WT/MIN(22)/12  
 
13 June 2022  
(22-4576) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12 -15 June 202 2 Original: English  
 
 
INFORMAL DIALOGUE ON PLASTIC POLLUTION AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE 
PLASTICS TRADE (IDP)  
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ON PLASTIC POLLUTION AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE 
PLASTICS TRADE  
The following statement , dated 13 June 2022, is being circulated at the request of the Ministers of 
the coordinators of the  Informal Dialogue on Plastic Pollution an d Environmentally Sustainable 
Plastics Trade (IDP): Australia, Ba rbados, China, Ecuador, Fiji  and Morocco.  
 
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Plastic pollution is an immense challenge facing the world. Co sponsors  of the WTO Dialogue on 
Plastic Pollution are committed to addressing the trade -related aspects of plastic pollution and to 
identifying opportunities for cooperation on trade and trade policies that could support the range of 
domestic and international eff orts underway to reduce plastic pollution.  
 
We welcome the United Nations Environment Assembly resolution to launch negotiations with the 
goal of forging an international  legally binding instrument by the end of 2024 to end plastic pollution.  
 
We have made substantial progress since the Ministerial Statement was made on  
15 December 2021. The number of cosponsors has also grown to 7 2 WTO Members.  
 
We have taken a number of tangible steps to implement the Ministerial Statement of the Dialogue 
on Plastic Pollution. We have intensified our work on areas of common interest with a view to 
identifying actions that participating Members could take collectively to support global efforts to 
reduce plastic pollution . We have launched a voluntary survey on  trade -related measures relevant 
to plastic pollution reduction (INF/TE/IDP/W/7 /Rev.1 ), which will help build a deeper understanding 
of the range of policy tools WTO Members employ or could adopt to address plastic pollution, and 
the areas where internatio nal cooperation through a trade dimension is most vital. We have also 
launched an Aid for Trade needs assessment review (INF/TE/IDP/W/8 /Rev.1 ) – the results of which 
will support WTO Members understanding of the needs of developing Members to address plast ic 
pollution through trade and trade policies where international cooperation is most needed.  
 
We have and will continue to deepen our collaboration with other international processes and 
organi zations to ensure we are engaging and supporting efforts to ad dress this multifaceted and 
complicated problem. In our communication on 8 June 2022 (INF/TE/IDP/W/6 /Rev.1 ), we 
announced our intention to deepen engagement with the World Customs Organization to 
cooperatively address trade -related aspects of plastic pollu tion. We are expanding our cooperation 
with the United Nations Environment Programme. We will organi ze a workshop in collaboration with 
the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development ( UNCTAD ) and other relevant 
stakeholders on plastics substitutes and alternatives.  
 
We welcome the active participation of all WTO Members in the Dialogue on Plastic Pollution. We are 
committed to maintaining an open, inclusive, and transparent process.  WT/MIN(22)/12  
 
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  We value and recognise the proactive engagement of multiple stakeho lders. We will continue to 
openly engage with relevant stakeholders to seek advice and guidance, and to rely on their expertise 
and competences, particularly of the trade and environment community.  
 
We look forward to working with the co sponsors  and all WT O Members as we advance our efforts to 
address the trade -related aspects of plastic pollution and develop further concrete, pragmatic and 
effective outcomes by MC13.  
 
 
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