Z.Gantogoo, Head of the Ministry’s Policy and Planning Department, opened the discussion with a presentation on “Legal Environment and Current Situation of e-Commerce.” Participants in the discussion from the private sector recognized difficulties affecting the industry and expressed their opinions on the necessary measures.

In 2021, the Ministry of Digital Development and Communications and the Asian Development Bank signed a memorandum of understanding. The two parties agreed to collaborate on strengthening the legal environment for e-commerce as part of the MoU. Mongolia currently has the following legal framework in place for e-commerce. Namely,

• The Vienna Convention on International Agreements on the Sale and Purchase of Goods Венийн конвенц
• The Brussels Convention on the Recognition of Judgments in Civil and Commercial Matters Брюселлийн конвенц
• The Convention on the Use of Digital Communications in International Agreements
• The General Agreement on Facilitation of Paperless Cross-Border Trade in Asia and the Pacific (April 28, 2022).

According to the Household and Personal Information, Communication, Technology Use and Accessibility Survey, 29.9 percent of Mongolians over the age of 15 use e-commerce.

• 55.7 percent for footwear, clothing and sports goods;
• 46.2 percent are household goods and furniture;
• 7.2 percent for books and stationery;
• 28.2 percent are cosmetics;
• 13.9 percent for food and food orders;
• 10.9 percent of respondents stated they purchase technical and technological goods and services online.

According to the survey, 49 percent of people buy goods online using social media, 35 percent through websites (amazon, Taobao), and 16 percent through a combination of e-commerce channels. People are increasingly choosing healthier and safer ways of shopping as a result of the pandemic, and the introduction of online ordering services has hastened the growth of e-digital commerce and postal delivery services

However, the majority of individuals do not engage in online shopping due to their preference for in-person shopping, a lack of understanding and abilities in electronic technology, and concerns about trust, security, privacy, and technology. As a result, the Ministry of Digital Development and Communications intends to launch a nationwide campaign to improve residents’ digital skills, knowledge, and comprehension.

In the future, it will be necessary to improve the digital commerce policy and regulatory environment, address infrastructure issues like freight, logistics, and payment, improve regulations to protect consumers and organizations’ interests, create a unified database with digital commerce data and detailed statistics, and highlight addressing and delivery. The Asian Development Bank will conduct a digital commerce research and make policy suggestions based on the outcomes of the discussion.