25th March: NGOs Demonstration and Declarations

The future of food safety and environmental protection is in the hands of EU institutions and national ministries. This message was reinforced today thanks to a demonstration that took place from Square Orban in front of the offices of CropLife Europe, the polluter to whom the "bill"—the estimated cost required to cover the damage caused by pesticide use to food security, biodiversity, and human health- was presented. The pesticide lobby’s massive investment—over 40 million euros—is a calculated effort to maintain an agricultural model that prioritises short-term profits, influences and shapes policies, obstructs regulatory reforms and undermines scientific evidence, pointing to pesticide dependency's environmental and health risks. The persistence of this outdated system is not just an economic choice but a political strategy to secure dominance in the agricultural sector, despite the growing urgency for ecological transition. (Reference: https://lebasic.com/v2/content/uploads/2021/11/Pesticides_a_model_thats_costing_us_dearly_EN-Synthesis.pdf).

Dangers of pesticides transcend political affiliations

According to Martin Dermine, a representative from PAN Europe, the dangers of pesticides transcend political affiliations, age, and gender. “Pesticides’ damage to health and the environment should not be a matter of right or left, woman or man, young or old – they affect us all” - Dermine stated.

Scientific research has long established the links between pesticide exposure and severe health conditions, meanwhile, pesticides that have been banned in the EU due to their hazardous nature - endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, and bee-toxic chemicals - continue to be produced and exported to countries with weaker regulations. 

 “We now have countless proofs that CropLife Europe (CropLifeEU) knew well in advance how harmful their products are,” Dermine emphasised. “They knew that neonicotinoids were devastating honey bee colonies. They knew that glyphosate-based herbicides were making people sick. And they know that pesticides contribute to neurodegenerative diseases among farmers.”

Children’s Rights Violated with Impunity

The toxic footprint of pesticides extends beyond farmers and the environment, threatening the rights and well-being of children across Europe. Suzanne Astic from the Child Rights International Network (CRIN) underscored the gravity of the issue: “Every day, children are contaminated with hazardous pesticides. Because they are particularly vulnerable to exposure, this pollution can have irreversible effects on their health.”

Such exposure directly violates children’s fundamental rights - to life, survival, health, and safe play - rights that are recognised by both the United Nations and the European Union. “The EU must step up,” Suzanne Astic urged. “We need stronger rules restricting pesticide use, rigorous enforcement by Member States, and a firm commitment to the ‘polluter pays’ principle. Today, we have a message for CropLife and its members: stop poisoning children and their families.”

Pollinators: the silent victims of pesticide pollution

A dire warning also comes from our beekeeping community, which has long witnessed the devastating effects of pesticides on pollinators. Noa Simon Delso, our Scientific Director and Project Manager, underlined the crucial role of bees in food security, sustainability, and biodiversity.

“Bees and other pollinators serve as bioindicator of environmental quality, bringing us alarming news,” Noa said. “It took twenty-five years to remove dangerous pesticides from the market, by which time we had already triggered an insectaggedon (mass decline in insect populations) that threatens our food production and nature itself.”

From the 1990s, beekeepers and scientists have sounded the alarm, yet some countries continue to authorise banned pesticides. The result? Beekeepers have suffered economic losses, some even forced to abandon their production, while the polluter-pays principle remains largely unimplemented.

Pollinator Action Week ends on Sunday, March 30, after ten days of events and initiatives dedicated to protecting health and biodiversity. However, the commitment of BeeLife and the NGOs working to raise awareness among citizens and authorities about the responsible use of pesticides is an ongoing mission, pursued every single day.