   
  
INF/TE/IDP/W/10/Rev.1  
 
21 November  2023 
(23-7827) Page: 1/3 
  Original: English  
 
DIALOGUE ON PLASTIC POLLUTION AND ENVIRONMENTALLY  
SUSTAINABLE PLASTICS TRADE ( DPP) 
POSSIBLE MC13 STATEMENT  
Revision  
The following communication, dated 20 November  2023, is being circulated at the request of the 
Dialogue  Coordinators .  
 
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We, the Ministers representing the following Member s of the WTO  [  ], issue this statement : 
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  and to enhance the means for doing so in a manner consistent with WTO Member s 
respective needs and concerns at different  levels of economic development .  
Expressing  our deep concern about the triple global crisis of biodiversity loss, pollution and climate 
change and their related natural disasters, and recognizing  that these challenges are inextricably 
interlinked and mutually reinforcing, and that they are driven largely by unsustainable patterns of 
consum ption, production and disposal and their related economic and health costs.  
Acknowledging the negative impact that plastic pollution has on the environment, particularly in 
small , vulnerable economies  (SVE)  and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), as wel l as on all 
economies, including the blue  economy, and on human health, while recognizing the important role 
plastics play in society.   
Recognizing  the transboundary nature of plastic pollution , plastic waste and plastics trade , making 
it crucial for Member s to cooperate and coordinate their efforts to address the plastic pollution crisis 
and its adverse  effects  on the environment and human health , and acknowledging the growing 
urgent need to tackle th is crisis, the need for coordinated action across policy areas and to frequently  
evaluate and assess approaches consistent with developments in science , technology  and 
knowledge.  
Welcoming  the timely c onclusion of an ambitious international legally  binding instrument on plastic 
pollution , including in the marine environment , to protect human health and the environment, 
pursuant to the U nited Nations  Environment Assembly resolution 5/14 to end plastic pollution , 
recognizing the efforts of governments to complete their work by the end of 2024 and without 
prejudice to the ongoing negotiations, while also noting the resolution’s call to continue and step  up 
activities, and adopt voluntary  measures, to combat plastic pollution.   
Acknowledging  the efforts under the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions and 
commending the successful adoption of the Technical Guidelines for the Identification and 
Environmentally Sound Management of Plastic Wastes and for their Disposal , fostering international 
cooperation and progress towards environmentally sound and safe plastic waste  management.  INF/TE/IDP/W/10/Rev.1  
 
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  Highlighting  the importance of the rules -based multilateral trading system and of trade -related 
cooperation as a contribution to global efforts to end plastic pollution, including through 
implement ing relevant  trade-related plastics measures  and increasing transparenc y across the life 
cycle of plastics , in particular  to support  efforts by developing Member s to tackle plastic pollution . 
Acknowledging  the ongoing international, regional and domestic efforts to address plastic pollution  
and the contribution by many of the se processes and relevant stakeholders to the Dialogue.  
Reaffirming  the Dialogue 's Ministerial Statement (WT/MIN(21)/8/Rev. [X]) issued on 10 December 
2021 which committed co -sponsors to work towards "concrete, pragmatic, and effective outcomes" 
on the trade-related aspects of plastics pollution in order to contribute to the global response to end 
plastic pollution on the areas of substantive focus further articulated by the Dialogue Plan 
(INF/TE/IDP/W/5): Cross -cutting issues, including capacity buildin g and technical assistance, 
international cooperation, and transparency and data;  Reduction  and circularity  to tackle plastic 
pollution; and Promotion of trade to tackle plastic pollution.  
Highlighting  the progress of the collective work of the Dialogue si nce its launch, including:  
• The substantive technical work and discussions of the Dialogue, with the support of the expertise 
from delegations and relevant stakeholders, that has helped advance our collective  knowledge 
of the intersection between trade, t rade policies and plastic pollution,  under each of the 
workstreams of the Dialogue, and supported the production of several outputs  from the Dialogue 
such as those reflected  in the open, illustrative, non -exhaustive and evolving compilation of 
suggestions,  practices, options, and opportunities attached to this statement , including 
information documents, factual summaries and reports, specialized workshops , surveys and 
communications.  
• The enhanced, close, and constructive cooperation with other international and regional efforts 
and institutions, such as with the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an 
international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, includin g in the marine environment 
(INC), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Customs Organization 
(WCO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the BRS 
Conventions, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the  World Health Organization (WHO), 
the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Bamboo and Rattan 
Organi zation (INBAR), the World Bank Group, the Latin American Integration Association 
(ALADI), the Organi sation for Economic Co -operation and Development (OECD) , the Asia -Pacific 
Economic Cooperation (APEC)  and a range of stakeholder organization s involved in the work of 
the Dialogue.  
We have accordingly reached the following shared understandings . 
We will continue to cooperate on the basis of the following shared principles : 
• Focusing on trade -related actions  within rules and mechanisms of the WTO  that participating 
Member s could take collectively and individually to support global efforts to end pla stic pollution . 
• Deepening cooperation and collaboration with other international organizations, secretariats and 
processes, ensuring coherence, complementarity , avoiding duplication, and  ensuring that the 
work is informed by and  supports the ongoing INC ne gotiations, favours  implementation of 
relevant multilateral environment al agreements, and accounts for relevant technical and scientific 
developments.  
• Deepening cooperation to  address challenges facing WTO Member s, in particular developing 
Member s, LDCs , SVEs  and SIDS, in the trade -related aspects of plastic pollution  and sustainable 
development goals.  
• Emphasizing the role of multilateral trade -related  cooperation including in promoting 
transparency and sustainable practices  to tackle plastic pollution . 
• Continuing open, inclusive and transparent engagement with all WTO Member s and all relevant 
stakeholders.  INF/TE/IDP/W/10/Rev.1  
 
