INF/TE/IDP/W/10/Rev.2  
 
19 January  2024 
(24-0444) Page: 1/3 
  Original: English  
 
DIALOGUE ON PLASTIC POLLUTION AND ENVIRONMENTALLY  
SUSTAINABLE PLASTICS TRADE ( DPP) 
MC13 STATEMENT  
Revision  
The following communication, dated 19 January  2024, is being circulated at the request of the 
Dialogue  Coordinators . 
 
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We, the Ministers representing the following Member s of the WTO  [ ], issue this statement : 
Recalling  that the Marrakesh Agreement establishing the WTO recognizes the role of trade in 
achieving the objective of sustainable development and the need to protect and preserve the 
environment  and to enhance the means for doing so in a manner consistent with WTO Member s 
respective needs and concerns at different levels of economic development . 
Expressing  our deep concern about the triple global environmental challenges of biodiversity loss, 
pollution , and climate change and its related disasters, and recognizing  that these challenges are 
interlinked , mutually reinforcing, and driven largely by unsustainable patterns of consumpti on, 
production and disposal and their related economic and health costs.  
Acknowledging the negative impact that plastic pollution has on the environment, particularly in 
small , vulnerable economies  (SVE)  and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), as well a s on all 
economies, including the blue  economy, and on human health while recognizing the important role 
plastics play in society.  
Recognizing  the transboundary nature of plastic pollution , plastic waste and plastics trade , making 
it crucial for Member s to cooperate and coordinate their efforts to address the plastic pollution crisis 
and its adverse  effects  on the environment and human health , and acknowledging the growing 
urgent need to tackle th is crisis, the need for coordinated action across policy areas and to regularly  
evaluate and assess approaches consistent with developments in science , technology  and 
knowledge.  
Welcoming  the timely co nclusion of an international legally  binding instrument on plastic pollution , 
including in the marine environment , to protect human health and the  environment , pursuant to the 
United Nations  Environment Assembly resolution 5/14 : End plastic pollution , recognizing the efforts 
of the Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee (INC)  to complete their work by the end of 2024 
and without prejudice to the ongoing negotiations, and noting the resolutio n’s call to continue and 
step up activities, and adopt voluntary  measures, to combat plastic pollution.  
Acknowledging  the efforts under the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions and 
commending the successful adoption  under the Basel Convention,  of the Technical Guidelines on the 
Environmentally Sound Management of Plastic  Wastes , and the decision under the Stockholm 
Convention to update Annex A with  the addition of two  chemicals used as  plastic additives , fostering 
international cooperation and progress towards environmentally sound and safe plastic waste  
management.  INF/TE/IDP/W/10/Rev.2  
 
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  Highlighting  the importance of the rules -based multilateral trading system  and the WTO at its core  
and of trade -related co operation as a contribution to global efforts to end plastic pollution, including 
through developing and implement ing relevant  trade-related plastics measures  and increasing 
transparency  across the life cycle of plastics , in particular  to support  efforts by developing Member s 
to tackle plastic pollution . 
Acknowledging  the ongoing international, regional and domestic efforts to address plastic pollution  
and the contribution by many of these processes and relevant stakeholders to the Dialogue.  
Reaffi rming  the Dialogue 's Ministerial Statement (WT/MIN(21)/8/Rev. [X]) issued on 10 December 
2021 which committed co -sponsors to work towards "concrete, pragmatic, and effective outcomes" 
on the trade -related aspects of plastics pollution in order to contribute  to the global response to end 
plastic pollution on the areas of substantive focus further articulated by the Dialogue Plan 
(INF/TE/IDP/W/5): Cross -cutting issues, including capacity building and technical assistance, 
international cooperation, and transpa rency and data;  Reduction  and circularity  to tackle plastic 
pollution; and Promotion of trade to tackle plastic pollution.  
Highlighting  the progress of the collective work of the Dialogue since its launch, including:  
• The substantive technical work and discussions of the Dialogue, with the support of the expertise 
from delegations and relevant stakeholders, which has helped advance our col lective knowledge 
of the intersection between trade, trade policies and plastic pollution,  under each of the 
workstreams of the Dialogue, and supported the production of several outputs  from the Dialogue 
such as those reflected  in the open, illustrative, n on-exhaustive and evolving compilation of 
suggestions, practices, options, and opportunities attached to this statement , as well as 
information documents, factual summaries and reports, specialized workshops , surveys and 
communications.  
• The enhanced, close , and constructive cooperation with other international and regional efforts 
and institutions, such as with the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an 
international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment 
(INC), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Customs Organization 
(WCO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the BRS 
Conventions, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Org anization (WHO), 
the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Bamboo and Rattan 
Organi zation (INBAR), the World Bank Group, the Latin American Integration Association 
(ALADI), the Organi zation for Economic Co -operation and De velopment (OECD) , the Asia -Pacific 
Economic Cooperation (APEC)  and a range of stakeholder organization s involved in the work of 
the Dialogue.  
We have accordingly reached the following shared understandings . 
We will continue to cooperate on the basis of the  following shared principles : 
• Focusing on trade -related actions  within  the rules and mechanisms of the WTO  that participating 
Member s could take collectively and individually to support global efforts to end plastic pollution . 
• Deepening cooperation and collaboration with other international organizations, secretariats and 
processes ; ensuring coherence and complementarity ; avoiding duplication ; and ensuring that  our 
work is informed by and  supports the ongoing INC negotiations  as well as t he implementation of 
relevant multilateral environment al agreements , and takes into  account relevant technical and 
scientific developments.  
• Deepening cooperation to  address challenges facing WTO Member s, in particular developing 
Member s, LDCs , SVEs , SIDS and land -locked developing countries (LLDCs),  in the trade -related 
aspects of plastic pollution  and sustainable development goals.  
• Emphasizing the role of multilateral trade -related  cooperation including in promoting 
transparency and  sustainable practices to tackle plastic pollution . INF/TE/IDP/W/10/Rev.2  
 
