The Council has authorised amending the AETR to open the treaty to Mongolian adhesion, extending the harmonised driver working rules to one of Asia’s key overland trade corridors.
April 15th, 2026 – Mongolia has formally expressed its intention to accede to the European Agreement Concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles Engaged in International Road Transport, known by its French acronym AETR. The agreement, in force since 1976, sets binding standards on driving times, rest periods, and crew working conditions for vehicles operating on international road routes across its contracting parties.
The accession of the Asian country has nevertheless been hindered by a technical aspect, as under Article 14(1) of the AETR, accession by non-European states not already members of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) is limited to a closed list of countries (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia). Mongolia does not appear on that list, meaning a formal amendment to the treaty itself is required before it can join.
Council Decision 2026/861, adopted on 5 March 2026, authorises the EU to table exactly that amendment. The EU holds exclusive competence in the AETR’s subject matter, as confirmed by the Court of Justice as far back as 1971 in Commission v Council, meaning Member States cannot vote individually here. The Commission will represent the EU position in the UNECE’s AETR Expert Group, while Member States acting jointly will carry it in the broader UNECE Road Transport Working Party (SC.1), whose 121st session is scheduled for 28–30 October 2026.
Given that Mongolia already maintains bilateral transport agreements with several EU Member States and other AETR contracting parties, the Council has determined that bringing it under the AETR umbrella would replace the current patchwork of bilateral arrangements with a single harmonised framework, benefiting operators running freight across the Central Asian overland corridor.
If the SC.1 endorses the proposal, it will be submitted to the UN Secretary-General under the AETR’s amendment procedure.
