Negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty continue in Geneva, but where do we currently stand – and where do negotiators hope to go? We take a bird’s eye view of the International Negotiating Committee saga so far, and hear from a number of voices commenting live from the conference centre.
As we recapped in our predictions for the year ahead, negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty have stalled under the weight of fundamental disagreements: the scope of bans and phase-outs, the division of finances – and, as the International Institute for Sustainable Development points out, whether the text should focus on plastic production or end-of-life treatment.
Negotiators originally planned to complete the treaty within five sessions, taking place between December 2022 and December 2024. When no agreement was reached, another round of negotiations took place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 5th – 14th August 2025 – yet this did not culminate in a solidified treaty, either.
Some attendees were left frustrated by the outcome, with members of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) describing the latest draft as “yet another letdown.”
“No treaty will ever be weak enough to satisfy low ambition countries,” complained global plastics policy adviser Eirik Lindebjerg – but other commentators were more diplomatic.
“While the latest text on the table does not yet meet all our ambitions, it is a step forward – and the perfect must not be the enemy of the good,” declared Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy.
New INC Chair elected
INC-5.3 is currently taking place at The Geneva International Conference Centre (CICG), and Ambassador Julio Cordano, director of Environment, Climate Change, and Oceans at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile, has been selected as the new INC Chair after his predecessor, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, stepped down last October.
The previous chair released a highly controversial draft text in the last negotiation round, widely accused of watering down the treaty’s overall ambition – so Cordano’s stance on a Global Plastics Treaty as “urgently needed to support concerted action” might fuel some hope of faster progress.
“At this critical moment, strong leadership matters,” said Christina Dixon, ocean campaign leader at the Environmental Investigation Agency, live from the ground in Geneva. “A pause in leadership may have hit the brakes, but with a new chair in place, we look forward to putting pedal back to the metal and tackling plastic pollution together.
“Today’s vote in Geneva sends a clear message that multilateralism doesn’t have to be paralysed by the lowest common denominator,” said Dixon. “When consensus is out of reach, voting can break the deadlock and keep progress on track.”
“To put the INC process on a clear, efficient, inclusive and transparent track, we expect the incoming Chair to present a roadmap for the conclusion of the process, including for ensuring a draft text that can serve as the basis for negotiations at INC-5.4,” stated the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution – yet it emphasized that “the success of these negotiations will not rest solely with the Chair”, but with the input of all INC members.
“This is a necessary procedural step and a welcome signal after months of inertia,” continued Nathalie Bernasconi-Osterwalder, vice-president of Global Strategies and managing director for Europe at the International Institute for Sustainable Development.
Yet the optimism is underpinned by a push to revise the negotiation process. As Bernasconi-Osterwalder elaborated, “a new Chair creates an opportunity to get negotiations moving again but on its own, it won’t resolve the deeper challenges facing the process. Without a shift in approach, talks risk remaining slowed by procedural delays rather than driven by solutions.”
“[Cordano’s] election has the potential to restart a stalled process,” added the Center for International Environmental Law. “It’s an important procedural step, but it doesn’t change the bigger picture: talks will remain bogged down by delay tactics unless something changes.”
Even so, concerns persist. As reported by environmental photojournalist James Wakibia, there was confusion during the Chair’s election as to whether the vote should be undertaken by ballot or acclamation.
“If this simple step is already difficult, the Plastics Treaty may face strong headwinds,” Wakibia cautioned.
Attendance
Representatives from all 27 EU Member States and eight EU officials appear on the provisional list of participants. Also expected to attend are industry associations like Plastics Recyclers Europe, the Plastics Industry Association, the Food Packaging Forum Foundation, and the TerraCycle Global Foundation.
The list also features academic institutions like the University of Plymouth, Sorbonne University, Concordia University, and the University of Pau and Pays de l’Adour (UPPA); NGOs such as the WWF, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the World Economic Forum, Greenpeace, the Somali Greenpeace Association; and social justice groups, including the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, Society of Native Nations, and the Women Environmental Programme.
Social and political justice have taken a frontline position as negotiations continue.
“Indigenous Peoples, civil society, and frontline communities are watching,” emphasized Frankie Orona, executive director at the Society of Native Nations. “We expect a transparent, fair, and credible voting process, free from backroom deals and industry influence.
“A global plastics treaty must be guided by leadership committed to ambition, human rights, and environmental justice, not obstruction. We’re here. We’re paying attention. And we will continue to hold this process accountable.”
This taps into ongoing concerns about the true intentions of INC negotiators. As Searious Business’ Willemijn Peeters expressed last year, “there seems to be a trend of oil-rich countries taking the lead at high-profile gatherings recently – COP, the IUCN World Congress, the UN Global Compact, and even major sporting events – raising serious questions about who is controlling the narrative and the power dynamics behind multilateralism.”
For now, the INC Secretariat has asked participants to complete an anonymous survey by 28th February 2026 – and Packaging Europe will continue to report on the negotiations as they progress.
To catch up on the Global Plastics Treaty’s progress so far, take a look at our ultimate guide to INC-1 to INC-5 and our live coverage of INC-5.2.
If you liked this story, you might also enjoy:
The ‘complex reality’ of reusable packaging in Europe
Single-use packaging versus reusable packaging: Which is more sustainable?
The ultimate guide to global packaging sustainability regulation
No comments yet