Dialogue on Plastics Pollution (DPP)
Members: 82/164
Open Initiative
Status: Ministerial Statement Agreed for MC12

The Dialogue on Plastics Pollution is described by its proponents as being borne out of the recognition of the need for coordinated action to address the rising environmental, health and economic cost of plastics pollution and the importance of the trade dimension as a solution.

Possible subjects for discussion include improving transparency, monitoring trade trends, promoting best practices, strengthening policy coherence, identifying the scope for collective approaches, assessing capacity and technical assistance needs, and cooperating with other international processes and efforts.

The co-coordinators of the initiative are Australia, Barbados, China, Ecuador, Fiji and Morocco.

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About this Plurilateral
Members

The following WTO Members have cosponsored the Dialogue on Plastics Pollution:

 

Albania; Angola; Argentina; Australia; Austria; Barbados; Belgium; Bolivia, Plurinational State of; Brazil; Bulgaria; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Cameroon; Canada; Central African Republic; Chad; Chile; China; Colombia; Costa Rica; Croatia; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Ecuador; Estonia; European Union; Fiji; Finland; France; Gambia; Germany; Greece; Honduras; Hong Kong, China; Hungary; Iceland; Ireland; Italy; Jamaica; Japan; Kazakhstan; Korea, Republic of; Latvia; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macao, China; Maldives; Malta; Mauritius; Mexico; Mongolia; Montenegro; Morocco; Mozambique; Netherlands; New Zealand; North Macedonia; Norway; Panama; Paraguay; Peru; Philippines; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian Federation; Samoa; Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of; Singapore; Slovak Republic; Slovenia; Spain; Suriname; Sweden; Switzerland; Thailand; Tonga; United Kingdom; United States; Uruguay; Vanuatu;

Public Documents

The following official WTO documents relating to the Dialogue on Plastic Pollution have been released publicly:

 


Statement by TESS Forum

Date: 31 March 2023 Stakeholder: TESS Forum Document: INF/TE/IDP/RD/124 Our summary: Statement by TESS Forum at IDP plenary meeting on 13 March 2023.


Presentation by TESS Forum

Date: 23 February 2023 Stakeholder: TESS Forum Document: INF/TE/IDP/RD/116 Our summary: Presentation by TESS Forum Director Carolyn Deere Birkbeck on 16 February 2023 reviewing the state of play and vision for potential next steps for IDP participants.


Written Submissions from TESS Forum

Date: 7 February 2023 Stakeholder: TESS Forum Document: INF/TE/IDP/RD/102 Our summary: Written submission from TESS Forum for Workshop on Plastic Substitutes on 6 December 2022.


Presentation by TESS Forum

Date: 7 February 2023 Stakeholder: TESS Forum Document: INF/TE/IDP/RD/101 Our summary: Presentation by TESS Senior Policy Advisor Mahesh Sugathan at IDP Workshop on 6 December 2022 on plastic substitutes and alternatives, focusing on definitional considerations and some options for HS Reform.


Statement by TESS Forum

Date: 3 February 2023 Stakeholder: TESS Forum Document: INF/TE/IDP/RD/100 Our summary: Statement by TESS Forum at IDP plenary meeting on 7 December 2022.


Statement by TESS Forum

Date: 1 December 2022 Stakeholder: TESS Forum Document: INF/TE/IDP/RD/77 Our summary: Statement by TESS Forum at IDP pre-plenary meeting on 17 November 2022.


Statement by TESS Forum

Date: 27 October 2022 Stakeholder: TESS Forum Document: INF/TE/IDP/RD/65 Our summary: Statement by TESS Forum at IDP plenary meeting on 11 October 2022.  


Statement by TESS Forum

Date: 5 October 2022 Stakeholder: TESS Forum Document: INF/TE/IDP/RD/63 and Rev.1 Our summary: Statement by TESS Forum at the IDP pre-plenary meeting on 24 May 2022 on Aid for Trade review and needs assessment survey, highlighting relevant TESS policy briefs.


Statement by TESS Forum

Date: 5 October 2022 Stakeholder: TESS Forum Document: INF/TE/IDP/RD/62 Our summary: Statement by TESS Forum at the IDP pre-plenary meeting on 11 May 2022.


Presentation: Presentation by TESS Forum

Date: 7 April 2022 Stakeholder: TESS Forum Document: INF/TE/IDP/RD/31 Our summary: Presentation by TESS Forum Director Carolyn Deere Birkbeck on how trade and trade policies can contribute to tackling plastic pollution and TESS Forum’s contributions.


