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The More I Learned About the Use of Pesticides, the More PESTICIDE P.3 ACTION WELCOME NETWORK “The more I learned about 1 2 EUROPE P.7 WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO 2 0 the use of pesticides, the POLITICAL 3 1 9 UPDATES ON EU P.11 ANNUAL PESTICIDE POLICY REVIEW more appalled I became... OUR HISTORY 4 & ACTION ON P.14 5 THE SUD What I discovered was that P.16 AGRICULTURE PESTICIDE RISK6 ASSESSMENT everything which meant most P.18 REFORM ENDOCRINE 7 DISRUPTING to me as a naturalist was P.20 CHEMICALS 8 SAVE BEES being threatened, and that P.23 & FARMERS! EU NETWORK 9 OF PESTICIDE- FREE TOWNS P.25 nothing I could do would COURT CASES10 & CONFLICT P.28 OF INTEREST be more important.” OTHER RELEVANT11 WORK AREAS & INSIDE Rachel Carson, 1962 Biologist & Author of Silent Spring RESULTS IN 2019 PAN EUROPE12 eflecting on our work as was evident upon the accession of in 2019, it has been an the new European Commission and WELCOME incredible and challenging publication of its flagship Green Deal. year. The key issues we have been working at PAN As PAN, we have been on the frontline Europe have come under of civil society action, working on EU Message from the President Rthe spotlight at national, EU and even pesticide-related policies. We have strived world level. Mounting scientific evidence to achieve a higher level of protection Francois Veillerette1 keeps revealing the severe effects of from pesticides and at the same time PAN Europe President pesticides on human health and the we showed that working with nature & Director of Générations Futures environment, with insect “Armageddon” is the way forward. In our continuous and the huge global biodiversity fight, powerful citizens’ mobilisations losses making regular headlines. across Europe, along with the growing number of farmers breaking away In France, we have been dealing with chemical pesticides give me hope that pesticide issues both at home and momentum is building for a real change. abroad. While it was incredibly inspiring to see the growing movement of French The fight against pesticides is at a critical Mayors fighting to ban pesticides in their juncture. Business as usual is no longer municipalities, we were also particularly an option and I hope that the outcome shocked and deeply saddened by the news of this year’s European elections will that Guadeloupe and Martinique, French result in an EU leadership which has islands in the Caribbean were found to be as its top priority the protection of its massively contaminated by chlordecone, Citizens’ health and of the environment, a pesticide similar to DDT which has and stands strong against the pesticide been linked to cancer. This is even more industry’s attempts to undermine scandalous since these islands, as strict legislation and sound science. “We were shocked to learn that “overseas departments” of the French Portugal is one of the countries where state, are technically part of the European I also want to take this opportunity to the effects of glyphosate are most Union, where chlordecone is banned due thank you all, dedicated PAN Europe to health and environmental concerns. team, readers of this Annual Review, our devastating and aggressive. This is members, partners, international PAN why we decided to protect the health At EU level, the issues of pesticide family, allies, and everyone who helps of our citizens by joining the European authorisation and use in Europe and PAN Europe’s work, for all your support. the problems in the implementation network of Pesticide Free Towns.” of policies governing pesticides have Francois Veillerette Luís Newton – President of Borgo been very high on the political agenda, di Estrela, Lisbon, Portugal 2 esticide Action Network (PAN) the protection of the environment, and was founded in 1982 and is the sustainability of future farming. WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO a network of over 600 non- governmental organisations, Why the fight against pesticides institutions and individuals in is important over 60 countries worldwide Pworking to minimise the negative effects All of us are exposed directly or indirectly Why the fight against pesticides and replace the use of harmful pesticides to pesticides and other agrochemicals. is important2 with ecologically sound alternatives. Pesticides are products designed to kill The network’s projects and campaigns or repel undesired living organisms. are coordinated by five autonomous Although each pesticide is meant to regional Centers. PAN’s vision is of a target a certain pest, most can have world in which agricultural productivity negative side effects on non-target is achieved by truly sustainable species, including humans. When used in agricultural production systems agriculture, they often contaminate the in which agrochemical inputs and air, water, soil, wildlife, and