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  • Continuing open, inclusive,  and transparent engagement with all WTO Member s, relevant WTO 
Committees,  and all relevant stakeholders.  
• Continuing our efforts in further exploring the interlinkages of plastic pollution and trade . 
We agree on the importance of international cooperation on the following actions  and pursu ing such 
actions , including  on a voluntary basis, individually and collectively, in the spirit of international 
cooperation while recogni zing different domestic challenges  and priorities for action : 
• Improve transparency, monitoring and understanding of trade flows throughout the val ue chain 
of plastics, including flows of  single -use plastics , plastic films  and hard-to-recycle plastics . 
• Address trade -related capacity building and technical assistance needs of developing Member s, 
least-developed Member s, SVEs  and SIDS, including through  the implementation of Aid for Trade 
and facilitate on going  efforts to better match  existing funding opportunities with specific trade-
related needs  identified by developing Members to tackle plastic pollution.  
• Promote cooperative and effe ctive trade -related policies or measures  implemented  to support 
efforts to reduce plastics and plastic products that are harmful to the environment or human 
health, or unnecessary single -use plastics and plastics packaging, associated with international 
trade that are not essential for medical or sanitary purposes.  
• Promote  cooperative and effective trade -related policies or measures  to address the 
environmental, social and human health impacts and leakage s across the lifecycle of  plastics, 
plastics products  and their constituents . 
• Promote cooperation on trade that contributes to ending plastic pollution, including trade  in 
environmentally  sound,  safe, and effective  non-plastic substitute s taking into account scientific 
evidence an d knowledge;  and environmentally sound, safe and effective plastic alternatives ; as 
well as systems to reuse, repair and refill ; and services and technologies including for improving 
transparency, waste management and clean -up activities, in ways that consider the waste 
hierarchy and are appropriate to local development circumstances and needs, and in line with 
Basel Convention Technical Guidelines on Environmentally Sound Management  of Plastic Waste s. 
• Promote trade -related cooperation to c ontribute to the control of transboundary movement of 
plastic pollution, including through, for example, the effective implement ation by its Parties of 
the Basel Convention Plastic Waste Amendments and its Plastic Technical Guidelines , where  
relevant to in ternational cooperation and progress towards environmentally sound and safe 
plastic waste management.  
Related to each of the actions noted above , a factual compilation  with actions, policies and measures 
identified through the Dialogue's discussions and surveys, as being undertaken  or proposed  by 
Members to reduce plastic pollution , is attached to this declaration . 
This compilation will be updated periodically based on global, regional and domestic efforts  and 
outcomes including  means of implementation , as well as on  technical and scientific developments . 
We will continue to hold dedicated discussions with a view to identify best practices and share 
experiences regarding all topics identified by the Dialogue. The Dialogue  will work to update a 
forward p lan in the months following MC13. We will look for further concrete , pragmatic, and 
effective outcomes on these actions and understandings at the latest by MC14.  In this process, we 
will reflect the results of the INC negotiations on the international legally binding instrument on 
plastic pollution , including in updating the compilation . 
 
 
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