Citizens are calling on the European Parliament to address the export of pesticides that are banned in the EU. Many citizens have written to the President of the European Parliament on this subject since May 2025, asking her to advocate for legislative measures to prohibit their production and export entirely.
We replied to citizens who took the time to write to the President:
Main elements of our reply
The European Parliament has repeatedly called on the European Commission to take action to prohibit the export from the EU of hazardous substances banned in the EU.
In a resolution from 2021, Parliament called for the EU to stop all exports of pesticides banned in the EU, in line with the EU’s commitments to policy coherence for development, the Green Deal, the ‘do no harm’ principle and the Rotterdam Convention. In another 2021 resolution, Parliament stressed that the EU should support developing countries to help them reduce the imprudent use of pesticides and promote other methods to protect plants and fishery resources.
In 2024, the European Parliament rejected two Commission proposals to allow higher pesticides levels in imported food. Parliament stressed that allowing higher maximum residue levels for imports would jeopardise citizens’ health, both in Europe and in the producing countries.
In 2023, the European Parliament held a debate on the sustainable use of pesticides. You can watch the video of the debate on the Parliament multimedia website. The transcription is also available (in the language of the speaker).
Background
Citizens often send messages to the President of the European Parliament expressing their views and/or requesting action. The Citizens’ Enquiries Unit (AskEP) within the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) replies to these messages, which may sometimes be identical as part of wider public campaigns.
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