Jamil Chad German lawmakers push against ‘Poison Package’ in Brazil 12/08/2022 06:52

In a letter to the Brazilian Senate, German parliamentarians asked the National Congress not to approve Bill 1459/2022, known as the “Poison Package”.

The letter, signed by 21 German deputies, was sent to Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD) and to Senator Acir Gurgacz (PDT), chairman of the Commission on Agriculture and Agrarian Reform (CRA). The document was also sent to Commissioners Senator Eliziane Gama (Citizenship) and Paulo Rocha (PT).

The letter is another warning sign from the community regarding the Brazilian bill, which is ready to be voted on by the Senate’s Committee on Agriculture and Agrarian Reform. Acir Gurgacz, PL’s rapporteur at the Commission, gave a positive opinion on the measure. But civil society groups insist on the risks the package carries.

At the beginning of the year, UN rapporteurs had sent a letter to the Brazilian government warning of the project. But Planalto Palace did not even respond. The “Poison Pack” is also condemned by Brazilian activists attending the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 15).

Now, the letter from German lawmakers comes at a time when organizations are trying to denounce attempts to pass the Bill at the end of their legislative activity.

In the document, German parliamentarians say they are “observing with great concern” the progress of the legislative measure approved by the National Assembly and discussed in the Senate. And they warn: “Germany is an important trading partner for Brazil, both in terms of agricultural products and agricultural inputs”.

“We believe that a high level of global protection for humans and the environment from potentially harmful chemicals is the right of every human being, a prerequisite for protecting our common livelihood on planet Earth, and an element of fair trade relations,” he says. Letter signed by parliamentarians such as Karl Bär, Manuel Gava, Zoe Mayer, Ina Latendorf and a total of 21 representatives of the Bundestag.

“Therefore, we ask you, colleagues, not to hastily approve the bill, in the final days of this mandate, on the eve of the inauguration of a new president, and in the midst of discussions about the resumption of trade agreement negotiations between the European Union and Mercosur “, concluding.

The pressure of the German Parliament on the National Congress is still the result of the dialogues organized by the Terra de Direitos organization in Berlin last week. At the meetings, the organization highlighted how the measure, if approved, would harm human health and Brazilian biodiversity and affect the rest of the world.

“The bill is very dangerous and will change important points of the current regulatory framework, which, through its representatives, attracts the attention of other countries. Germany has strong trade relations with Brazil, the concern of German lawmakers is absolutely legitimate, after all, Naiara Bittencourt, coordinator of the Iguaçu Program, who is in dialogue with German parliamentarians after all Pesticides released under a law can be bought by Germany,” he emphasizes.

“It is important to note that the bill poses a threat to trade relations as well as a threat to human health and Brazil’s biodiversity,” he adds.

Deputies Gama and Rocha demanded that the November 29 bill be reviewed so that it would not be approved.