Presentation: Presentation by TESS Forum

Date: 23 March 2022 Stakeholder: TESS Forum Document: INF/TE/IDP/RD/22 Our summary: Presentation by TESS Senior Policy Advisor Mahesh Sugathan on Aid for Trade in the IDP: Initial findings on state of play and priorities.


Presentation: Presentation by TESS Forum

Date: 23 March 2022 Stakeholder: TESS Forum Document: INF/TE/IDP/RD/21 Our summary: Presentation by Director of the TESS Forum Carolyn Deere Birkbeck on trade flows across the life cycle of plastics and exploring possible amendments to the Harmonized System.


Presentation: European Union experience with the transition to a Circular Plastics sector

Date: 21 June 2021 Member: European Union Document: INF/TE/IDP/RD/5 Our summary: Presentation by European Union presentation on its experience transitioning to a circular economy model of its plastics sector.


Statement by Carolyn Deere Birkbeck, Director of the Forum on Trade, Environment and the SDGs (TESS)

Date: 21 June 2021 Stakeholder: TESS Forum Document: INF/TE/IDP/RD/15 Our summary: Remarks delivered by the Director of the TESS Forum at the 21 June meeting of the Informal Dialogue on Plastic Pollution. Dr. Birkbeck’s remarks shared the findings of an upcoming report entitled ‘How can international trade policy help tackle plastic pollution?’ which will be published by the Global Governance Centre and the TESS Forum. 

Development Initiatives

The Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) Future of Trade and Investment Platform have launched a work programme on value chains and plastic pollution.

The initiative offers country-level case studies and cross-regional dialogue on specific ways trade can address the plastic crisis. The case studies will allow for tailored insights according to countries’ plastic flows, industries and specific needs.

Countries wishing to express interest in the programme can start by taking a short online readiness assessment exploring collaboration across government and sectors on trade and plastic pollution.

A factsheet on the initiative can be found here.

For more information, please get in touch with: taylor.clayton@weforum.org.  

Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs (TESS)

The Sustainability portions of this website would not be possible without the support and contributions of our friends at the Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs (TESS). TESS supports trade policies that advance environmental sustainability and the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It facilitates dialogue and action to align trade and trade policy with the urgent need for global action on the intersecting crises of climate, nature and pollution, informed by the need to address the social and economic dimensions of sustainable development. Launched in mid-2021, TESS is a partnership of the Geneva Graduate Institute and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and we are proud to house it at the Geneva Trade Platform.

News
  • WTO - Plastics Pollution Dialogue unveils elements of potential outcome for MC13 The Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade made substantial progress at a meeting on 25 May, introducing the coordinators’ draft vision on the way forward and elements for a potential outcome at the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) to be held in February 2024. The coordinators of the Dialogue hailed the draft elements as the culmination of extensive work over the past two years and a pivotal step towards achieving “concrete, pragmatic and effective outcomes” at MC13. It’s our responsibility to make MC13 a success, they said.

  • WTO - Plastics Dialogue participants brainstorm on MC13 outcomes, welcome US co-sponsorship Next year’s 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) presents an opportunity for the WTO to deliver concrete, pragmatic, and effective outcomes to reduce plastics pollution and address environmental concerns, according to participants in the Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade at a meeting on 13 March. The attendees had their first focused discussion on the structure of MC13 outcomes and welcomed the United States as a new co-sponsor of the initiative.

  • WTO - Plastics Dialogue participants prepare ground for achieving outcomes at MC13 At the first meeting of the year of the Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade on 16 February, co-sponsors discussed the latest developments in global efforts to reduce plastic pollution. The primary goal in 2023, as outlined by the co-coordinators, is to take steps towards turning a wealth of technical information into “concrete, pragmatic and effective” outcomes at the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13), which is due to take place in Abu Dhabi in February 2024.

  • WTO - Plastics Dialogue advances on ministerial mandate to seek outcomes by MC13 Participants in the Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade met for their third plenary meeting on 11 October and reported progress on working towards “concrete, effective and pragmatic outcomes” for the WTO’s 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) as mandated by their ministers. They also welcomed Mexico, Samoa and Mauritius as new co-sponsors of the initiative.

  • WTO - Trade ministers present early results, pledge to advance plastics dialogue at MC12 event Trade ministers representing the six co-coordinators of the Informal Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade — Australia, Barbados, China, Ecuador, Fiji and Morocco — issued a Ministerial Statement on 13 June presenting early results from their discussions and next steps for the group while reaffirming their commitment to strengthen work on how to tackle the immense challenges posed by plastic pollution.

