Pestizid Aktions-Netzwerk (PAN) e.V.

About us

After an international conference on the world trade with pesticides in Malaysia in 1982, numerous consumers, environment organizations joined together to an international Pesticide Action Network (PAN). The reason was the consternation of the conference participants by the suffering of countless people from pesticide poisoning which was desmonstrated during the conference as well as the environmental damage caused by pesticides. Since its foundation, PAN has been constantly growing and in the meantime, it is active in more than 50 countries. To strengthen the international cooperation, 5 continental centres were established: PAN-Europe, PAN-Africa, PAN-Asia, PAN-North-America and PAN Latin-America.

In view of the consequences of the use of pesticides, especially in countries of the Third World, and the central position of Germany on the world market of pesticides PAN Germany was founded in 1984. Today, 25 organization from the fields of development policy, environmental protection, consumer protection and agriculture are members of PAN e.V. An important objective of the work is to be able to better coordinate existing activities and in addition to that to strengthen the commitment against abuse of pesticides and the critical expert competence.

The work of PAN Germany is clearly defined as the following activities:

- Strengthening of cooperation, for example participation in the PAN International Meeting 1997 in Santa Clara in Cuba referring to the topic "to feed people without poison "
- by making statements, for example in the proposals for the amendment of the pest control law
- by control of politics, for example by reminding of possible consequences of the use of insecticide plants
- by discovery and publication of dangerous use of poison
- by supporting alternatives, for example the PAN Cotton Connection for the promotion of ecological cotton planting projects
- by commitment for the pesticide-user-protection-project which looks for possibilities to reduce the risk of users in the countries of the Third World
- by participation in the Codex Alimentarius Project which tries to exert an influence on the determination of the limiting values of pesticide residues in food.

We can communicate information and arrange for contacts referring to the matters described above.