Dialogue
Plastics pollution and environmentally sustainable plastics trade *
A group of WTO members launched in November 2020 an initiative to explore how the WTO could contribute to efforts to reduce plastics pollution and promote the transition to more environmentally sustainable trade in plastics. The Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade is open to all WTO members and seeks to complement discussions in the Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE) and other fora.
See also:
News
Participation
As of April 2023, WTO members are participating in the dialogue.
Meetings
25 May: Plenary meeting
- Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/14
- Presentation by INBAR INF/TE/IDP/RD/134
- Presentation by FAO INF/TE/IDP/RD/135
- Presentation by WTO Secretariat INF/TE/IDP/RD/136
- Presentation by IPEN INF/TE/IDP/RD/137
- Informal Summary by the Coordinators INF/TE/IDP/R/13
27 April: Workshop on Reduction and Circularity to tackle plastic pollution in cooperation with UNEP
- Agenda
- Factual Summary of discussions on Reduction and Circularity INF/TE/IDP/RD/125
- Presentation by WTO Secretariat INF/TE/IDP/RD/126
- Presentation by UNEP INF/TE/IDP/RD/128
- Presentation by UNCTAD INF/TE/IDP/RD/127
- WEF INF/TE/IDP/RD/129
- OECD INF/TE/IDP/RD/130
- PEW INF/TE/IDP/RD/131
- IISD INF/TE/IDP/RD/132
- QUNO INF/TE/IDP/RD/133
Replies to the workshop questionnaire:
13 March: Plenary meeting
- Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/12
- Statement by QUNO INF/TE/IDP/RD/121
- Statement by CIEL INF/TE/IDP/RD/122
- Statement by IISD INF/TE/IDP/RD/123
- Statement by TESS INF/TE/IDP/RD/124
- Informal Summary by the Coordinators INF/TE/IDP/R/12
16 February: Pre-plenary meeting
- Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/11
- Revised Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/11/Rev.1
- Presentation by the Intergovernmental Negotiating committee (INC) Secretariat (UNEP) INF/TE/IDP/RD/104
- Presentation by CIEL INF/TE/IDP/RD/105
- Presentation by WTO Secretariat INF/TE/IDP/RD/106
- Presentation by OECD INF/TE/IDP/RD/107
- Presentation by WTO Secretariat INF/TE/IDP/RD/108
- Presentation by UNODC INF/TE/IDP/RD/114
- Presentation by WCO INF/TE/IDP/RD/109
- Presentation by Minderoo Foundation INF/TE/IDP/RD/110
- Presentation by QUNO INF/TE/IDP/RD/111
- Presentation by UNCTAD INF/TE/IDP/RD/112
- Presentation by TESS INF/TE/IDP/RD/116
- Presentation by World Bank INF/TE/IDP/RD/118
- Presentation by PEW INF/TE/IDP/RD/117
- Presentation by BRS INF/TE/IDP/RD/119
- Aide Memoire INF/TE/IDP/R/11
7 December: Plenary meeting
- Revised Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/10/Rev.1
- Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/10
- Statement by CIEL INF/TE/IDP/RD/98
- Statement by IISD INF/TE/IDP/RD/93
- Statement by PEW INF/TE/IDP/RD/94
- Statement by TESS INF/TE/IDP/RD/100
- Informal Summary by the Coordinators INF/TE/IDP/R/10
6 December: Workshop on Sustainable and Effective Substitutes and Alternatives For Plastics in cooperation with UNCTAD
- Agenda INF/TE/IDP/RD/87
- Statement by ALADI INF/TE/IDP/RD/78
- Presentation by CIEL INF/TE/IDP/RD/80
- Submission by INBAR INF/TE/IDP/RD/81
- Submission by INBAR INF/TE/IDP/RD/82
- Submission by UNCTAD INF/TE/IDP/RD/83
- Submission by FORTUNA COOLS INF/TE/IDP/RD/84
- Submission by BRS INF/TE/IDP/RD/85
- Factual Summary of discussions on Promotion INF/TE/IDP/RD/88/Rev.1
- Presentation by UNCTAD INF/TE/IDP/RD/90
- Submission by UNEP INF/TE/IDP/RD/91
- Presentation by QUNO INF/TE/IDP/RD/95
- Presentation by PEW INF/TE/IDP/RD/96
- Presentation by ALADI INF/TE/IDP/RD/97
- Presentation by WCO INF/TE/IDP/RD/98
- Presentation by NOTPLA INF/TE/IDP/RD/99
- Presentation by TESS INF/TE/IDP/RD/101
- Presentation by TESS INF/TE/IDP/RD/102
- Presentation by ISO INF/TE/IDP/RD/103
17 November: Pre-Plenary meeting
- Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/9
- Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/9/REV.1
- Aide Memoire INF/TE/IDP/R/9
- Presentation by WTO SECRETARIAT – TrPMs Targeting Waste and Scrap INF/TE/IDP/RD/71
- Presentation by WTO SECRETARIAT – TrPMs Targeting Sup INF/TE/IDP/RD/70
- Presentation by WTO SECRETARIAT – TrPMs Targeting Packaging INF/TE/IDP/RD/69
- Presentation by University of Portsmouth INF/TE/IDP/RD/68
