来源： 类型：
13 March 2023
DDG Jean-Marie Paugam,
Excellencies, dear colleagues,
Good morning and welcome to this first plenary meeting of IDP in 2023. At the outset, let me thank Ambassador Jose Valencia for chairing today’s meeting.
In 2020, we launched the dialogue. With the efforts of cosponsors and participants, we have made great achievement. For IDP itself, thanks to the effort of all cosponsors, we reached consensus and issued the Ministerial Statement in 2021. And thanks also to the contribution of all WTO members and stakeholders, we have accumulated vast amount of analytical material, scientific evidence and suggestions for measures.
For the WTO, IDP well demonstrates that the WTO can play its role in the global response to environment challenge, while preserving the WTO fundamental principles and values. In the meantime, development issues have been priority in the IDP discussions. Capacity building and technical assistance are always the key elements in the dialogue.
With IDP’s open, transparent and inclusive nature, its participants have increased. Some more members are also show their interest to join IDP. We are looking forward to their early participation. Collective cooperation is the only way to cope with environmental crisis. In this regard, IDP has become a platform that reflects the solidarity and cooperation of the WTO members to respond to the plastics pollution. Such solidarity and cooperation are key elements for the reform and revitalization of the WTO.
In my view, the achievements of IDP are not only reflected in the WTO, but our effort also has had and is having a profound impact on the global process of tackling plastic pollution.
As far as I know, IDP has successfully made trade, environment, customs and industry officials in many capitals work together. It is safe to say that IDP has had a positive impact on members' actions to tackle plastics pollution. One example, in the UNEA negotiation to end plastic pollution, IDP documents have been included as reference materials in the negotiation. Besides, trade has been increasingly recognized by the UNEA members. More and more UNEA negotiating parties agree that trade can play an important role. For another example, IDP has given the push to the World Customs Organization to look at the plastic pollution. Basing on the IDP discussions, trade officials are working together with their customs colleagues to put forward the proposal on tariff classification in the WCO to tackle the plastic pollution.
There are more examples of what we might call them spillover effects of IDP. IDP works closely with more than 40 stakeholders to support each other. The progress of IDP has been recognized by more and more other multilateral and regional organizations, such as APEC, OECD, UNEP and UNCTAD etc. This is of great significance.
All these show that IDP is on the right direction and track. Now, we come to a critical moment. This year's discussions will determine whether we can take a solid step towards achieving concrete, pragmatic, and effective outcomes by MC13.
2023 is a critical year for the WTO. Together, we have achieved remarkable success in MC12. It is important to all of us that we continue to build on that momentum to have a successful MC13. IDP is not a multilateral issue, but IDP can make its unique contribution to the WTO.
Concrete, pragmatic, and effective outcomes need concrete, pragmatic, and effective discussion. In today's dialogue, coordinators will present an initial suggestions for structure and vision for an MC13 statement, and a list of suggested tasks, activities which are needed to be completed in this year. We look forward to the active discussion and contribution of all WTO members and stakeholders.
Thank you.
