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3.8. Tariffs, excise duties, and most rebates and drawbacks are harmonized within SACU (Main Report, Section 3), while VAT and other taxes/levies are not. South Africa imposes levies on both imported and domestically produced goods. These include:
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• Environmental levies on plastic carriers and flat bags, electrical filament lamps, tyres, carbon dioxide emissions of motor vehicles, and a carbon tax (Section 1.1);
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3.10. In November 2021, Japan also joined the Informal Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (IDP).

3.157. Japan maintains a government procurement policy to promote environmental protection. During the review period, two revisions of the Basic Policy on Promoting Green Procurement (the implementation rules concerning the Green Procurement Act[157]) were notified to the WTO Committee on Government Procurement.[158] The implementation rules concerning the Green Contract Act[159], namely the Basic Policy for the Promotion of Contracts considering Reduction of Emissions of Greenhouse Gases and Others by Government Entities and Independent Administrative Agencies, etc., were also revised in February 2022.[160] Major changes include adding the 2050 Carbon Neutrality Declaration and the 2030 Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Target (reduced by 46% from its 2013 level), updating the status of climate change and global warming issues, and revising the government action plan.
[157] Green Procurement Act. Viewed at: https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/2719.
[158] WTO documents GPA/LEGIS/JPN/3, 25 January 2021; and GPA/LEGIS/JPN/4, 15 April 2021. The last revision as of February 2022 strengthened the standards for recycled plastics and biomass plastics and added three new items: cassette for tape printer, tape for tape printer, and faucets. Ministry of the Environment, Basic Policy on Promoting Green Procurement (Provisional Translation). Viewed at: http://www.env.go.jp/policy/hozen/green/g-law/archive/bp/r3bp_en.pdf.
[159] Green Contract Act. Viewed at: https://www.japaneselawtranslation.go.jp/en/laws/view/2726.
[160] Basic Policy on Green Contracts (February 2022). Viewed at: http://www.env.go.jp/policy/ga/kihonhoushin.html.

4.20.  The Malaysia Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2021-2030 was launched in 2021 with the vision to transform the whole plastic value chain through having more sustainable practices and adopting circular economy principles throughout plastic lifecycle.

4.21.  The Roadmap[the Malaysia Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2021-2030] was developed to guide the country towards a sustainable plastic economy, enabled through the principles of circularity. This sustainable circular ecosystem covers the whole plastic value chain starting from its product design stage until the collection and sorting of plastic waste, making sure that the materials are kept in circulation in its highest possible value, can easily be recovered and recycled as well as be effectively reused. It involves design innovation, supply chain collaboration, high value recycling industry, resource efficiency through manufacturers as well as brand owner's accountability in managing end-of-life impacts of their products.

4.22.  The action plans outlined under this Roadmap[the Malaysia Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2021-2030] are targeted at minimizing the environmental impact due to plastic pollution and subsequently achieving plastics circularity and sustainability for 2030, and beyond. Among the national targets that we aim to achieve are phasing out problematic single-use plastics, having 25% post-consumer plastic packaging to be recycled by 2025, 100% recyclability of plastic packaging by 2030, 15% average recycled content by 2030 and 76% average collected-for-recycling (CFR) rate by 2030. This is in tandem with the Government's objective of a sustainable Malaysia and creating business opportunities from plastic waste.

3.74.   The Fourth Schedule of the Customs (Prohibition of Imports) Order 2017 addresses the conformity of imports with MS or any other approved standard, as stipulated in the respective technical regulations of regulatory bodies. Part I covers cement, cement products, and plastic flushing cisterns equipped mechanisms. Imports require a certificate of approval (COA) or a letter of exemption, issued by or on behalf of the Chief Executive of the CIDB[the Construction Industry Development Board]. Two items were added to Part I in 2022, i.e. recovered paper and paper board, and waste and scrap of metal. Imports require a COA pursuant to the guidelines for importation and inspection of wastepaper and metal scrap.

Table A3.3 Import prohibitions and licensing (Second Schedule)
(…) Part I Goods which are prohibited to be imported into Malaysia except under an import licence
Item no.: 14
Description of goods: Waste, parings and scrap of plastics.
Ministry/department/statutory body issuing licence: Department of National Solid Waste Management
(…)

2.27.  (...) It is worth noting that Chile co-coordinated negotiations on investment facilitation for development with the Republic of Korea. In addition, Chile actively engages in initiatives relating to trade and environment, such as the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions, the Informal Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade, and the Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform.

2.55.  Together with the foregoing, Chile's pro tempore presidencies of the PA[Pacific Alliance] have been marked by the following major achievements:
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• Plastic free region and against climate change: The Roadmap for the Sustainable Management of Plastics was adopted at the Santiago Presidential Summit in December 2020, with the aim of implementing the PA Presidential Declaration on Sustainable Plastic Management signed in Lima in July 2019.
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