INF/TE/IDP/W/8  
 
20 May 2022  
(22-3915) Page: 1/2 
  Original: English  
 
INFORMAL DIALOGUE ON PLASTIC S POLLUTION AND ENVIRONMENTALLY  
SUSTAINABLE PLASTICS TRADE (IDP)  
DRAFT AID FOR TRADE  GLOBAL REVIEW AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY  
The following communication , dated 20 May 2022 , is being circulated at the request of the 
delegations of Australia, Barbados, China, Ecuador, Fiji and Morocco (IDP Coordinators ). 
 
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1. In our Ministerial Statement f rom December 20 21 (WT/MIN(21)/8/Rev.2 ) Ministers reached the 
shared unders tanding  to intensify 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 plastics pollution. Amongst others:  
- Addressing trade -related capacity building and technical assistance needs of developing 
Members, least developed Members and vulnerable Small Island Developing States  
(SIDS), to support their efforts  in several areas; a nd 
 
- Considering plastic pollution and environmentally sustainable plastics trade in Aid for 
Trade with environmentally sustainable objectives.  
 
2. Consistent with this shared understanding that the IDP should consider tackling plastic pollution 
in Aid for Trade  (AfT), as laid out in  the Ministerial Statement, please provide your views on the 
following questions:  
1) [to all participants ] How can plastic pollution in AfT programmes  be better reflected in the 
next AfT Global Review  cycle? 
 
• What relevant information can be gathered, for exa mple through questions specific 
to plastics and plastic pollution to be included in the questionnaire sent to 
participants?  For example, should participants be invited to simply indicate 
programmes related to addressing plastic pollution? Should there be s ome prior 
categorisation to help better identify the nature of existing programmes (e.g., by 
objective, type of policy, type of plastics, alternatives and substitutes and services, 
including access to technologies targeted etc) and the links to trade (e.g.  is trade 
considered in the programme, what trade measures might accompany or support 
the implementation of the policy/ programme, etc.)?  
 
• What could IDP co -sponsors and other Members do themselves in their engagement 
in the process?  
 
• Should relevant sta keholders , including organisations engaged in global, regional 
and domestic programmes related to addressing plastic pollution, also be involved? 
If yes, which  and how ? For example, through specific Workshops that can be directly 
embedded into the AfT Work  Programme ? If so, on what topics?  
 
2) [to recipient  partners ] What trade -related actions are envisioned in relation to objectives 
identified in the IDP Ministerial Statement  (see below)?  What specific needs do you require INF/TE/IDP/W/8  
 
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  to efficiently implement trade -related policies and actions to address plastic pollution , 
namely to:  
 
• move towards more circular plastics economies , 
 
• improve the environmentally sound management, recovery and recycling of plastics , 
 
• facilitate access to key technologies , 
 
• expand trade in environmentally sustainable and effective substitutes and 
alternatives , 
 
• encourage collaboration with the relevant stakeholders through, inter alia, the 
exchange of knowledge and experience relating to the development of and access 
to environmentally sustainable and effective (including cost and functionally 
effective) substitutes and alternatives to single -use plastics ; 
 
• develop and strengthen local capacities to produce environmentally sustainable and 
effective substitut es and alternatives to single -use plastics ; 
 
• design and implement trade policies to address plastic pollution , 
 
• other. 
 
[participants would be able to provide a score from (low priority) 1 to 5 (high priority)  among 
the following multiple answers to facil itate the analysis of results (the same used in the trade 
measures survey): access to technology; technical assistance on policy development; 
technical assistance on policy implementation (e.g. market surveillance); certification, 
testing and metrology; cu stoms challenges; financial and investment assistance; domestic 
private sector engagement; domestic civil society engagement; cooperation from exporting 
Members ; cooperation from value chain actors (incl. exporters); regional cooperation; Other 
(please ela borate) ] 
 
3) [to recipient  partners ] What assistance do you already receive in your efforts to address 
plastic pollution? Does any of this assistance directly address trade -related actions to 
address plastic pollution? What is your experience with regional Af T programs to address 
plastic pollution? How do they compare to non -regional programs?  
4) [to donor Members and South South partners ] What assistance do you already provide  to 
address plastic pollution? Does any of this assistance directly address trade-related actions 
to address plastic pollution ? What information is needed to help guide the development of 
your AfT strategy to include a goal of actions to implement trade -related actions to address 
plastic pollution ? What is your experience with reg ional AfT programs to address plastic 
pollution?   How do they compare to non -regional programs?  
 
5) [to regional and international donor institutions and organisations working on plastics ] What 
assistance do you provide to address plastic pollution? Does any of this assistance directly 
address trade -related actions to address plastic pollution?  
 
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