SEOUL, June 16 (AJP) - G20 member states and international organizations gathered on Jun. 10 for a high-level webinar to examine global cooperation on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems, a cornerstone policy tool for advancing the circular economy.
The webinar, held under the G20 Resource Efficiency Dialogue (RED), was hosted by South Africa, the 2024 G20 presidency, and organized by the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG). The session focused on sharing lessons and challenges in EPR policy design and implementation across countries. The closed-door event was not open to the general public, ensuring more focused and specialized dialogue among officials and experts.
EPR, or Extended Producer Responsibility, places legal responsibility on manufacturers for the post-consumer stage of products. By encouraging recycling and sustainable waste management, the system supports key goals in carbon neutrality, ESG performance, and the broader shift to resource-efficient economies. The discussion highlighted EPR’s relevance in packaging, electronics, and batteries—sectors facing new regulatory demands amid rapid growth in online commerce.
Three panel sessions explored key areas, international EPR adoption and lessons learned, the experience of operating Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs), and regulatory approaches to e-commerce and digital sales channels. Speakers included officials and experts from the OECD, India, China, Germany, Brazil, South Africa, and Argentina.
In the second session, moderated by attorney Park Sang-yeol of ELPS, a Seoul-based law firm specializing in ESG advisory, panelists from India, South Africa, and Argentina shared insights on building PROs, public-private cooperation models, and operational challenges.
Park, who served as legal advisor to Korea’s Ministry of Environment for 16 years, provided expert commentary on EPR’s evolution and its future in both domestic and international contexts.
The event went beyond information sharing, laying groundwork for deeper G20 policy collaboration, bilateral technical exchanges, and joint research initiatives. Participants also raised the possibility of forming a global EPR framework with shared standards.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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