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UNPACKING THE GLOBAL PLASTICS TREATY NEGOTIATIONS Conference

Conference
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Public Conference 


Since 2022, states have been negotiating a global treaty to end plastic pollution. Proposals have been tabled that address the entire plastic lifecycle: reducing plastic production to sustainable levels, promoting circularity, and preventing plastic leakage into the environment.  States have also proposed ways to provide support for developing countries.  The challenge is complex, the stakes are high, and the interests are diverse.  While significant progress has been made, the goal of concluding a final agreement at the latest negotiation round in August 2025 (INC 5.2) was not achieved.

On 29 October 2025, Maastricht University’s Institute for Globalization and International Regulation (IGIR) at the Faculty of Law, together with the Circular Plastics Chair and the Chair of Sustainability of Chemicals and Materials at the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE), will join forces to organize an in-person international conference on the global plastics treaty negotiations.

With a particular focus on the European context, the conference will bring together participants in the negotiations—academics, policymakers, civil society, and business—to take stock of the plastics treaty negotiations and to consider the way forward for securing an agreement. 

When & where

29 October 2025: 10.00-12.45 CET (walk-in from 9.30)

Brightlands Chemelot Campus
Urmonderbaan 22  - Gate 2 
6167 RD Sittard-Geleen
The Netherlands

Registration & transport

Registration for the conference is required, and is free of charge. Transport from Maastricht to the venue (Brightlands Chemelot Campus) is also available free of charge, and could be booked with your reservation. A light lunch will be provided.

Programme

Time (CET) Topic 
09:00Bus from Maastricht, Tongerseplein, to Brightlands Chemelot (for those who signed up)
10:00

Welcome & introduction on the plastics treaty negotiations 

Dominic Coppens (Professor of Economic Law, Faculty of Law, Maastricht University) & Kim Ragaert (Professor of Circular Plastics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Maastricht University) 

10:20

Panel 1: Looking back – Core aspects of the negotiations and countries’ position 

Chair: Dominic Coppens

  1. Upstream measures: Jennefer Baarn (Head of Delegation at the plastics treaty negotiations, Policy Coordinator, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Netherlands) & Alejandra Gonzalez (Senior Policy Advisor at WWF) 
  2. Downstream measures: Amy Youngman (International Environmental Attorney at EIA) 
  3. Financing: Sebastien Willemaert (Attaché at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Belgium) 
  4. Decision-making under the treaty: Sophie Mirgaux (Special Envoy for the Ocean at the Belgian Government) 
  5. Inclusion: Belén Gracia (PhD Researcher, Faculty of Law, Maastricht University)

Panel interventions followed by Q&A with the audience 

11:35

Panel 2: Looking ahead – How to conclude the treaty? 

Chair: Helionor De Anzizu (Senior Attorney at CIEL, and PhD Researcher) 

  1. How to conclude the treaty and alternative options:  Alexandra Harrington (Professor of law at McGill University)
  2. Geo-political dynamics: Hugo Maria Schally (former lead EU negotiator) 
  3. The role of science: Noreen O’Meara (Professor at the University of Surrey; Member of the Scientists’ Coalition)  
  4. The role of business: Ambrogio Miserocchi (Policy Manager at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation)
  5. The perspective of a technical scientist: Kim Ragaert 

Panel interventions followed by Q&A with the audience

12.40Closing by Dominic Coppens & Kim Ragaert
12:45Lunch 
14:00Transfer back to Maastricht, Tongerseplein (for those who signed up for the transfer) 

 

If you are interested in participating in the Public Conference on the global plastics treaty on 29 October 2025, please register via the green button. 
 

About the organizers 

The event is hosted by Maastricht University, as member of the SYSCHEMIQ project, and is supported by Maastricht University’s sustainability research program (Sustainable UM 2030), which aims to foster interdisciplinary sustainability research at the University and with external partners. 

The event is co-organized by: 

  • The Institute for Globalisation and International Regulation (IGIR), a research institute based at Maastricht University's Faculty of Law with a research cluster focusing on the international regulatory shift needed to address the triple planetary crisis (IGIR & Sustainability), which conducts research on the global plastics treaty negotiations.  Contact: Prof Dominic Coppens.
     
  • The Circular Plastics chair at the Department of Circular Chemical Engineering of Maastricht University's Faculty of Science and Engineering. The group focuses on complimentary recycling technology and systemic changes for a circular plastics system. Contact: Prof Kim Ragaert.
     
  • The Sustainability of Chemicals and Materials Chair at the Aachen-Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials, part of the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Maastricht University. The group is specialized in assessing the sustainability and circularity of chemical value chains based on renewable resources and circular principles. Contact: Dr Ali Ghannadzadeh and Prof Yvonne van der Meer.

 

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