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 (DPP) is open to all WTO members and seeks to complement discussions in the Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE) and other fora.

On this page:

See also:

The Dialogue at MC14

MC14 Outcomes

News

Participation

As of February 2025, WTO members are participating in the dialogue.

Meetings

2026 Meetings

1 October: DPP Pre-plenary Meeting

Session 1: Up-stream, mid-stream and circular solutions

Session 2: Waste management systems, technologies and services

Session 3: Addressing single-use plastics - policy design and implementation

Session 4: Trade-related plastics measures - practices and policy instruments

10 June: DPP Pre-plenary Meeting

6 March: DPP Plenary Meeting

  • Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/30
  • Draft MC14 Ministerial Statement INF/TE/IDP/W/20/Rev.3
  • Draft MC14 Ministerial Statement INF/TE/IDP/W/20/Rev.2
  • Synopsis of goods, services and technologies for waste management and clean-up activities and challenges/opportunities identified in DPP discussions INF/TE/IDP/W/15/Rev.3
  • Analytical summary of statistical approaches to estimate trade flows of embedded plastics, packaging and single-use products discussed in the DPP INF/TE/IDP/W/16/Rev.3
  • Synopsis of non-plastic substitutes / alternatives / services to sups and challenges/opportunities INF/TE/IDP/W/17/Rev.3
  • Synopsis of considerations in the adoption of trade-related plastic measures raised in DPP discussions INF/TE/IDP/W/18/Rev.3
  • Analytical summary of the different approaches in regulating single-use plastic products discussed in the DPP INF/TE/IDP/W/19/Rev.3

27 January: DPP Plenary Meeting

  • Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/29
  • Draft MC14 Ministerial Statement INF/TE/IDP/W/20/Rev.1
  • Synopsis of goods, services and technologies for waste management and clean-up activities and challenges/opportunities identified in DPP discussions INF/TE/IDP/W/15/Rev.2
  • Analytical summary of statistical approaches to estimate trade flows of embedded plastics, packaging and single-use products discussed in the DPP INF/TE/IDP/W/16/Rev.2
  • Synopsis of non-plastic substitutes / alternatives / services to sups and challenges/opportunities INF/TE/IDP/W/17/Rev.2
  • Synopsis of considerations in the adoption of trade-related plastic measures raised in DPP discussions INF/TE/IDP/W/18/Rev.2
  • Analytical summary of the different approaches in regulating single-use plastic products discussed in the DPP INF/TE/IDP/W/19/Rev.2

2025 Meetings

10 Oct: DPP Pre-plenary Meeting

  • Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/26
  • Presentation by the WTO Secretariat – WTO Environmental Database (EDB) Plastic-related information and functionalities INF/TE/IDP/RD/202
  • Synopsis of goods, services and technologies for waste management and clean-up activities and challenges/opportunities identified in DPP discussions INF/TE/IDP/W/15
  • Analytical summary of statistical approaches to estimate trade flows of embedded plastics, packaging and single-use products discussed in the DPP INF/TE/IDP/W/16
  • Synopsis of non-plastic substitutes / alternatives / services to sups and challenges/opportunities INF/TE/IDP/W/17
  • Synopsis of considerations in the adoption of trade-related plastic measures raised in DPP discussions INF/TE/IDP/W/18
  • Analytical summary of the different approaches in regulating single-use plastic products discussed in the DPP INF/TE/IDP/W/19
  • Informal Brief INF/TE/IDP/R/26

9 Oct: DPP Asia-Pacific regional workshop

  • Concept and Programme
  • Presentation by the WTO Secretariat – Overview of received contributions of the Pre-workshop Survey INF/TE/IDP/RD/203
  • Informal Summary INF/TE/IDP/R/28
  • Presentation by UN trade and development (UNCTAD)– Plastic pollution, trade, and substitutes in Asia and the Pacific regions INF/TE/IDP/RD/204
  • Presentation by the Asia-Pacific economic cooperation (APEC)– Plastic pollution, trade, and substitutes in Asia and the Pacific regions INF/TE/IDP/RD/205
  • Presentation by the organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)– Securing a sustainable plastics future for Southeast and East Asia INF/TE/IDP/RD/206

9 Oct: DPP One-off Matching-making Event

19 May: Pre-plenary meeting

16 May: LAC Workshop

9 April: Pre-plenary meeting

8 April: African Region Workshop

13 February: Pre-Plenary meeting

2024 Meetings

31 October: Pre-Plenary meeting

  • Convening Notice INF/TE/IDP/CN/22/Rev.1
  • Aide Memoire INF/TE/IDP/R/20
  • UNITAR presentation on Statistical guideline on 'Measuring flows of plastic throughout the life cycle' INF/TE/IDP/RD/175
  • WTO Secretariat presentation on 'Refresher on DPP technical work regarding efficiency of TRPMS' INF/TE/IDP/RD/176
  • Council on Economic Policies and Örebro University presentation on 'The role of Services in cleaning up marine debris' INF/TE/IDP/RD/177
  • TESS presentation on 'Pathways for trade policy cooperation to facilitate access for environmentally sound and safe plastic waste management technologies' INF/TE/IDP/RD/178
  • IISD presentation on 'Avoiding trade concerns in the design of plastic pollution measures evidence and recommendations for policy-makers' INF/TE/IDP/RD/179
  • UNCTAD presentation on 'Services for prevention and mitigation of plastic pollution : a forthcoming UNCTAD study' INF/TE/IDP/RD/180