- Presentation by Duke University INF/TE/IDP/RD/67
- Presentation by PEW INF/TE/IDP/RD/76
- Presentation by BRS INF/TE/IDP/RD/75
- Presentation by PLASTICS RECYCLERS EUROPE INF/TE/IDP/RD/74
- Presentation by INBAR INF/TE/IDP/RD/73
- Presentation by OECD INF/TE/IDP/RD/72
- Statement by TESS INF/TE/IDP/RD/77
- Statement by CIEL INF/TE/IDP/RD/79
11 October: Plenary meeting
- Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/8/REV.1
- Informal summary INF/TE/IDP/R/8
- Presentation by WTO Secretariat INF/TE/IDP/RD/64
- TESS Statement INF/TE/IDP/RD/65
19-20 September: Pre-plenary meeting
- Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/7/Rev.1
- Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/7
- Presentation by OECD INF/TE/IDP/RD/48
- Presentation by Pew Charitable Trusts INF/TE/IDP/RD/50
- Presentation by Nestlé INF/TE/IDP/RD/54
- Presentation by WBCSD INF/TE/IDP/RD/55
- Presentation by World Bank INF/TE/IDP/RD/56
- Presentation by AptarGroup INF/TE/IDP/RD/53
- Presentation by BRS INF/TE/IDP/RD/49
- Presentation by Consumer Goods Forum INF/TE/IDP/RD/51
- Presentation by Portugal INF/TE/IDP/RD/59
- Presentation by Yves Rocher Foundation INF/TE/IDP/RD/61
- Presentation by the Intergovernmental Negotiating committee (INC) Secretariat (UNEP) INF/TE/IDP/RD/57
- Presentation by MarViva Foundation INF/TE/IDP/RD/52
- Presentation by WTO Secretariat INF/TE/IDP/RD/60
- CIEL Statement INF/TE/IDP/RD/66
24 May: Plenary meeting
- Informal summary by the Coordinators INF/TE/IDP/R/6
- Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/6/Rev.1
- Draft Communication to WCO INF/TE/IDP/W/6
- Survey on Trade-related measures on Plastics Pollution INF/TE/IDP/W/7
- Draft AfT Global Review and needs assessment survey INF/TE/IDP/W/8
- Ambassador LI (China) remarks INF/TE/IDP/RD/42
- World Customs Organization (WCO) statement INF/TE/IDP/RD/43
- BRS Conventions on COPs 2022 INF/TE/IDP/RD/44
- WTO Secretariat - AfT Questionnaire INF/TE/IDP/RD/45
- International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) INF/TE/IDP/RD/46
- Tess Statement INF/TE/IDP/RD/63/Rev.1
11 May: IDP pre-plenary meeting
- Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/5/Rev.1
- Aide Memoire by the Facilitators INF/TE/IDP/RD/41
- UNCTAD INF/TE/IDP/RD/36
- China INF/TE/IDP/RD/37
- China (Draft communication to WCO) INF/TE/IDP/RD/38
- CIEL INF/TE/IDP/RD/39
- UNEP INF/TE/IDP/RD/40
- Tess Statement INF/TE/IDP/RD/62
30 March: IDP Regular meeting
- Informal summary by the Coordinators INF/TE/IDP/R/5
- Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/4
- INF/TE/IDP/CN/4/Rev.1
- CIEL INF/TE/IDP/RD/30
- TESS INF/TE/IDP/RD/31
- UNCTAD INF/TE/IDP/RD/32
- UNEP INF/TE/IDP/RD/33
- Philippines INF/TE/IDP/RD/34
- European Union INF/TE/IDP/RD/35
18 March: IDP workstreams meeting
- Agenda INF/TE/IDP/RD/26
- Aide Memoire by the Facilitators INF/TE/IDP/RD/29
- UNEP Presentation INF/TE/IDP/RD/16
- UNCTAD Presentation INF/TE/IDP/RD/25
- OECD Presentation – Global Plastics Outlook INF/TE/IDP/RD/17
- OECD Presentation – Ghost Gear Study INF/TE/IDP/RD/18
- BRS Conventions Presentation INF/TE/IDP/RD/19
- WCO Statement INF/TE/IDP/RD/20
- TESS Presentation - Understanding trade flows across lifecycle of plastics INF/TE/IDP/RD/21
- TESS Presentation - A4T in the IDP INF/TE/IDP/RD/22
- Ellen MacArthur Foundation Presentation INF/TE/IDP/RD/23
- CIEL Statement INF/TE/IDP/RD/24
- Comments by IISD INF/TE/IDP/RD/27
Documents issued by the Dialogue
- Factual Summary of discussions on Reduction and Circularity INF/TE/IDP/RD/125
- Evolving document with suggestions for contributions, including for MC13 outcomes, shared in DPP meetings INF/TE/IDP/RD/120/Rev.1
- First Draft – Possible MC13 Statement INF/TE/IDP/W/10
- Factual Summary of discussions on Promotion INF/TE/IDP/RD/88/Rev.1
- IDP plan 2022 INF/TE/IDP/W/5
- Communication to WCO INF/TE/IDP/W/6/Rev.1
- Survey on Trade-related measures on Plastics Pollution INF/TE/IDP/W/7/Rev.1
- AfT Global Review and needs assessment survey INF/TE/IDP/W/8/Rev.1
- Ministerial Statement by the Coordinators at MC12 WT/MIN(22)/12
10 December
- Ministerial Statement on Plastic pollution and environmentally sustainable plastics trade (WT/MIN(21)/8/Rev.2)
15 October
- Draft IDP MC12 Statement (INF/TE/IDP/W/4)
4 October
- Factual report (INF/TE/IDP/W/3)