  • WTO - Trade must be part of the global effort to address plastics pollution: DDG Paugam International efforts to reduce plastics waste and promote more sustainable use of plastics must include a better understanding of the role trade can play in achieving these outcomes, Deputy Director-General Jean-Marie Paugam said on 31 March. DDG Paugam spoke at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s annual Environment Ministerial Meeting in Paris.

  • WTO - Plastics dialogue emphasizes need for international collaboration, cooperation At a meeting of the Informal Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (IDP) on 30 March, participants were updated on the first workstream meeting, which looked into international efforts to reduce plastics waste. Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang urged the IDP to deepen its collaboration and cooperation with other international organizations and work towards concrete and pragmatic solutions for tackling plastics pollution.

  • Plastics dialogue launches three workstreams to advance discussions Participants in the Informal Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (IDP) launched on 18 March discussions in three new workstreams to advance work on reducing plastics waste. This marks the first step in implementing the IDP Ministerial Statement announced in December 2021, said Australia, co-coordinator of the IDP.

  • WTO - New initiatives seek to put environment at heart of trade discussions Co-sponsors of three new environmental initiatives met jointly on 15 December and vowed to put environmental concerns at the heart of future trade discussions. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala joined ministers from the initiative co-coordinators, heads of international organizations and representatives from business and civil society groups in welcoming the initiatives.

  • WTO - Plastics dialogue on track for very positive MC12 outcome, says co-coordinator WTO members participating in the Informal Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (IDP) discussed on 22 October a draft ministerial statement regarding a roadmap for the IDP’s work in support of global efforts to reduce plastics pollution and to transition towards environmentally sustainable plastics trade. Ambassador George Mina (Australia), who chaired the meeting, stressed that the statement is a significant step forwards and urged participants to garner broader support from the WTO membership before the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) at the end of November.

  • WTO - Plastics pollution dialogue advances discussions, eyeing MC12 outcome WTO members participating in the Informal Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (IDP) discussed on 21 June how the WTO can contribute to strengthening policy coherence, exploring collective approaches among WTO members and improving technical assistance to developing countries in support of global efforts to reduce plastic waste and move towards a circular plastics economy. A strong call was made for a declaration to be issued at the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12), to be held in late November, to guide further actions.

  • WTO - Informal Dialogue on Plastics Pollution kicks off again The Informal Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade took place on 29 March 2021 and focused on enhancing transparency and international cooperation. The aim was to establish a solid factual basis to support WTO members’ efforts to reduce plastics pollution and to promote sustainable trade in plastics, with a view to reaching an outcome at the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) to be held in late 2021.

Analysis and Articles
  • IISD - Trade-Related Policy Measures to Reduce Plastic Pollution: Building on the state of play Authors: Ieva Baršauskaitė and Tristan Irschlinger

    As international efforts to tackle plastic pollution are underway at both the United Nations and the WTO, this report examines the trade-related plastic pollution-reduction measures that have already been taken and notified by members of the WTO. By providing a detailed overview of existing policy interventions, the report aims to contribute to ongoing discussions on what further steps could be taken by governments in their efforts to address this complex environmental challenge, either individually or collectively.

  • TESS Forum - Trends in Trade Flows Across the Life Cycle of Plastics: Preliminary Review Authors: Carolyn Deere Birkbeck, Diana Barrowclough, Mahesh Sugathan, Christophe Bellmann and Leonardo Souzo Campos Rodrigues

    This briefing note provides a preliminary review of trends in trade flows across the full life cycle of plastics, starting from trade in feedstocks, precursors, and chemical additives commonly used in plastics through to plastic products and plastic waste.

  • TESS Forum - The WTO Dialogue on Plastics Pollution: Overview and State of Play Authors: Carolyn Deere Birkbeck, Mahesh Sugathan and Simon Ardila Eraso

    The member-led WTO Dialogue on Plastics Pollution—launched in November 2020 and co-sponsored by 75 members representing over 75% of global trade in plastics—aims to foster trade cooperation on plastic pollution within the framework of the WTO’s rules and mechanisms while complementing, supporting, and preventing duplication with efforts and processes in other international fora. This policy brief is intended as an introduction for government officials and stakeholders keen to understand more about the origins and work of the Dialogue. It reviews the Dialogue’s evolution, purpose, and work and also presents an overview of key options for trade-related cooperation identified to date.

  • TESS Forum - Aid for Trade Priorities on Plastic Pollution Author: Mahesh Sugathan

    This policy brief identifies how aid for trade could be harnessed to support developing and least developed countries to address the trade-related aspects of the plastic pollution crisis in a manner that is aligned with their priorities and needs. It suggests a set of short- and medium-term “deliverables” on aid for trade and plastic pollution that WTO members could pursue through the Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and related cooperation at the WTO.