18 September: Pre-Plenary meeting

13 June: Pre-Plenary meeting

  • Revised CN and Agenda INF/TE/IDP/CN/19/Rev.1
  • Aide Memoire INF/TE/IDP/R/18
  • UNITAR presentation on 'The ongoing Plastic Trade related work within Sustainable Cycles (SCYCLE) Programme' INF/TE/IDP/RD/161
  • UNCTAD presentation on 'Trade in Substitutes' INF/TE/IDP/RD/162
  • Ellen Mac Arthur presentation on 'Pushing the boundaries of EPR policy for textiles' INF/TE/IDP/RD/163/Rev.1
  • IUCN presentation on 'Biodiversity considerations in efforts to address plastic pollution ' INF/TE/IDP/RD/164
  • WEF presentation on 'Global plastic action partnership (GPAP) and consumers beyond waste (CBW)' INF/TE/IDP/RD/165
  • Association of Plastic Recyclers' presentation on 'Plastic recycled content policies : USA and global' INF/TE/IDP/RD/166
  • University of Portsmouth/Revolution Plastics Institute presentation on 'Working globally to end plastic pollution' INF/TE/IDP/RD/167
  • ISO presentation on 'Combatting Plastic Pollution with International Standards' INF/TE/IDP/RD/168
  • INC presentation on 'Developing an Internationally Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution, including in the Marine Environment' INF/TE/IDP/RD/169
  • Hong Kong, China presentation on 'Efforts to promote non-plastic tableware' INF/TE/IDP/RD/170

12 April: Pre-Plenary meeting

26 January: Plenary meeting

    Documents issued by the Dialogue

    Documents issued in 2025

    • Updated DPP Conceptual Roadmap Towards MC14
    • Synopsis of goods, services and technologies for waste management and clean-up activities and challenges/opportunities identified in DPP discussions INF/TE/IDP/W/15
    • Analytical summary of statistical approaches to estimate trade flows of embedded plastics, packaging and single-use products discussed in the DPP INF/TE/IDP/W/16
    • Synopsis of non-plastic substitutes / alternatives / services to sups and challenges/opportunities INF/TE/IDP/W/17
    • Synopsis of considerations in the adoption of trade-related plastic measures raised in DPP discussions INF/TE/IDP/W/18
    • Analytical summary of the different approaches in regulating single-use plastic products discussed in the DPP INF/TE/IDP/W/19

        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 Statements

        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.

        In February 2024, for the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) the Dialogue coordinators prepared a Ministerial Statement (WT/MIN(24)/14) containing a series of principles and actions to ensure trade is part of the solution to the growing plastic pollution challenge, including to increase transparency of trade flows of plastics (e.g. of single-use plastics, plastic films and hard-to-recycle plastics), to reduce plastics and plastic products that are harmful to the environment or human health, or unnecessary single-use plastics and plastics packaging, associated with international trade that are not essential for medical or sanitary purposes, and to promote potential non-plastic substitutes, re-use/re-fill systems and technologies needed for the safe and sustainable management of plastic wastes. Related to each agreed action, a factual compilation document (INF/TE/IDP/RD/146/Rev.1) is attached to the Statement, consisting of trade-related practices already being adopted to tackle plastics pollution.

        State of play

        Cooperation with other international processes

        The Dialogue co-sponsors have made mutual supportiveness with other international, regional and domestic efforts to address plastic pollution a core objective of their work. As expressed in the MC13 Ministerial Statement, this is particularly relevant to the ongoing efforts at the United Nations to conclude a new international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution by the end of 2024 being conducted by an Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee (INC). The Statement welcomes the timely conclusion of the agreement and includes among its shared principles ensuring the DPP work "is informed by and supports the ongoing INC negotiations as well as the implementation of relevant multilateral environmental agreements, and takes into account relevant technical and scientific developments." It also indicates that in its work towards "further concrete, pragmatic, and effective outcomes on these actions and understandings at the latest by MC14", the group "will reflect the results of the INC negotiations".

        The INC Secretariat is a stakeholder of the DPP and constantly brief the group on relevant developments in the negotiations. Similarly, the WTO Secretariat observes INC negotiations, providing updates on relevant developments at the WTO. In the context of the WTO and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) bilateral cooperation, both secretariats cooperate closely and have and ongoing staff exchange agreement.

        Following efforts by the Dialogue and other stakeholders, the World Customs Organization (WCO) has started discussing how to better identify plastics embedded in traded goods, single-use plastics, and other plastic goods in the context of the ongoing 2027 review of the Harmonized System (HS).

        Next Steps

        The MC13 Ministerial Statement calls for further "concrete, pragmatic and effective outcomes" by MC14. Dialogue co-sponsors will devise an updated workplan focused on building on and implementing the MC13 Ministerial Statement actions.

        * 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

        Share

          

        Key Dialogue's documents

        Problems viewing this page? If so, please contact [email protected] giving details of the operating system and web browser you are using.