- Factual report (INF/TE/IDP/W/3/Corr.1)
Objective of the talks
In their joint communication to the CTE after their inaugural meeting in November 2020 during the WTO Trade and Environment Week, the participants noted that the rising environmental, health and economic cost of plastics pollution — amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic — is of increasing concern to all countries, large and small, developed and developing.
They highlighted that, given the growing need for coordinated global action, the group would seek to identify opportunities for enhanced trade cooperation within the rules and mechanisms of the WTO to contribute to domestic, regional and global efforts to reduce plastics pollution and to support efforts in other fora. The dialogue is intended to be part of broader WTO discussions to advance environmental sustainability objectives.
Ministerial Statement
A Ministerial Statement issued in December 2021 sets out a roadmap and identifies some key areas on which the Dialogue will focus. These include: how to improve transparency of plastic trade flows, supply chains and trade policies; strengthening regulatory cooperation with other international bodies; identifying environmentally sustainable trade policies and mechanisms; and strengthening trade-related technical assistance for vulnerable economies, including least-developed countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Three workstreams were created by the IDP 2022 Plan adopted in February 2022 to move technical work forward: cross-cutting issues (e.g. transparency, technical assistance); promoting trade to tackle plastic pollution; and reduction to tackle plastic pollution and circular economy for plastics. The initiative's inclusive approach involves relevant stakeholders from the private sector, civil society, international organizations and academia who support discussions through technical expertise, experience and transparency.
State of play
The Dialogue has underlined the importance of having a comprehensive mapping of the full plastics value chain life cycle — including “hidden flows” of trade in “embedded plastics” — and analysis of the opportunities and challenges it presents. To this end, the Dialogue has strengthened its collaboration with other international processes and organizations – in particular, the World Customs Organization (WCO) communication on 8 June 2022 (INF/TE/IDP/W/6/Rev.1), cooperation on United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) negotiations towards a new internationally binding instrument by 2024 to end plastic pollution and efforts under the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions.
The Dialogue has taken a number of tangible steps to implement the Ministerial Statement. These were presented in a press briefing at the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) in June 2022 through a 'Ministerial Statement by coordinators' highlighting the following early harvests to be reaped before MC13:
- a communication on enhanced cooperation with the WCO on plastics flows identification,
- survey of trade-related measures relevant to plastic pollution reduction,
- survey for assessing plastic-related Aid for Trade needs, and
- an exploratory workshop in collaboration with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and other relevant stakeholders on plastics substitutes and alternatives in the second semester of 2022.
* The documents on this page relate to an initiative among a group of WTO members and are not part of a multilaterally agreed WTO process. Back to text
Launch event of Ministerial Statements – TESSD, IDP, and FFSR
09:30-11:00, Wednesday 15 December 2021
Ministerial Statements
Building on the momentum of the positive work already undertaken under each of these three initiatives to position trade as part of the solution for environmental challenges, this joint event recognizes the important achievements supported by a large diversity of members and provides an opportunity to publicly launch the Ministerial Statements on Trade and Environmental Sustainability, Plastic Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade, as well as Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform.
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