  • TESS Forum - Plastic Pollution and Trade Across the Life Cycle of Plastics: Options for Amending the Harmonized System to Improve Transparency Author: Carla Vaca Eyzaguirre and Carolyn Deere Birkbeck

    This policy brief identifies gaps and challenges in the World Custom Organization’s Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) that are relevant to efforts to tackle plastic pollution. It then puts forward options for amending the HS that would facilitate monitoring and regulating trade flows across the life cycle of plastics. Drawing from the wide range of potential HS amendment options identified, the authors recommend a subset of options that could be pursued in the current 2022-2027 HS amendment cycle.

  • UNCTAD - How to build concerted multilateral action on plastic pollution Authors: David Vivas-Eugui and Henrique Pacini

    Turning the tide on plastic pollution requires multiple and parallel responses within the UN and the multilateral trade system to succeed. It also requires bottom-up, detailed analysis and action at the domestic level, redesigning incentives towards less overall resource usage. While plastic owes its success to its special physical properties, the response by the UN and the multilateral trade system to the plastic pollution challenge must have equivalent properties by being malleable, useful, adaptable and lightweight.

  • TESS Forum - Standards and the International Standardization Landscape: Relevance to Plastics Author: Reinhard Weissinger

    This policy brief aims to help policymakers, academia, and the interested public obtain a better understanding of the structure and functioning of the international standardization system. It offers an overview of some of the main standardization organizations and current plastic standards, identifies some of the gaps in the landscape of these standards, and highlights the potential role, as well as the limitations, of standards in combatting plastic pollution. The paper also provides recommendations for enhancing the impact and effectiveness of standardization.

  • GPAP - Trade and the Circular Economy: A deep dive into plastics action in Ghana The case study aims to better understand how trade flows and trade policies may help or hinder Ghana in addressing plastic pollution and transitioning to a circular economy. The research and recommendations form a preliminary assessment and complement the forthcoming Roadmap for Radical Reduction of Plastic Pollution in Ghana.

  • WEF - Plastics, the Circular Economy and Global Trade This briefing note draws on the expertise of trade and environment experts from across the plastics value chain to identify the key cross-border challenges to scaling a more circular economy for plastics. It also provides basic trade and investment solutions for tackling these challenges and opens the door for further multistakeholder collaboration to build a sustainable circular plastics economy.

MC12 Ministerial Statement on Plastic Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade

The proponents circulated this Ministerial Statement to all WTO Members on 22 November in WTO unrestricted document WT/MIN(21)/8.

Signatories

We, the Ministers representing the following Members of the WTO: Australia; Barbados; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Cameroon; Canada; Central African Republic; Chad; China; Colombia; Costa Rica; Ecuador; European Union; Fiji; The Gambia; Hong Kong, China; Iceland; Jamaica; Japan; Kazakhstan; Macao, China; Morocco; New Zealand; Norway; Panama; Peru; Philippines; Russian Federation; Switzerland; Thailand; United Kingdom; and Vanuatu issue this statement at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12):

Preamble

Recalling that the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the WTO recognizes the role of trade in achieving the objective of sustainable development and the need to protect and preserve the environment.

Noting the role of trade in contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals and environmental sustainability, including the fight against climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

Recognizing that the rising environmental, biodiversity, health and economic costs of plastic pollution are a concern that increasingly unites all Members, and that the COVID-19 pandemic has only amplified these concerns.

Recalling the need for further commitment and actions across the life cycle of plastics to address marine litter and microplastics, including through a circular economy approach.

Acknowledging the impact that plastic pollution (including microplastics pollution) has on economies and the environment, including on oceans, coastal and terrestrial environments, particularly on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) which are especially vulnerable to environmental impacts, and recognizing the challenges that developing members and least developed Members face in addressing trade-related aspects of plastics pollution, including in moving towards environmentally sustainable and effective substitutes and alternatives and the role for multilateral trade cooperation in promoting good practices.

Recalling the inaugural statement ( WT/CTE/W/250/Rev.1 )1 and reaffirming our commitment to addressing the trade-related aspects of the plastic pollution challenge, including by supporting synergies between the WTO and other international organizations, in particular the Secretariats of Multilateral Environmental Agreements and their related processes.

Acknowledging the many international, regional and domestic efforts, decisions and processes aimed at addressing the plastic pollution challenge in other fora, including, inter alia, the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal (Basel Convention) and its Plastic Waste Amendments, and in the context of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), and highlighting the opportunities for enhanced cooperation among the different processes working towards a common vision taking into account the importance to ensure complementarity and avoid duplication of efforts. Noting that recent research by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) indicates trade in plastics accounts for as much as 5 % of global trade – or more than 1 trillion US dollars in 2019 – almost 40% higher than previously estimated, with more trade in plastics still unaccounted.

