update on Online Security and Collateral Registration



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As we have mentioned in the past, the Mongolian Law on Pledge of Movable and Intangible Property came into force on March 1, 2017. In order to fully implement this new law,  an official Procedure for Online Registry of Pledges of Movable and Intangible Properties was adopted by Minister of Justice and Internal Affairs on March 3, 2017 and a centralized online registry system, www.mpr.gov.mn, has been established to facilitate for the registration of pledges on movable and intangible properties.

All types of movable assets, present or future can be registered in this electronic database as collateral. This includes accounts receivable, construction equipment, agricultural equipment, crops, consumer goods, documents, industrial equipment, intellectual property, office items, inventory, vehicles, domestic animals, wood, furniture, household item, investment security, mineral resources and others.

The registered collateral information in the database will be available to the public and searchable online by the following key terms at www.mpr.gov.mn :

  • an initial registration number of notice of pledge;
  • creditor’s name and registration number;
  • debtor’s name and registration number; and
  • serial number for vehicles.

Furthermore, this collateral registry system is accessible online for verification, amendment, extension and cancellation of the details of the registered collateral. This centralized modern collateral registry is a big positive step to protect the non-possessory security rights of creditors against third parties by ensuring transparency.

Mongolia Anti-Corruption Law: Overview of Prohibited Activity



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Mongolian law prohibits certain activities by public officials, while other activities are restricted. These prohibitions and restrictions are intended to prevent conflicts of interest in public service and to eliminate opportunities for bribery and other forms of corruption. However, even in the face of legal prohibitions and restrictions, sometimes officials will in communications with our clients suggest “options” or “solutions” that amount to barely disguised violations of these laws. Foreign invested enterprises in Mongolia should “keep an eye out” for these kinds of activities so they are not caught up in an illegal scheme.

Mongolian public officials are prohibited from disclosing in a manner not related to their official duties, information that has been acquired via official capacity. Unfortunately, violations of this prohibition are widespread as politicians and unelected officers will often seek to share or trade in private information gained through their position of privilege. Officials will seek to use this information to further their own interests, or to spread damaging propaganda about opponents.

Public officials are also prohibited from utilizing their official position to issue a decision, or to control, supervise, inquire or impose liability on another for the private purposes of themselves or their friends and family. They are also prohibited from using their official position to put pressure or influence on others. While this is not as common as the information sharing described above, one would not be surprised when encountering an official who seeks to wield their power in this way.

An official is prohibited from using the power of public office in any kind of advertising, except in connection with their official duties, and where participation is in favor of activities in benefit of the society.

Public officials are further prohibited from utilizing public service to represent their own private interests, or those of other individuals, organizations, or companies they are directly or indirectly associated with. Even so, many members of parliament are successful in business and continue ot be involved with a private business. For many a primary reason to become a member of parliament is to enhance or extend to their business opportunities and income. Parliamentarians have been known to introduce new laws and regulations which are beneficial to their private business or their personal interests.

Officials are prohibited from accepting any payment or supplementary payment, or gifts in connection with the performance of their official duties, however, this is another common violation which is often performed discretely.

With regard to an official’s accepting a gift, there is a legal obligation for an official to file a written report within 30 days in the event the value of a one-time gift or service received exceeds the equivalent of that official’s salary for one month, or where the value of gifts received from a single source in the course of one year exceeds the equivalent of that official’s salary over three months. If the value of a gift or service received by an official is in excess of that official’s salary over 6 months, the gifted items shall become the property of the State. The official can accept or redeem these gifts only by way of paying the government the value in excess of the official’s six month total salary.

This is a strange arrangement per western standards as a gift of 6 months total salary may still be a substantial amount. Keep in mind that while a gift of this nature may be legal in Mongolia, foreign companies and individuals may still be subject to anti-corruption laws in their home country, such as FCPA in USA.

Public officials are further prohibited from participating in the business of a company or serving in a management role of a company. Additionally, officials are subject to a two year prohibition on being a shareholder, stockholder or a partner in a legal entity for which the official had been involved decision making on awarding such company government procurement contracts, allocation of central government, provincial or municipal funding, or where the public official had exercised official supervision or control over such company in connection with the official’s public duties.

This is only an introduction to official prohibitions on actions of public office holders. Future blogs will continue our review.

Mongolia Investment Promotion Agreement With Canada



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Canadian Minister of International Trade Francois-Philippe Champagne met March 12, 2017 with Mongolia Mining Minister Ts.Dashdorj, to issue a joint announcement that the Mongolia-Canada Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) has entered into force.

The Global Affairs Department of the Canadian government is quoated as saying, “This agreement sets out a framework of legally binding rights and obligations that will protect Canadian investors in Mongolia. The strong reciprocal protections in the FIPA will help Canadian and Mongolian companies deepen commercial ties with confidence and spur job creation.”

