INF/TE/SSD/W/31  
 
18 January 2024 
(24-0398) Page: 1/3 
  Original: English  
 
 
TRADE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY STRUCTURED DISCUSSIONS  (TESSD)  
COMMUNICATION BY THE TESSD CO -CONVENORS  
The following communication , dated 18 January  2024, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegations of Canada and Costa Rica ( TESSD Co -convenors ). 
 
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TESSD WORK PLAN  - UPDATE  
1.1.  The 2021  TESSD  Ministerial Statement on Trade and Environmental Sustainability provides for 
the objectives, scope  and themes of the work in TESSD. Its implementation over the last two years 
was guided by the TESSD Work Plan  2022 and the Statement by the TESSD Co -conveno rs at the 
occasion of the High -Level Stocktaking Event on 2 December 2022.1 This update  of the  Work Plan is 
intended to reflect the progress and evolution of the discussions and guide the work towards  
identifying  possible concrete actions or recommendatio ns by the Fourteenth WTO Ministerial 
Conference (MC14).  Going forward , the Work Plan may be further adapted to provide for flexibility 
and enhance the effectiveness of work in TESSD.  
1.2.  Work will continue in the formats of formal plenary meetings and four informal Working Groups , 
which are led by facilitators in an inclusive and transparent way, and in coordination with the 
Co-convenors . Building on the outcomes for the Thirteenth  WTO Ministerial Conference ( MC13 ), 
TESSD and its Working Groups will continue  working towards tangible results and identifying 
concrete actions that participating Members could take individually or collectively.  
1.3.  The Working Groups will also continue monitor ing developments in the WTO and international 
fora so that the different discussions can be mutually supportive.  Efforts to support the multilateral 
work in the Committee on Trade and Environment (CTE) and other WTO bodies will continue and 
will be strengthened, with a view to reflect  relevant outcomes, ideas and prog ress from discussions 
in the Working Groups.  
1.4.  Across the four Working Groups, common elements that will be reflected in guiding questions 
for meetings include  transparency, best practices and  opportunities  for policymaking , and 
development perspectives , among others . Particular attention will be paid to fostering 
complementarities across the Working Groups as well as ensuring inclusive approaches to the 
discussions. The Working Groups will identify challenges and opportunities for trade  to contribute to 
achieving  environmental sustainability , especially for developing and least developed Members, and 
with a particular emphasis on MSMEs. Members will consider the types of capacity building and 
technical assistance that may aid in overcoming sp ecific challenges , and seek to identify where the 
WTO and its Agreements can provide support .  
1.5.  For 202 4, two plenary meetings and three dates for informal Working Group meetings are 
foreseen. Tentative meeting dates are provided in the Annex. A flexible ap proach will be taken 
regarding the organisation and number of Working Group meetings, based on the respective needs 
of the four Working Group s. The Working Groups will continue their work as outlined below.  
 
1 Documents: TESSD  Ministerial Statement  (WT/MIN(21)/6/Rev.2  – 14 December 2021 ); TESSD Work 
Plan 2022 (INF/TE/SSD/W/17/Re v.1 – 18 February 2022 ); and Statement by the TESSD Co -convenors 
(INF/TE/SSD/W/21  – 30 November 2022).  INF/TE/SSD/W/31  
 
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  1.6.  The Working Group on Trade-related Climate Measures  (TrCMs) will share experiences on the 
use of  TrCMs  aimed at achieving climate change objectives  and further discuss how trade and 
environment must be mutually supportive . The Working Group will complement the sharing of 
experiences by drawi ng from technical efforts in other international fora to enhance cooperation on 
TrCMs.  It will do so by focusing on  specific climate objectives , including  the clean energy transition  
and climate change adaptation , while  paying particular attention to devel oping country perspectives . 
The Working Group will build on and complement discussions in other Working  Groups  to provide 
for a comprehensive  contribution  on these issues.  
1.7.  The Working Group on Environmental Goods and Services will continue an objective -based 
approach and examine sector -specific issues involved in the promotion and facilitation of trade in 
environmental goods and services , as well as the identification of climate -friendly technologies. 
Particular attention will be given to is sues of interest to developing countries . Where appropriate , 
the Working Group will examine cross -sectoral approaches  with regard to environmental goods and 
services . Under the objective of climate change mitigation and adaptation , the Group will continue 
its work on renewable energy and add other sector s or technologies related to climate change 
adaptation. The  Working  Group will further develop the analytical summary as an outcome  
document , covering indicative lists  of relevant goods and services, trade b arriers , including non -tariff 
barriers,  and supply chain bottlenecks, developing country perspectives, and opportunities and 
approaches to promote and facilitate trade in these goods and services , and explore  concrete actions  
that Members  could further undertake . 
1.8.  The Working Group on Circular Economy – Circularity will continue its work on trade -related 
issues of circular economy along the entire lifecycle of products. Members will prioriti ze their work 
based on trade aspects of circular economy identifi ed in the outcome document of the mapping 
exercise2 – transparency; standards and regulations; trade facilitation; waste management; 
capacity building and technical assistance; technology and other trade -related aspects for 
cooperation – with reference to  the illustrative and non -exhaustive list of possible future work in 
Table 5.  Members will deepen their understanding on different approaches to circular economy and 
share relevant policy experiences. In carrying out this work, the Working Group may take a  
sector -specific approach .  
1.9.  The Working Group on Subsidies will continue its work on the potential positive and negative 
environmental effects of subsidies, as well as their trade impacts.  Complementing  discussions on 
agricultural subsidies and subsidies r elated to the transition to a low -carbon economy, the Working 
Group will continue a focused and balanced approach, and cover further types of subsidies , including  
subsidies related to biofuels and industrial subsidies.  The Group will  further develop the co mpilation 
of experiences and considerations regarding subsidy design  as an outcome  document , with a focus 
on identifying best practices  and working towards recommendations on how to enhance 
transparency and data availability.  
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2 Mapping Exercise: Trade and trade policy aspects along the lifecycle of products  – 
INF/TE/SSD/W/27/Rev.2 . INF/TE /SSD/W/31  
 
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  Annex  
Tentative meeting dates for 2024  
Date  TESSD Meeting  
25 January  Plenary  
15-16 April Working Groups  
17-18 June  Working Groups  
15 July  Plenary  
29-30 October  Working Groups  
28 November  Plenary  
 
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