"Subject: Civil Society Organisations from the Global South in support of Germany’s move to prohibit the export of EU-banned pesticides", 24. November 2022

Dear honourable Agricultural Minister Cem Oezdemir,

We, the signing 274 organisations from 54 countries, would like to express our appreciation and support for Germany’s move forward to prohibit the export of EU-banned pesticides that endanger our people and the planet, our livelihoods and wellbeing.

We thank you, Minister Oezdemir, for your statement, made on September 11, acknowledging that it is not acceptable that Germany continues to produce and export pesticides that have rightly been banned on its own territory to protect people's health and that people throughout the world, including farmers, have the same right to health.

In our countries, our peoples’ health and livelihoods are threatened by Highly Hazardous Pesticides, such as those that are banned in the EU, but are nonetheless allowed to be exported to countries outside the EU. [...]

With the prohibition of the export of Highly Hazardous Pesticides already banned in the EU, Germany will take the necessary steps to fulfil its extraterritorial state obligations to protect people abroad from human rights violations. [...]

We appeal to you, your colleague ministers and coalition partners, to ensure that the legislation you are working on will prevent future exports of banned pesticides in a comprehensive and consistent manner. We urge you to ban the export of all pesticides that are not approved in the European Union – no matter if they are exported as products or active ingredients. The mere export ban of formulated pesticide products will not be sufficient to prevent harm, as exporters could just shift to exporting active ingredients, which would then be formulated and used in the importing country. Additionally, to ensure a meaningful impact, we ask that the export ban includes pesticides that are considered to be too dangerous both for people’s health and for the environment and biodiversity.

[...]

The signing 274 organisations from 54 countries appeal to Germany to make a courageous move. We express our support and we are convinced that if Germany upholds its commitment to reduce unsustainable double standards in pesticide trade with the planned new legislation, it will set a model for other countries and regions to follow and will be an important step to reduce the harm from highly hazardous pesticides suffered by all people and the planet.

Signed on behalf of all signatures

Sarojeni V. Rengam, Executive Director, Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Asia Pacific

Valéria Burity, Secretary - General, FIAN Brazil