Global action on plastics

Objectives

An intergovernmental negotiating committee for a global plastics agreement was established at UNEA5. The EU will continue to work with its allies and other partners, aiming for a rapid conclusion of negotiations.

The agreement should aim to close the gaps that existing instruments do not address. It should also help to streamline and coordinate efforts by all stakeholders involved by providing an overarching framework for action.

The intergovernmental negotiating committee is developing an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full lifecycle of plastics.

The negotiating committee should, according to its mandate, consider provisions to specify the objectives of the instrument, to promote sustainable production and consumption, implementation and update of national action plans, as well as reporting and effectiveness assessments of the new instrument.

Law

There is currently no dedicated international instrument in place designed specifically to prevent plastic pollution throughout the entire plastics lifecycle.

Some countries are taking action to reduce plastic consumption or increase recycling, through campaigns and awareness-raising measures, for example. Other countries have specific laws in place, such as obliging producers and manufacturers to minimise waste, adopting recycling targets, or phasing out the most problematic plastic products, including single-use plastics.

However, recent studies show that with the current measures, we are only able to reduce marine plastic pollution, a central element of the plastic challenge, by 7%. Plastic production is forecasted to continue growing, with more single-use plastic waste generated than ever before.  

Several UNEA resolutions since 2014 have stressed the need to take urgent, concrete action on plastic pollution. An ad-hoc open-ended expert group on marine litter (the “AHEG”) was set up in 2017 by UNEA3 to identify potential solutions.

The group has concluded its work, and its recommendations were considered at the second session of UNEA5 in early 2022, leading to the launch of negotiations on a legally binding global agreement to combat plastic pollution.

Timeline

Key dates related to the EU’s global action on plastics

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