INF/TE/IDP/RD/43* 
30 June 2022  
(22-5084) Page: 1/2 
 Original:  English, anglais, inglés  
 
  
UNOFFICIAL ROOM DOCUMENT1 
 
STATEMENT BY THE WORLD CUSTOMS ORGANIZATION  
IDP meeting – 24 May 2022  
 
 
 
 
DOCUMENT DE S ÉANCE NON OFFICIEL1 
 
STATEMENT BY THE WORLD CUSTOMS ORGANIZATION  
IDP meeting – 24 May 2022  
 
 
 
 
 
DOCUMENTO DE SALA NO OF ICIAL1 
 
STATEMENT BY THE WORLD CUSTOMS ORGANIZATION  
IDP meeting – 24 May 2022  
 
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* 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 meeting rooms and are a ttributed 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 systématiquemen t 
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 la OMC. Por lo general se d istribuyen 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 ún icamente.  INF/TE/IDP/RD/43  
 
- 2 - 
 
  STATEMENT BY GAEL GROOBY, WCO  
 
The Harmonized Review Sub -Committee begun considering proposals from the Basel Secretariat for 
an expansion of the HS provisions for plastic wastes during its May 2022 session. Progress has been 
very positive with a high level of support from the Customs a dministrations represented to create 
new provisions.  
 
Current drafting negotiations are primarily focused on ensuring a clear understanding of the intended 
scope. It needs to be very clear for Customs and users on what it the scope of each of the proposed  
new provision as of course these will be incorporated into the legislation setting up the national 
tariffs without any changes to wording or scope. It is part of the Sub -Committee’s consideration to 
not only consider the drafting of the legal texts, inclu ding considering if there is a need for additional 
legally binding Notes, but also the Explanatory Notes that will be used by Customs and traders for 
further clarification.    
 
A major area of discussion is clarifying the level of contamination that would b e allowable in plastic 
waste to ensure a clear distinction between single plastic waste and mixed wastes. Ensuring that a 
practical and administrable definition is in place that allows for inevitable and minor contamination, 
such as beverage residues in bo ttles or paper labels, but does not permit mixed wastes from being 
traded as sorted single polymer waste is an important aspect of a successful implementation and 
the realisation of the policy objectives of the proposal.  This allows for any duties, restric tions, 
reporting or other trade measures required within their country for either mixed or single polymer 
wastes to be applied appropriately by the Customs administration.  
 
The other area currently being discussed is criteria and testing methods in relation to dangerous 
substances, specifically for this proposal being: metal carbonyls; beryllium and its compounds; 
hexavalent chromium compounds; copper compounds; zinc compound s; arsenic and its compounds; 
selenium and its compounds; cadmium and its compounds; antimony and its compounds; tellurium 
and its compounds; mercury and its compounds; thallium and its compounds; lead and its 
compounds; inorganic fluorine compounds exclud ing calcium fluoride; inorganic cyanides; acidic 
solutions or acids in solid form; basic solutions or bases in solid form; asbestos (dust and fibres); 
organic phosphorus compounds; organic cyanides; phenols and its compounds including 
chlorophenols; ethers ; organic solvents; any congenor of polychlorinated dibenzo -furan; any 
congenor of polychlorinated dibenzo -p-dioxin; and organohalogen compounds.    
 
Ensuring good legal provisions and clear guidance on testing is crucial to Customs being able to 
appropriat ely verify if a shipment in doubt contains hazardous materials.  
 
Discussions will continue at the November Session.  If the remaining questions are settled at that 
session, then it will proceed to the Harmonized System Committee in March 2023 for voting.  
 
 
 
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