Informal Dialogue on Plastics
(IDP) to be taken Up in MC12
·
Informal Dialogue on Plastics Pollution
and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (IDP) on 24 May, participants
discussed plans for the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) on 12-15 June and
the next steps to implement the Ministerial Statement issued in December 2021
·
UN's Environment Assembly (UNEA) in March,
which have the aim of reaching a global deal on plastics pollution by
2024.
·
Conference of the Parties (COP) meetings of
the Basel, Rotterdam and the Stockholm Conventions (BRS) and the 2022 UN Ocean
Conference in June.
·
The World Customs Organization (WCO)
introduced the latest progress made in the amendment to the definition of
plastic wastes in Harmonised System (HS) tariff codes
in support of the Basel Convention Plastics Amendment. It underlined that the
aim is to establish new sub-headings to identify different types of plastic
products and to help trace trade flows of plastic wastes once the amendment is
completed for the HS 2027 reform.
·
China, on behalf of the co-coordinators,
presented a draft communication to WCO (INF/TE/IDP/W/6) offering support to
ensuring the better classification and greater transparency of plastics flows
across their whole life cycle.
·
Portugal outlined plans for the 2022 UN Ocean
Conference to be held on 27 June — 1 July in Lisbon.
·
These include the Aid for Trade review and
needs assessment survey (INF/TE/IDP/W/8), a proposed event at the
8th Aid for Trade Global Review in July, a survey of members' trade-related
plastics measures (INF/TE/IDP/W/7)
At a meeting of the Informal Dialogue on Plastics Pollution
and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (IDP) on 24 May, participants
discussed plans for the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) on 12-15 June and
the next steps to implement the Ministerial Statement issued in December 2021.
Deputy Director-General Jean-Marie Paugam reiterated
the need for the IDP to collaborate closely with other international
organizations involved in addressing plastics pollution and stressed the need
for strengthening transparency through data sharing.
Ecuador
and China, co-coordinators of the IDP, summarized the initiative's work since the
beginning of the year. They highlighted the drafting of a work plan to implement the
Ministerial Statement issued at the end of 2021 and the launch of workstreams to conduct technical discussions and to
identify priorities for future work. They also outlined some major developments
in international fora in parallel with the IDP, notably the launch of negotiations
at the UN's Environment Assembly (UNEA) in March, which have the aim of
reaching a global deal on plastics pollution by
2024. They also drew attention to the upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP)
meetings of the Basel, Rotterdam and the Stockholm Conventions (BRS) and the
2022 UN Ocean Conference in June.
They
urged the IDP participants to seize the opportunity provided by a favourable international climate for the fight against
plastic pollution. This global endeavour needs “all
hands on deck” and “the WTO is more important than ever”, China said. “The
IDP's work can help to identify challenges and opportunities on trade and value
chain aspects” that can inform other international processes, including the
UNEA negotiations, China added. Ecuador noted that with MC12 just three weeks
away, the group should “work on the results that the initiative will present at
the Conference”, focusing on what the group had been able to “consolidate in
the almost six months of work since the adoption of the Statement”.
DDG Paugam pointed out the importance of addressing plastic
waste across the full life cycle of plastics, stressing that the initiative
generates trade solutions and supports complementary international processes
and activities. To that end, transparency is crucial, he said, suggesting that
the IDP establish a global plastic value chain portal to monitor plastic trade
flows and to share trade-related policies and measures. Many participants
expressed strong support for the data portal.
Participants
also welcomed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the latest member to join the IDP.
Australia,
another co-coordinator of the IDP, facilitated the discussion regarding the
next concrete steps proposed by coordinators and facilitators to implement the
group's Ministerial Statement and to address plastics pollution.
The
World Customs Organization (WCO) introduced the latest progress made in the
amendment to the definition of plastic wastes in Harmonised
System (HS) tariff codes in support of the Basel Convention Plastics Amendment.
It underlined that the aim is to establish new sub-headings to identify
different types of plastic products and to help trace trade flows of plastic
wastes once the amendment is completed for the HS 2027 reform.
China,
on behalf of the co-coordinators, presented a draft communication to WCO (INF/TE/IDP/W/6) offering support to
ensuring the better classification and greater transparency of plastics flows
across their whole life cycle. The document proposes concrete actions,
including joint workshops with the WCO and identifying value chain actors and
trade-related plastic measures that are relevant to the work of customs
officials.
Some
proponents welcomed the draft communication as an exemplary step in enhancing
collaboration with international organizations such as the WCO. A few
proponents said they still need to consult with their capital before the IDP
officially submits the document to the WCO.
Portugal
outlined plans for the 2022 UN Ocean Conference to be held on 27 June — 1 July
in Lisbon. BRS briefed participants on the plastic-related elements of the
upcoming triple COPs on 6-17 June in Geneva. UNEP noted the upcoming preparatory
meeting under the UNEA process to negotiate a new legally binding instrument,
to which the WTO had been invited to contribute trade expertise. A few other
organizations, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature,
the Forum on Trade, Environment & the SDGs and the International Institute
for Sustainable Development, also provided an update on their recent studies
and activities on the theme of plastic.
Participants
heard an update on other IDP-led activities that will also form part of the
next steps for the IDP to implement the Ministerial Statement. These include
the Aid for Trade review and needs assessment survey (INF/TE/IDP/W/8), a proposed event at the
8th Aid for Trade Global Review in July, a survey of members' trade-related
plastics measures (INF/TE/IDP/W/7) and a workshop on
sustainable and effective plastic substitutes and alternatives.
Proponents
showed clear support for the proposed surveys and events. They said that these
actions will help to reveal the full picture of trade flows of plastic
materials and to build a good foundation for seeking trade-related solutions to
address plastic pollution.
Some
participants suggested involving more stakeholders in surveys, not requiring
replies that are too detailed and avoiding duplication of work. A few delegates
underscored the need for not losing sight of the full life cycle issue while
tackling specific aspects of plastic value chains and ensuring environmental
soundness (e.g. plastic substitutes and alternatives). Some also suggested
making better use of the existing Aid for Trade programmes
to meet the specific needs of least-developed countries in mitigating plastic
pollution.
Australia
thanked participants for the fruitful discussion and said that the IDP plans to
circulate three documents before MC12, namely the communication to the WCO and
the two surveys highlighted above. It stated that co-coordinators are
considering how best to reflect progress of the initiative at MC12.
The
next IDP plenary meeting is tentatively scheduled for 6 October.
To
date, 71 WTO members have joined the IDP, representing roughly 75% of global
plastics trade.
IDP Members: Albania;
Angola; Australia; Austria; Barbados; Belgium; Bolivia, Plurinational
State of; 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; Morocco; Netherlands; New Zealand;
Norway; Panama; Peru; Philippines; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Russian
Federation; Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of; Singapore; Slovak Republic; Slovenia;
Spain; Suriname; Sweden; Switzerland; Thailand; Tonga; United Kingdom; Uruguay;
Vanuatu;