Noting the importance of work in the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment as well as the synergies with other processes and initiatives at the WTO, and that work on this topic is a key part of broader WTO discussions to advance shared trade and environmental sustainability objectives.

Recognizing the contribution of our discussions so far (as summarized in the IDP Factual Report – INF/TE/IDP/W/3 ), which covered all six topics initially agreed ( WT/CTE/W/250/Rev.1 )1, to provide a clearer picture of international, regional, and domestic efforts to reduce plastic pollution and transition to a more circular and environmentally sustainable global plastics economy, as well as synergies, and the opportunities and value-added nature of addressing trade dimensions of the topic.

Noting the value and importance of proactive engagement by a broad diversity of Members and relevant stakeholders, including, inter alia, international organizations and institutions, trade and environmental authorities and domestic bodies, the private sector, academia, and civil society.


1 The six topics initially agreed were: improving transparency and monitoring trade trends; promoting best practices; strengthening policy coherence; identifying the scope for collective approaches; assessing capacity and technical assistance needs; and cooperating with other international processes and efforts.

Shared Understandings Reached

We have accordingly reached the following shared understandings:

1. To intensify our work on areas of common interest with a view to identifying actions that participating Members could take collectively to support global efforts to reduce plastics pollution. Inter alia, this includes:

•  Identifying ways to improve the understanding of global trade in plastics, including flows of plastics embedded in internationally traded goods or associated with them (such as plastic packaging), and enhance transparency regarding trade policies relevant to reducing plastic pollution and more environmentally sustainable plastics trade. •  Sharing experiences of effective approaches to move towards more circular, resource efficient and environmentally sustainable plastics trade. •  Addressing trade-related capacity building and technical assistance needs of developing members, in particular least developed members and vulnerable SIDS, to support their efforts to:

•  move towards more circular plastics economies;

•  improve the environmentally sound management, recovery and recycling of plastics;

•  facilitate access to key technologies;

•  expand trade in environmentally sustainable and effective substitutes and alternatives;

•  encourage collaboration with the relevant stakeholders through, inter alia, the exchange of knowledge and experience relating to the development of and access to environmentally sustainable and effective (including cost and functionally effective) substitutes and alternatives to single-use plastics;

•  develop and strengthen local capacities to produce environmentally sustainable and effective substitutes and alternatives to single-use plastics; and

•  design and implement trade policies to address plastic pollution.

•  Considering plastic pollution and environmentally sustainable plastics trade in Aid for Trade with environmentally sustainable objectives.

2. We emphasize the importance of continuing to engage and support actions in other international processes, including:

•  Enhancing cooperation with other international organizations in areas such as definitions, scope, standards, design and labelling for plastics (including plastic packaging) and capacity building that would promote a more environmentally sustainable plastics sector, including through relevant international processes, and intensifying our work and continued cooperation on areas of common interest, such as the ongoing discussions towards a new global instrument on plastics at UNEA-5, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the Basel Convention. •  Identifying effective trade policies or measures to support the implementation of actions under other international processes and efforts and strengthening cooperation and policy coherence within rules and mechanisms of the WTO. •  Identifying actions needed to improve gathering of data on trade flows and supply chains, including by utilizing the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS Convention) of the World Customs Organization or other trade instruments or standards, such as UN/CEFACT, and the flow of information about the chemical and material characteristics of plastic products traded internationally.

3. To hold dedicated discussions with a view to identify best practices and share experiences regarding:

•  How trade-related cooperation could help to support efforts to reduce unnecessary or harmful plastics and plastic products, including single-use plastics and plastic packaging associated with international trade that are not essential for medical or sanitary purposes, with special attention to issues and challenges arising for developing members. •  How to promote trade in goods and services including the use of technologies that can reduce plastic pollution, such as: environmentally sustainable waste management technologies; environmentally sustainable and effective substitutes and alternatives; and reused and recycled plastics, including by incentivizing increased reuse and recycling of plastics (considering evidence of their long-term impacts), and identifying technologies for environmentally sustainable and effective substitutes and alternatives of interest to developing members and least developed members, including SIDS which are especially vulnerable to marine litter and plastic pollution, and opportunities for their MSMEs.

4. We invite other WTO Members to join this Ministerial Statement.

5. We will continue to regularly update Members to ensure progress and cooperation on implementing actions of this Ministerial Statement, and to inform WTO Members about the IDP, including through the Committee on Trade and Environment.

6. We will look for concrete, pragmatic, and effective outcomes on these actions and understandings at the latest by MC13.