beneficial environmental damage are minimised, insects (like bees and predators of and where local people control local insect pests), soil microorganisms, production using local varieties. and they end up in our food too. PAN Europe is the regional center Farm workers and their families most of in Europe. Located in Brussels, it all, but every citizen is exposed to dozens “Pesticides can persist in the was founded in 1987 and brings of different pesticides every day through environment for decades and pose a together 46 consumer, public health, food and the environment. There are and environmental organizations, particular concerns for the strong effects global threat to the entire ecological trade unions, women’s groups and of pesticides on young children and the system upon which food production farmer associations from across 27 unborn.Many pesticides are known for European countries and the UK. their risk to cause cancer, change DNA, depends. Excessive use and misuse of or for their harm to reproduction. For pesticides result in contamination of PAN Europe works to eliminate many pesticides there is good evidence surrounding soil and water sources, dependency on chemical pesticides and for endocrine disrupting properties. The to support safe sustainable pest control consequences of endocrine disruptor causing loss of biodiversity, destroying methods. PAN Europe is committed to exposure (cancer, cognitive and sexual beneficial insect populations that bringing about a substantial reduction disorders, mental disorders) are rising in in pesticide use throughout Europe. society and the contribution of pesticides act as natural enemies of pests and Reducing pesticides (including biocides) to these effects is likely. Pregnant reducing the nutritional value of food.” is critical for the improvement of public women and children are especially health and that of agricultural workers, vulnerable to pesticide exposure. UN Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, 2017 3 Pesticide sales in the EU threatening biodiversity, the loss of which is causing alarm. In the space of WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO According to latest data, in 2018 almost one generation, 20% of common birds 400,000 tonnes of pesticides continued have disappeared, and some regions are to be sold in Europe, with the vast lamenting the loss of three quarters of majority used in the agricultural sector. all flying insects. This picture should Pesticide sales in the EU also include the destruction of tropical Pesticide use across Europe forests, which we indirectly ‘import’ 2 remains high, which aside from through the soybean produced in South Pesticide use across Europe being dangerous is also foolish America”, according to independent remains high, which aside from 2 The use of pesticides on average in Europe policy research institute IDDRI . being dangerous is also foolish did not decrease in recent years despite 3 the growing debate on the sustainability Moreover, a 2019 study also showed that of the intensive agricultural model, “agroecological farming systems have and despite the entry on the market of the potential to produce higher incomes pesticides that can be used at low doses. than farms that follow the conventional logic”. The empirical material presented According to Eurostat, among the 14 EU in the study shows “the huge potential Member States for which complete data and radical opportunities that Europe’s are available for all major groups in both often silent, ‘agroecological turn’ offers 2011 and 2018, the highest increase in to farmers that could (and should) be pesticide sales was recorded in Cyprus the basis for the future transformation (+94%), followed by Austria (+53%), of European agricultural policies, since France (+39%) and Slovakia (+38%)1. agroecology not only allows for more sustainable production of healthier What’s more, the widespread use food but also considerably improves of chemical inputs – pesticides and farmers’ incomes. It equally carries In 2018 almost 400,000 tonnes synthetic fertilisers - is “responsible the promise of re-enlarging productive of pesticides were sold in for an increase in the prevalence of agricultural (and related) employment Europe, with the vast majority numerous diseases among farmers, and and increasing the total income used in the agricultural sector. generated by the agricultural sector, there are strong concerns about their Source: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products- at both regional and national levels.” eurostat-news/-/DDN-20200603-1#:~:text=Statistics impact on our food, including drinking %20on%20sales%20of%20pesticides,per%20year% water. European agriculture is also 20in%20the%20EU 2 Poux, X., Aubert, P.-M. (2018). An agroecological Europe in 2050: multifunctional agriculture for healthy eating.
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