INF/TE/IDP/RD/113 * 
 
20 February  2023 
(23-1179) Page: 1/2 
 Original: English/anglais/inglés  
 
  
UNOFFICIAL ROOM DOCUMENT1 
 
DIALOGUE ON PLASTICS POLLUTION AND  ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE 
PLASTICS TRADE  
STATEMENT BY ICC  
Pre-Plenary Meeting – 16 February 2023  
 
 
DOCUMENT DE S ÉANCE NON OFFICIEL1 
 
DIALOGUE ON PLASTICS POLLUTION AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE 
PLASTICS TRADE  
STATEMENT BY ICC  
Pre-Plenary Meeting – 16 February 2023  
 
 
DOCUMENTO DE SALA NO OF ICIAL1 
 
DIALOGUE ON PLASTICS POLLUTION AND  ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE 
PLASTICS TRADE  
STATEMENT BY ICC  
Pre-Plenary Meeting – 16 February 2023  
_______________  
 
 
 
* In Original language only/En langue originale seulement/En el idioma original solamente.  
1 Documents issued in the RD series are not official WTO documents. They usually appear in their 
language of submission and will not be translated systematically into the working languages of the WTO. They 
are intended for use in WTO me eting rooms and are attributed an unofficial symbol for archiving purposes only.  
Les documents de la série RD ne sont pas des documents officiels de l 'OMC. Ils ne paraissent 
généralement que dans la langue dans laquelle ils ont été communiqués et ne seront pas systématiquement 
traduits dans les langues de travail de l'OMC. Ils sont destinés aux salles de réunion de l'OMC et une cote non 
officielle leur est attribuée à des fins d'archivage.  
Los documentos de la serie RD no son documentos oficiales de l a OMC. Por lo general se distribuyen en 
el idioma en que han sido presentados y no se traduce n sistemáticamente a los idiomas de trabajo de la 
Organización. Se distribuyen para su uso en las salas de reunión de la OMC y se les asigna una signatura no 
oficial a efectos de archivo únicamente.  INF/TE/IDP/RD/113  
 
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ICC STATEMENT: WTO DIALOGUE ON PLASTIC POLLUTION AND ENVIRONMENTALLY 
SUSTAINABLE PLASTIC TRADE: 16 FEBRUARY 2023  
 
1. My name is Raelene Martin and it 's my honor to address you on behalf of the International 
Chamber of Commerce – the institutional representat ive of 45 million companies, of all sizes and 
sectors and in 170 countries.  
2. We greatly appreciated the perspectives and views shared during the discussions today, 
particularly highlighting the important interlinkages between trade and plastics pollution as  well 
as different efforts to eliminate plastic pollution and create a circular economy for plastics 
pollution, by harnessing trade and trade policies.  
3. In this regard, we welcome the opportunity to share some perspectives on behalf of the global 
business community that acknowledges the importance and urgency to tackle the critical issue 
of plastic pollution and welcomes global efforts to establish a common goal and critical path for 
a global treaty to end plastic pollution.  
4. The business community is alrea dy taking steps to tackle this growing issue, but much more 
needs to be done to leverage the energy, capacities and expertise of the business community to 
scale up actions at the required scale and speed across entire value chains to eliminate plastics 
pollution.  
5. We know that it takes both business action but also the right enabling frameworks.  
6. We strongly believe that one key driver in this process will be an ambitious, workable and 
effective international legally binding instrument with a clear overarch ing goal, shared objectives 
as well as harmonised standards, definitions and rules that would help guide and enable 
businesses to become positive actors in transitioning to a circular economy for plastics.  
7. We are deeply committed to support the INC Secret ariat's and Members States ' efforts and 
forthcoming work to secure an ambitious agreement by 2024  
8. We see a coordinated, concerted and holistic approach -- that addresses the full life cycle of 
plastics, including production processes, design options, the u se of chemicals, additives and 
polymers, waste management and recycling, whilst also taking into account national 
circumstances, challenges, capacities, capabilities and feasibility in different economic sectors; 
will be critically needed.  
9. Trade policies and circular economy considerations will be critical in supporting the treaty on 
plastic pollution and its successful implementation. For that purpose, it will be important to 
understand how trade and trade policies can effectively support a circular econo my transition 
and we commend the work and leadership of this dialogue in this regard.  
10. We would also like to encourage governments to consult the findings of the ICC study – "The 
Circular Economy and International Trade: Options for the World Trade Organiz ation" on how 
smartly designed trade policies and rules can support a transition to a circular and resource -
efficient economy.  
11. Finally, we believe that multistakeholder engagement in the different international and national 
efforts will be essential to ac hieve this objective, including all businesses - large and small, from 
all sectors and geographies -who have a critical role to play in providing the expertise and the 
solutions to tackle the challenge of plastic pollution.  
12. ICC looks forward to supporting  governments in addressing this global challenge and we stand 
ready to support the important work of this WTO Dialogue on Plastics.  
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