24/04/2018 (Agence Europe) – The EU and Mongolia held their first joint committee meeting in Brussels on Monday 23 April. These meetings are to monitor implementation of their partnership and cooperation agreement, which entered into force on 1 November 2017 (see EUROPE 11895). The parties agreed to develop an action plan for implementation of the agreement and discussed how to strengthen their cooperation on connectivity issues. As regards human rights and the possibility of reintroducing the death penalty in Mongolia, where it was abolished last year, the EU expressed its opposition to capital punishment in all circumstances. As regards economy and trade, their discussions focused on diversification of the Mongolian economy, implementation of the EU's GSP+ system of trade preferences, investment possibilities, and cooperation in the area of raw materials. (EH)