Germany wants to ban the export of pesticides banned by the EU; Brazil must be reached

German Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir confirmed today the German government’s plans to ban the country’s exports of harmful pesticides banned in the EU (European Union). The ban should go into effect early next year and affect products imported into Brazil.

“It is unacceptable that we continue to produce and export pesticides that we have banned in our country in order to protect the health of the population,” the Green Party politician told German media group Funke.

Özdemir emphasized that the right to health is universal and also applies to farmers in other countries. A proposal to amend German legislation banning the export of certain pesticides should be submitted by the end of this year, according to the report.

The ban on pesticide exports, banned in the EU, is included in the German government’s coalition agreement of Greens, Social Democrats and Liberals. Özdemir also stated that the country will support France to extend this ban to the European Union.

The Minister pointed out that this change will also have a positive side effect for German farmers by ending the use of banned products in the country and creating a little more equality in competition.

According to the German Ministry of Agriculture, more than 53,000 tons of active pesticide ingredients were exported across the country last year. 8,525 tons of these were substances banned in the European Union.

Ban should hit Brazil

Most of the pesticides banned in the European Union continue to be produced by companies located in the bloc countries for export, such as Germany’s BASF and Bayer. Companies defend the sale of these products, claiming that the substances are released by health authorities in the countries that buy them.

The ban in Germany should reach Brazil. A 2019 survey conducted by the Swiss NGO Public Eye revealed that the country is the second largest buyer of pesticides produced on European soil but banned in the block. In 2020, Greenpeace showed that BASF and Bayer had production of 12% of approved pesticides in Brazil. German companies produce, for example, insecticides Imidacloprid and Chlorfenapyr, which are banned in Europe.