INF/TE/SSD/R/6  
30 March 2022 
(22-2600) Page: 1/3 
Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured 
Discussions  Original : English  
 
  
WTO TRADE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY STRUCTURED DISCUSSIONS  
MEETING HELD ON 7 FEBRUARY 2022  
Informal summary by the Coordinators1 
The sixth plenary meeting of the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions 
(TESSD) was held on 7 February 2022. The meeting was chaired by the TESSD Coordinators , 
Ambassador Stephen de Boer (Canada) and Ambassador Gloria Abraham Peralta  (Costa Rica) . The 
agenda for the meeting was contained in document INF/TE/SSD/CN/ 6/Rev.1 . In keeping with 
TESSD's open, transparent and inclusive approach, all WTO  Members had been invited to attend the 
meeting.  
 
1  INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE COORDINATORS  
1.1.  The TESSD Coordinators recalled the successful launch  of the TESSD Ministerial Statement in 
December 2022 that was supported by 71 Members. They highlighted  the importance  of continu ing 
work and  moving  towards tangible  outcomes at the intersection of trade and environmental 
sustainability. They also underlined the need to further increase the participation of developing 
countries in the discussions to incorporate their views and concerns in working towards solutions , 
which would also support achieving the Sustainable Development Goals . They noted that the 
objective of the meeting was to obtain an agreement on the format of discussions for 2022, as 
proposed in the draft TESSD Work Plan  2022 ( INF/TE/SSD/W/17 ), which  aimed to incorporate  the 
elements contained  in the TESSD Ministerial Statement  (WTO/MIN(21)/6/Rev.2) . The Coordinators 
said that the Work Plan would be further refined  regarding specific lines of discussion that could be 
pursued, based on a number of  comments that had already been received as well as on the 
discussion  of this meeting.  
2  PRESENTATION OF THE DRAFT  TESSD WORK PLAN  
2.1.  The Coordinators  introduced the Draft TESSD Work Plan for 2022 to Members following 
feedback received at an informal meeting of co -sponsors held on 25 January  2022. Formal meet ings 
would cover six thematic areas in line with the TESSD Ministerial Statement: trade -related climate 
measures; environmental goods and services (EGS); circular economy; sustainable supply chains 
and sustainability standards; capacity  building and techni cal assistance; and relevant subsidies.   
2.2.  Informal working groups would be created to allow for in -depth discussions and progress 
towards tangible outcomes. Coordinators said that recent feedback encouraged the creation of a 
fourth working group on subsidies , in addition to working groups on trade -related climate measures, 
EGS, and circu lar economy – circularity . Based on guiding questions indicated in the Work Plan, 
facilitators would lead working groups in an inclusive way and report back to formal TESSD meetings. 
Stakeholders would continue to be regularly invited to formal TESSD meeti ngs and, if requested by 
co-sponsors, also to working group meetings to provide technical inputs as required.   
2.3.  A total of 21 Members took the floor to share their views on the Draft TESSD Work Plan. 
Members thanked the Coordinators  for their leadership and efforts to accommodate the different 
views provided. Co-sponsors broadly supported the structure of the Work Plan and the creation of 
 
1 This summary, prepared and circulated under the Coordinators' responsibility, is being shared with a 
view to providing delegations with a record of the discussions and assisting them in reporting back to their 
capitals. It provides a non -exhaustive, illus trative review of the issues addressed by Members at the meeting.  INF/TE/SSD/R/6  
 
