An EU-wide ban on the export of banned pesticides and hazardous chemicals:
why do EU policymakers need to act & how?

Thursday 1 December 2022 | 09:15 – 12:30 CET

Residence Palace, Brussels

Register here

Numerous pesticides and hazardous chemicals are banned at the European Union level in order to protect human health and the environment. Yet these same products are currently produced and exported by EU companies to third countries where safety regulations are generally weaker and less strictly implemented. For instance, in 2018 alone, more than 81,000 tonnes of pesticides containing 41 different hazardous chemicals banned on EU agriculture fields, were exported to be used in other countries.

On 14 October 2020, the European Commission presented its Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, where it  promised to “lead by example, and, in line with international commitments, ensure that hazardous chemicals banned in the European Union are not produced for export, including by amending relevant legislation if and as needed.” However, in October of this year, the European Commission shared its Work Programme for 2023 and it still does not include the promised action to stop these exports.

The European institutions and Member States need to take urgent action, and here is why and how it can be done.

This conference gathers key actors from across the world to share their concerns on the impacts that European exports of pesticides and hazardous chemicals have in third countries. It aims to urge European policymakers to open their eyes to the repercussions of such discriminatory practices and take action.

PROGRAMME

09:15 – 10:45 Session 1 The EU’s exports of banned pesticides and their impacts on importing countries

Opening by the Chair Session 1, Eva Corral, The European Environmental Bureau, Senior Policy officer for Pesticide and Water pollution(5 mins)

Introduction by Dr. Marcos A. Orellana, United Nations Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights (prerecorded video) (5 mins)

“The impact of pesticides on farmworkers in Africa” (10mins)

Mopholosi Morokong, IUF, Occupational Health and Safety Officer for Africa (online)

“The EU’s-banned pesticide exports” (10 mins)

Laurent Gaberell, Public Eye, Agriculture and food expert, Switzerland

“Main findings of a new study on exports of banned pesticides from Belgium” (5 mins)

Jonas Jaccard, SOS Faim/Pesticide coalition, Advocacy Officer, Belgium

“The voices of the impacted communities” (25 mins)

Operação Amazônia Nativa (OPAN) (prerecorded video), 

Larissa Mies Bombardi, Researcher at the Department of Geography, University of São Paulo, Brazil

Fobi Miterand Asoh, Founder of NANNY Africa

Member of the One Health Network of Civil Society Organizations of Cameroon (ROOHCAM), Cameroon (prerecorded video)

Ahmed Tiamiyu, Executive Director of Community Action Against Plastic Waste (CAPWs), Nigeria (prerecorded video)

“Q&A session with participants” (20 mins)

10:45 – 11:00 Coffee break 

11:00 – 12:30 Session 2 Why an EU ban on the export of banned pesticides and hazardous chemicals is needed and how to do it.

Opening by Chair Session 2, Martin Dermine, PAN Europe, Executive Director (5 mins)

“Member States and export bans on pesticides and hazardous chemicals” (20 mins)

Adrien Volant, deputy head of cabinet of Zakia Khattabi, Belgian Federal Minister for Climate, Environment, Sustainable Development and Green Deal, Belgium

Crispin Dowler, Acting Co-Editor, Unearthed, The French pesticide export ban, France

“NGOs Joint-Statement, time to put an end to double standards” (10 mins)

Nina Holland, Corporate Europe Observatory, Researcher and campaigner

“Petition to Commissioner Sinkevičius” (5 minutes)

Eoin Dubsky, SumOfUs, Senior Campaign Manager

“An EU-wide export ban, what is the European Commission planning?” (10 minutes)

Patrick Child, Deputy Director General DG ENVI, European Commission

“Closing remarks from Members of the European Parliaments (MEPs)” (10 minutes)

MEP Maria ARENA (S&D)

MEP E. Andrieu (S&D) (TBC)

“Q&A session with participants” (20 mins)