Several coordinators of the Dialogue — Australia, China, Ecuador, and Morocco — welcomed Mongolia and Mozambique as new members of the DPP, nearing the milestone of reaching half of the WTO membership. Praising the strong engagement of members, they said the Dialogue is moving to a new phase and will focus its work on specific items to achieve concrete outcomes.
On behalf of all co-coordinators, Australia presented the proposed focus areas for the three workstreams that form the core of the DPP's post-MC13 work plan. First, regarding crosscutting issues, the suggested focus would be on enhancing support for major international processes combating plastics pollution, particularly the multilateral negotiation process led by the United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee to reach a legally binding instrument on plastics pollution, and the Harmonized System (HS) reform process currently undertaken at the World Customs Organization (WCO). How to enhance members' capacity to integrate trade as part of the solution to plastic pollution was also proposed as a focus under this workstream.
For reduction strategies to tackle plastics pollution, the suggested focus includes taking an inventory of members' trade-related plastic measures (TrPMs), and identifying best practices and opportunities for harmonizing TrPMs with a focus on single-use plastics.
Regarding promoting trade to tackle plastics pollution, the proposed focus includes facilitating access to technologies and services for waste management and leveling the playing field for non-plastic substitutes and alternatives, starting with standards.
The co-coordinators indicated that a questionnaire will soon be circulated among DPP members, followed by extensive bilateral consultations on 16-18 July to discuss all feedback. This is in order to reach a consensus on the final list of focused items for Dialogue's work towards MC14.
Live discussions ensued as participants continued refining technical elements of the three workstreams. For each workstream, representatives from various organizations were invited to present their diverse activities addressing environmental, health, and biodiversity impacts of plastic pollution.
The INC Secretariat highlighted key outcomes from recent negotiation meetings (INC 4) and stated that trade elements will be discussed further in final round negotiation meetings (INC 5) scheduled for late November and early December. The WCO Secretariat briefed on latest discussions regarding adding new HS codes for specific plastic goods following a call by DPP in cooperation with WTO Secretariat. The WTO Secretariat also reported on DPP's engagement in INC meetings.
Participants welcomed co-coordinators' initiative identifying focused areas while retaining possibility extending broader topics going forward. They reiterated importance reinforcing collaboration cooperation other major international processes stressing need avoid overstepping explore positive synergies complementarity others.
Some members shared national practices overseeing domestic action plastics trade-related measures mitigating cross-border plastic pollution. Some agreed importance building domestic inventory TrPMs while others pointed out need seek convergence different actions.
Participants discussed national experiences waste management mechanisms part whole life-cycle strategy reducing plastic pollution. They explored technologies policies promoting non-plastic substitutes alternatives obstacles accessing these technologies.
Australia Ecuador Morocco thanked participants rich discussions progress made three workstreams. They asked members reflect discussions thus far prepare engaging upcoming questionnaire survey next DPP meeting scheduled 19 September.
Launched November 2020 group WTO members DPP currently consists 81 co-sponsors representing more than 85 percent global trade plastics.
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