- 2 - 
 
  informal working groups. Several Members also expressed explicit support for the creation of a 
working group on subsidies. A few Members cautioned against the duplication of efforts in other 
WTO bodies with regard to agricultural subsidies , and with regard to the Ministerial Statement on 
Fossil Fuel Subsidies (WT/MIN(21)/9/Rev.1) .  
2.4.  To support the wor k on EGS, a Member  proposed that the Secretariat could prepare a factual 
note for the next TESSD meeting , providing a summary of past experiences and current practices in 
EGS facilitation and promotion, as well as of relevant research of benefits and chall enges to EGS.  
This request was supported by several Members  and taken note of by the Coordinators . Several 
Members underlined that advancing work on EGS was a priority , provid ing suggestions regarding 
different approaches that could be taken, including regarding defining potential products or 
environmental objectives that could be achieved . Members also mentioned specific topics that could 
be addressed  such as regulatory issues, n on-tariff measures and how trade in EGS could contribute 
to environmental sustainability.  A number of Members underlined  the importance of having  sufficient 
involvement of developing countries and LDCs in the discussions on EGS.  
2.5.  Several Members provided s uggestions regarding how to advance discussions in the informal 
working group on trade -related climate measures. A Member suggested discussing the conformity 
of trade-related climate measures with WTO rules and principles , while a nother Member suggested 
that discussions should focus on the purpose, design and key elements of such measure s. A few 
Members noted the central role of carbon leakage and how it could be addressed . Another Member 
suggested focusing discussions on challenges and opportunities faced by developing countries  with 
regard  to the formulation and implementation of their climate policies and ways in which cooperation 
could be fostered . Another Member reminde d co-sponsors to avoid duplication of efforts in other 
fora.  
2.6.  To advance discussions in the proposed informal working group on subsidies, a Member 
suggested looking at the research available on subsidies that have an environmental impact, 
consideration of the gaps in information needed to fully assess these impacts, and the role of trade 
policy and the WTO in mitigating their harmful effects. Acknowledging that other WTO bodies  also 
dealt with subsidy issues , the Member suggested that work in the TESSD offered the opportunity to 
discuss trade topics through an environmental lens .  
2.7.  Regarding the working group on circular economy  – circularity , a Member underlined the 
importance of  discussing different approaches of circularity to  develop a holistic understanding , and 
suggested that discussions could explore tools to incentivize greater resource efficiency and 
measures that could help developing and LDC Members integrate into circular supply  chains . Some 
Members suggested that discussions should focus  on circular economy issues along the entire value 
chain rather than just specific segments  thereof . A Member suggested that co -sponsors should also 
consider means to enhance technology and investments into circularity .  
2.8.  Several Members highlighted the imp ortance of consider ing the needs, challenges and 
opportunities of developing countries  in each of the four working groups. A Member suggested that 
deepening the understanding at the intersection of trade, environmental sustainability and aid for 
trade coul d help identify concrete actions . Another Member suggested that co -sponsors should also 
discuss ways in which the capacity of developing countries and LDCs could be improved regarding 
trade competitiveness or the implementation of environmental and sustain ability standar ds. 
2.9.  Several Members welcomed the participation of stakeholders in TESSD, underlining the 
importance of their expertise for making progress across the  different  thematic areas outlined in the 
Ministerial Statement and in the informal working groups.  
3  STAKEHOLDER VIEWS AND PERSPECTIVES  
3.1.  Stakeholders welcomed the Draft Work Plan and commended the Coordinators for an inclusive 
process. They shared their views on how they could contribute to the different thematic areas of the 
Work Plan, including through outreach and support to developing countries, private sector 
experience, as well as ongoing research and technical expertise.  
3.2.  Several stake holders encouraged Members to maintain a focus on the needs and priorities of 
developing countries while working towards increas ing the involvement of those that were not yet INF/TE/SSD/R/6  
 
- 3 - 
 
  co-sponsors . It was noted that collaboration and support to developing countries and LDCs could 
help increase their involvement in the TESSD. Several stakeholders provided examples of their 
ongoing work that could contribute to the TESSD , including in the areas of sustainable supply chains, 
environmental goods and services, circular ec onomy – circularity, subsidies, and trade -related 
climate measures.  
4  PRESENTATION OF THE REPORT "THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND INTERNATIONAL 
TRADE: OPTIONS FOR THE WTO" BY THE INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (ICC)  
4.1.  The presentation by the International Chamber of Commerce ( ICC) provided an overview of 
trade policy obstacles affecting a circular economy transition (e.g. standards and conformity 
assessment, export restrictions, subsidies, classification of end -of-life-products, tariff protection, 
quantitative rest rictions) and pointed to challenges in measuring trade in secondary raw materials, 
second -hand goods and goods for remanufacturing due to the lack of specific HS codes. Regarding 
options for possible deliverables in the WTO, it was suggested that Members c ould include circular 
economy goods and services in possible revived EGS talks; revive and extend previous work on 
non-tariff measures on remanufactured goods; or work towards a set of common principles and 
sectoral best practices regarding  trade -related c ircular economy measures.  
4.2.  Several Members welcomed the presentation by the ICC. It was noted that the presentation 
served as an example of the importance of stakeholder involvement in the TESSD , providing  
recommendations and  options  for Members ' consideration . Another Member said that the role of 
trade and the facilitation of trade in the circular economy was of critical importance to developing 
countries, and that there was significant potential for synergies  between the informal working groups 
on circular economy  – circularity  and EGS given common challenges and opportunities on issues 
such as classification. Another Member expressed interest in discussing circular business models and 
experiences in their deployment.  
5  CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE C OORDINATORS  
5.1.  The TESSD Coordinators concluded the meeting by informing Members that they would shortly 
circulate a revised Work Plan and consult with delegations to identify facilitators for the informal 
working groups to enable work to begin as soon as pos sible.  
5.2.  Ambassador de Boer (Canada) welcomed the engagement of M embers and stakeholders 
regarding the wide range of interests that they hoped to advance in the near term. He said that t he 
revised Work Plan  would include updates to the guiding  questions for discussion.  Coordinators  would 
reach out to Members who ha d expressed an interest in taking on the role of facilitat ors, so that the 
working groups could begin their discussions.  
5.3.  Ambassador Abraham Peralta (Costa Rica) welcomed the feedback  received and Members' 
discussion during the meeting as they provided important direction  for the year ahead. She 
emphasized that the Coordinators ' objective  was to facilitate the participation of as many Members 
as possible in the discussion s and to further increas e the number of co -sponsors to obtain a wider 
diversity of views , including in the working groups . She was confident that the proposed structure 
of work  could chart  a path towards much -needed solutions and converge nce that reflected the 
realities of the Membership . She concluded by saying the implementation of the revised work plan 
would begin in coordination with facilitators and carried out in a transparent way.  
__________