INF/TE /IDP/RD/130*  
 
20 June 2023 
(23-4228) Page: 1/2 
 Original:  English /anglais/inglés  
 
  
UNOFFICIAL ROOM DOCUMENT1 
 
DIALOGUE ON PLASTICS POLLUTION AND  ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE 
PLASTICS TRADE  
SOLUTIONS TO PLASTIC POLLUTION  - OECD ’S RESPONSES  
Workshop on reduction and circularity to tackle plastic pollution – 27 April 2023 
 
DOCUMENT DE S ÉANCE NON OFFICIEL1 
 
DIALOGUE ON PLASTICS POLLUTION AND  ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE 
PLASTICS TRADE  
SOLUTIONS TO PLASTIC POLLUTION  - OECD ’S RESPONSES  
Workshop on reduction and circularity to tackle plastic pollution – 27 April 2023  
 
DOCUMENTO DE SALA NO OF ICIAL1 
 
DIALOGUE ON PLASTICS POLLUTION AND  ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE 
PLASTICS TRADE  
SOLUTIONS TO PLASTIC POLLUTION  - OECD ’S RESPONSES  
Workshop on reduction and circularity to tackle plastic pollution – 27 April 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 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 traducen 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/130  
 
- 2 - 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DIALOGUE ON PLASTICS POLLUTION AND  ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE PLASTICS 
TRADE  
 
ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO -OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD)  SUBMISSION  
 
Q. What principles and criteria should be taken into account when identifying "best practices" in 
relation to Trade -related Plastic Measures (TrPMs) aimed at reduction to tackle plastic pollution, 
while bearing special attention to issues and challenges arising for developing members, including 
SIDS.  
Plastics are shipped across the world  as materials, products and waste streams, and supply chains 
are spread across the globe. Plastics value chains employ millions of people and have been for many 
developing countries a way to diversify their economies and raise value -added. Tackling plastic  
pollution is a matter that requires policy responses coordinated internationally, as both the 
upstream, midstream and downstream environmental challenges need to be addressed, from 
production, consumption, and end -of-life management of plastics.   
Drawing  on conclusions from the Global Plastic Outlook, plastics taxes, recycled content targets and 
extended producer responsibility (EPR) with fee modulation schemes can all create financial 
incentives to reduce use and foster circularity. Only a few countries are experimenting with these 
innovative economic instruments and targets – their adoption needs to be extended to more products 
and more countries, in particular to developing countries.   
Domestic policies can be complemented by trade -related policies alo ng the supply chain. In the case 
of developing countries mismanaged waste and leakage is a widespread problem, major investments 
in infrastructure are needed, combined with support for effective legal frameworks to enforce 
disposal obligations for all econ omic actors. Trade -related policies can help in making plastic value 
chains more circular and recycled plastics more price competitive.  
While the question of policies that deal with end -of-life phase of plastics has been largely in focus, 
it is important to also turn the attention towards trade -related policies that are relevant to the 
upstream and midstream part of the plastics value chain. F or instance, policies that target the 
extraction and production stages of the plastics life cycle to reduce the gro wth in production and 
trade of virgin plastics that contain toxic materials and could be environmentally harmful. At the 
midstream stage, many countries have issued legislation to either ban, tax or regulate the use of 
certain plastics with a significant e nvironmental footprint, most notably single use plastics.  
 
At the downstream level, for many developing countries, regulations and potential market opening 
of the services sector will need to be tailored to reflect local priorities in terms of sustaining livelihood 
opportunities for informal sector workers involved in waste picking, who risk displacement, for 
instance, by large, mechanized sorting facilities. In addition, , providing support to developing 
countries towards the adoption of better practices for producing plastics would compensate for 
possible losses from restrictive trade policies on harmful plastics. Lowering or even eliminating MFN 
and preferential import duties for environmentally sound plastic substitutes that are reusable (such 
as jute b ags) or recyclable (such as aluminum containers) could help promote circularity and 
environmental sustainability.      
 
Finally, the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement also includes provisions on technical assistance and 
capacity -building for developing and least-developed countries that could be used to support circular 
economy objectives related to plastic pollution. Some examples include training of customs officials 
in identifying goods that meet specific environmental requirements or circular economy sta ndards, 
and to provide scanning equipment to facilitate identification of recyclable products or products that 
contain harmful additives.  
 
 
__________