European Union exports of pesticides prohibited within its own borders have sharply increased, a trend that contradicts commitments made in 2020 to stop such trade. Human Rights Watch has raised alarms, noting that hazardous chemicals linked to cancer, hormonal disruptions, reproductive issues, and neurological diseases are being shipped primarily to developing nations.
Advocacy groups, including fifteen human rights and environmental organizations, have urged the bloc to honor its earlier promise. Yet new data from Public Eye reveals that in 2024, EU companies exported nearly 122,000 metric tons of these banned substances, with most heading to low- and middle-income countries where health and environmental safeguards are weaker.
The surge stems from a regulatory gap that emerged after the EU prohibited dozens of dangerous chemicals used in pesticide production in 2018. While their use inside member states is forbidden, the law does not restrict manufacturing for export, allowing firms to produce and sell these pesticides abroad.
Angeliki Lysimachou, head of science and policy at Pesticide Action Network Europe, described the situation as “an immoral and unethical issue,” rather than an illegal one under current EU law. She emphasized the need for change, stating that substances deemed too toxic for European use are equally dangerous elsewhere.
In Brazil, where nearly 15,000 tons of EU-banned pesticides arrived in 2024, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva criticized the “double standards,” accusing European firms of treating developing nations as dumping grounds. Despite his administration approving a record 663 pesticides last year, Lula pointed to industry pressure on lawmakers.
Sonia Corina Hess, a retired chemical engineering professor at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, called for global alignment. “If a pesticide is banned in Europe, the United States, or China, it should be banned worldwide,” she argued.
The European Commission has stated it is exploring options to prevent the production of banned chemicals for export, including potential legislative amendments. Activists continue to push for closing the loophole, insisting that public health and biodiversity must take precedence over trade profits.