tess-dpp-pre-plenary-statement-21-sep_final-c8cc652c9077788c.pdf

The Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (TESS) provided a pre-plenary statement on September 21, 2023, regarding the WTO Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (DPP). TESS offers feedback on the first draft of a proposed statement for the Thirteenth WTO Ministerial Conference (MC13), urging members to increase ambition in the annexes, ensure environmental credibility, and align the WTO's work with the ongoing plastics treaty process and the Basel Convention.

• TESS identifies several vital elements for the next iteration of the MC13 draft statement, including the need to maintain the balance of topics from the MC12 statement, recognize the specific impacts of plastic pollution on developing countries, vulnerable economies, and small island developing states (SIDS), and protect both human health and the environment.
• TESS recommends that the WTO increase transparency regarding trade flows and measures through individual or collective actions, and in collaboration with international organizations such as the World Customs Organization (WCO), UNCTAD, and the BRS Conventions.
• Regarding capacity building in Annex II, TESS suggests expanding support beyond product design to include local capacities for manufacturing and participation in value chains for sustainable products and safe substitutes. This would require support for trade finance, implementation of standards, and technology transfer, as well as assistance for customs authorities to regulate plastics trade at borders.
• TESS cautions against the inclusion of polylactic acid (PLA) and certain bioplastics as alternative plastics in Annex V due to environmental concerns. They suggest focusing instead on non-plastic substitutes and a limited number of alternative plastics, such as recycled-PET, while noting the need for international standards to address toxicity and ensure human health protection.
• TESS emphasizes the importance of synergy between the DPP and the plastics treaty process, suggesting that the WTO should inform members about the treaty's means of implementation, including financial mechanisms, while the DPP should provide trade-related expertise to the treaty negotiations.

APA

Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs (n.d.). tess-dpp-pre-plenary-statement-21-sep_final-c8cc652c9077788c.pdf. https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Publications/TESS-DPP-Pre-Plenary-Statement-21-Sep_FINAL.pdf?dm=1696239403

Chicago

Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs. tess-dpp-pre-plenary-statement-21-sep_final-c8cc652c9077788c.pdf. n.d. https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Publications/TESS-DPP-Pre-Plenary-Statement-21-Sep_FINAL.pdf?dm=1696239403.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Forum on Trade, Environment, & the SDGs |title=tess-dpp-pre-plenary-statement-21-sep_final-c8cc652c9077788c.pdf |url=https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Publications/TESS-DPP-Pre-Plenary-Statement-21-Sep_FINAL.pdf?dm=1696239403 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{forumontradeenvironmentthesdgsndtessdpppreplenarystatement21sepfinalc8cc652c9077788cpdf, author = {{Forum on Trade, Environment, \& the SDGs}}, title = {{tess-dpp-pre-plenary-statement-21-sep\_final-c8cc652c9077788c.pdf}}, publisher = {Forum on Trade, Environment, \& the SDGs}, url = {https://lyrical-cormorant.files.svdcdn.com/production/assets/images/Publications/TESS-DPP-Pre-Plenary-Statement-21-Sep_FINAL.pdf?dm=1696239403}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }