INF/TE/SSD/W/31/Rev.1  
 
12 February  2024 
(24-1245) Page: 1/3 
  Original: English  
 
 
TRADE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY STRUCTURED DISCUSSIONS  (TESSD)  
COMMUNICATION BY THE TESSD CO -CONVENORS  
Revision1 
The following communication , dated 12 February  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 -convenors at the 
occasion of the High -Level Stocktaking Event on 2 December 2022.2 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 recommen dations  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 Min isterial Conference ( MC13 ), 
TESSD and its Working Groups will continue work ing 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 progress 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 specific challenges , and seek to identify where the 
WTO and its Agreements can provide support .  
 
1 This revision includes slight amendments to the language in paragraphs 1.6 as well as 1.7 and reduces 
the number of planned plenary meetings, reflecting the discussion at the TESSD plenary meeting on 
25 January 2024.  
2 Documents: TESSD Ministerial Statem ent (WT/MIN(21)/6/Rev. 2 – 14 December 2021 ); TESSD Work 
Plan 2022 (INF/TE/SSD/W/17/Rev.1  – 18 February 2022 ); and Statement by the TESSD Co -convenors 
(INF/TE/SSD/W/21  – 30 November 2022).  INF/TE/SSD/W/31/Rev.1  
 
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  1.5.  In 2024 following MC13 , two plenary meetings and three dates for informal Working Group 
meetings a re foreseen. Tentative meeting dates are provided in the Annex. A flexible approach 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.  
1.6.  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 
environmen t must be mutually supportive . The Working Group will complement the sharing of 
experiences by identifying practical ways to enhance cooperat ion, drawing from technical efforts in 
other international fora 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 
developing 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 s ervices , as well as the identification of climate -friendly technologies. 
Particular attention will be given to issues of interest to developing countries . Where appropriate , 
the Working Group will examine cross -sectoral approaches  with regard to environmen tal 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 , 
including  adaptation  and mitigation . The Working  Group will further develop the analytical summary 
as an outcome  document , covering indicative lists  of relevant goods and services, trade barriers , 
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 E conomy – 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 identified in the outcome document of the mapping 
exercise3 – 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 Gr oup on Subsidies will continue its work on the potential positive and negative 
environmental effects of subsidies, as well as their trade impacts.  In addition to continuing these 
focused and balanced discussions on agricultur e and the transition to a low -carbon economy, the 
Working Group will  also cover further types of subsidies , including  subsidies related to biofuels and 
industrial subsidies.  The Group will  further develop the compilation 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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3 Mapping Exercise: Trade a nd trade policy aspects along the lifecycle of products  – 
INF/TE/SSD/W/27/Rev.3 . INF/TE/SSD/W/31/Rev.1  
 
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  Annex  
Tentative meeting dates for 2024  following MC13  
Date TESSD Meeting  
15-16 April Working Groups  
14 and 17 June  Working Groups  
29-30 October  Working Groups  
28 November  Plenary  
 
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