German and Irish law organisations demand that Messe Berlin ceases to accept the controversial French tomato producer Azura.
The Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), based in Ireland, and the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) released on, 6 September 2019, an open letter to Messe Berlin GmbH, the organiser of the leading Fruit Logistica trade show, and its Ombudsperson.
The letter addresses allegations of illegal conduct by one of the show’s exhibitors and Messe’s responsibilities under the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights (UNGP) in relation to their hosting of this business.
The French company ‘Azura Group’ exports tomatoes from occupied Western Sahara to Europe.
GLAN and ECCHR write in a release that Messe Berlin had responded poorly to a request earlier this year to make the fair stop promoting Azura, and that the two groups therefore proceeded to publish the correspondence.
The following overview enlists stock-exchange registered companies with current or recent operations in occupied Western Sahara. Updated 29 July 2025.
Secret talks in Brussels suggest EU and Moroccan trade representatives may be preparing to bypass international law on Western Sahara.
Spanish farmers and a consumer rights watchdog have filed a formal complaint with their national consumer authorities, accusing French retailer Carrefour of deceptively marketing Azura-brand tomatoes from Western Sahara as “Moroccan”.
The French renewable company no longer includes its wind farm in occupied Western Sahara in its public financial reporting.