Canada is estimated to have invested over 6.4 billion USD in Mongolia in 2015, one of the larest individual country contributions. Most of this Canadia investment in Mongolia is in Mining and related sectors. It is hoped that FIPA will encourage diversification in investments in areas such as agriculture and infrastructure.

According to the agreement each nation will accord the other “Most Favored Nation” status.

We are happy to see Canada double down on economic engagement with Mongolia. Canada’s efforts include working with Mongolia to develop capacity in natural resources management, official transparency and accountability, and environmental sustainability.

The benefits Mongolia gains from these policy improvements will be felt not only by Canadian investors, but for all foreign investors in Mongolia, along with local Mongolian companies and individuals.

Human Rights Development in Mongolia



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Mongolia Foreign Affairs Minister Ts.Munkh-Orgil recently spoke at the United Nations Human Rights Council where he presented the current human rights policies and measures undertaken by the Government of Mongolia.

Human rights are essential values enshrined in the Constitution of Mongolia, which was one of the original countries to implement the Millennium Development Goal Number 9 as a national plan to improve human rights and promote democratic government.

The Mongolian government’s 2016-2020 action plan places a great priority on continued legal reforms based on the preservation of human rights. Mongolia is working toward elimination of the death penalty, and amending the criminal law and other laws to protect the rights of children and the elderly, as well to protect against domestic violence; combat human trafficking; enhance the transparency, accountability, and independence of the judiciary; and fight corruption in the public sector.

Mongolia’s commitment to democracy and fairness is a major positive point for many foreign businesses and NGOs operating in Mongolia. As the first international law firm established in the country, LehmanLaw Mongolia is excited to see continued progress and development in this area among many others in Mongolian law and society.

United Nations Development Program in Mongolia



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Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Haoliang Xu, is meeting with Mongolian officials to review and discuss the United Nations Development Assistance Framework, a plan for the continued development of Mongolia in years 2017 through 2021.

Mongolia’s cooperation with the UN Agency is intended to assist in the development of new renewalble energy sources in Mongolia and improving Mongolia’s capacity to implement legal and regulatory reform in areas important to preventing and responding to environmental risks. Also priorities are general economic development, and implementation of international principles of rule of law.

The UN Agency is also expected to work with Mongolia in cultivating new ideas and programs for the reduction of air pollution in Ulaabaatar, which has become a problem in recent years, particularly winter. Initiatives to promote the private sector in Mongolia will also be discussed.

Continued cooperation between Mongolia and international organizations such as Mongolia are expected to bring long term benefits as Mongolia navigates trends of increasing urbanization and seeks modernization and development in both its economy and its legal system. Continued cooperation with UN agencies helps to promote stability and prosperity in the country.

New Partnership to Improve Mongolian Construction Standards



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The Mongolia Ministry of Construction and Urban Development (MCUD) signed a new MOU with the IFC for the joint development of new regulations and policies to promote environmentally friendly construction in Mongolia.

In one respect, Mongolia is one of the Most urbanized countries in Asia, with 72% of its population living in a city. However about 60% of city dwellers live in traditional tent-like gers. Many of these gers, as well as newer housing rely on stoves or coal burning to provide heating in the cold winter. This contributes to pollution and health problems.

Mandatory measures are expected to provide significant benefits in the reduction of pollution and improving public health. The partnership between MCUD and IFC is intended to promote stronger energy efficiency regulations and sustainable construction.

The Government of Mongolia aims to reduce heat losses from buildings by 20 percent by 2020 and 40 percent by 2030, compared to 2014 levels.

Mongolia Movable Property Pledges: Online Registration is Perfection



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As we posted previously, the Mongolian Law on Pledge of Movable and Intangible Property was adopted on July 2, 2015. This new legislation was supposed to come into force on September 1, 2016. However, effective date of the law had been postponed until March 1, 2017 due to lack of preparation of the required online database for registration of pledges.

In order to fully implement this new law, the Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs, the International Finance Corporation, the Intellectual Property Rights and State Registration Office, the Bank of Mongolia, and other organizations have cooperated to establish an online database for the registry of pledges on movable property and information regarding collateral.

According to the law, collateral may be all kinds of stocks, securities, rights to demand, industrial designs, trademarks, all creative works of sciences, arts and other movable properties or intangible assets and present or future movable properties of individuals that are usable and transferable to other’s ownership of individuals that is valid and transferable to other’s ownership. Under the law, a Pledge will be perfected upon registration of a notice of the pledge with online registry, whether collateral is not transferred to the pledgee’s possession or a pledge is created by operation of law.

As for movable and intangible assets which have been pledged prior to the new law coming into effect, these collateral need to be registered with the new online database within six months after the entry into force of the law.

The new online database shows how Mongolia is utilizing new technologies to make its legal and financial systems more efficient, and will benefit Mongolian citizens and foreign investors alike. The implementation of this law provides a new lifeline for the economy and will create new opportunities in the business sector. Furthermore, information in the database will be available to the public, and registered information will become official records of assets and collateral.