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  • Continuing our efforts in further exploring the interlinkages of plastic pollution and trade . 
We agree on the importance of international cooperation on the following actions  and agree to pursue 
such actions on a voluntary basis, individually and collectively, in the spirit of international 
cooperation while recogni zing different domestic capacities and pri orities for action : 
• Improve transparency, monitoring and understanding of trade flows across the full life cycle of 
plastics, including flows of plastics embedded in or associated with internationally traded goods.  
• Address trade -related capacity building and technical assistance needs of developing Member s, 
least-developed Member s and SIDS, including through  the implementation of Aid for Trade to 
address plastic pollution and to launch a mechanism to match existing f unding  opportunities with 
specific needs identified by developing Member s, particularly LDCs, SVEs  and SIDS, to implement 
trade-related policies and measures to tackle plastic pollution.  
• Promote trade -related cooperation, including through implementing  trade-related measures to 
reduce unnecessary or harmful plastics and plastic products and to address the environmental, 
social and health impacts and leakage associated with primary plastics, polymers, additives 
and/or plastics  products.  
• Promote cooperation on trade in environmentally  sound,  safe, and effective non -plastic 
substitute s; in plastic alternatives and re -use, repair and re -fill systems ; and in waste 
management and clean -up technologies using waste hierarchy appropriate to local development 
circums tances and needs, and in line with Basel Convention technical guideline s on 
environmentally sound waste management.  
• Promote trade -related cooperation to contribute to the control of transboundary movement of 
plastic pollution, including through, for example, effectively implementing the Basel Convention 
Plastic Waste Amendments and its Plastic Technical Guidelines relevant to international 
cooperation and progress towards environmentally sound and safe plastic waste management.  
For each of these actio n areas, w e call attention to the  factual, open, illustrative, non -exhaustive 
and evolving compilations1 attached  to this statement that reflect our collective and individual efforts 
so far to identify  practices , options  and opportunities for trade-related cooperation to contribute to 
ending plastic pollution and  encourage efforts and commitments by a range of co -sponsors to foster 
and implement collective and individual actions in this respect. In doing  so, we encourage a focus 
on those of interest to WTO Member s, in particular developing Member s, including LDCs , SVEs  and 
SIDS, and opportunities for MSMEs . 
We recogni ze the need to periodically update the compilations based on global, regional and 
domestic efforts  and means of implementation , as well as on  technical and scientific developments .  
We will continue to hold dedicated discussions with a view to identify best practices and share 
experiences regarding all topics identified in the Dialogue. We will work to develop a new Dialogue 
Plan in the months following MC13. We will look for further concrete , pragmatic, and effective 
outcomes on these actions a nd understandings at the latest by MC14.  In this process, we will take 
into account the results of the INC negotiations on the international legally binding instrument on 
plastic pollution.  
 
 
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1 The concrete and factual information regarding key aspects of our work is summarized in the following  
open, illustrative, non -exhaustive and evolving compilations : I) Trade -Related Transparency Efforts and Potential 
Actions Identified; II) Trade -Related Capacity Building and Techn ical Assistance Needs of Developing Member s, 
Least Developed Member s and Vulnerable Small Island Developing States (SIDS) identified in Dialogue 
Discussions ; III) Products Most Often Addressed by Trade -Related Plastic Measures (TrPMs) and Identified in 
Dialogue Discussions; IV) TrPMs on Reduction and Other Approaches; V) Alternatives  Plastics  and Non-Plastic  
Substitutes and Other Relevant Goods, Services and Technologies Most Often Addressed by TrPMs and Identified 
in Dialogue Discussions; VI) TrPMs on prom otion and Other Approaches.  