IISD provides insights on aspects of World Trade Organization (WTO) members’ plastics that have created friction with trading partners and suggests recommendations for the adoption of such policies in the future. The authors identify the nature and categories of the issues that have been raised. This policy brief aims to help policy-makers avoid possible friction that may emerge because of trade-related policy measures aimed at reducing plastic pollution.
This policy brief aims to provide only an initial overview of potential frictions that have been triggered by trade-related policy measures to address plastic pollution to date. Research findings from the ePing database and TPR entries show that a wide variety of concerns have emerged in response to measures enacted by WTO members. At least 53 issues related to 21 different policy measures enacted by 14 WTO members have been identified. These issues were raised by a diverse group of 21 WTO members, representing both developed and developing economies in virtually all regions.
