Open-Ended Working Group Preparatory Meeting for the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for a Global Agreement on Plastics | Dakar, 29 May - 1 June 2022
date: 01/07/2022
The UNEP-organised OEWG had been established under UNEA Resolution 5/14 with the task to prepare the work of the Intergovernmental Committee that will begin in the second half of 2022. The meeting did not yet address substantive matters of plastic pollution. The debate focused on the Rules of Procedure of the INC discussion issues such as: the nature of the meetings (in person, on-line or hybrid meetings); chairmanship of the INC (one chair or two co-chairs); consensus vs. voting; and the voting rights for Regional Economic Integration Organisations (REIOs).
The proposed approach and schedule of the INC’s work was included in the Final Outcome Summary, with five INC meetings foreseen for November 2022, April 2023, November 2023, May 2024 and December 2024, before the Diplomatic Conference to be held early in 2025.
The proposed Rules of Procedure are based largely on those for the INC for the Minamata Convention, deciding on the composition of the bureau with one chair, but adding a dedicated seat for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), based on the precedent of the UNFCCC bureau but pending conclusion on the voting right of REIOs.
The Secretariat is requested to prepare several substantial INF documents for INC1 (November 2022).
Following the OEWG, Member States, members of specialised agencies and relevant stakeholders were invited to make submissions, by 15 July 2022, on:
- the sequencing and organisation of INC;
- substantive issues which would contribute to preparation of documentation for INC-1, in particular, regarding potential elements of the future instrument as well as priorities, needs, challenges and barriers, and overview of national measures; and
- the content and considerations for the preparation of the forum for the exchange of information and activities related to plastic pollution.
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