German trade fair should stop promoting Azura, groups say
Article image

German and Irish law organisations demand that Messe Berlin ceases to accept the controversial French tomato producer Azura.

Published 09 September 2019

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. 

See how the controversial plantations boomed in the desert

Based on assessments of satelite images, WSRW has calculated how the plantations in occupied Western Sahara developed from 2003 until today.

18 July 2016

Is your local shop selling conflict tomatoes?

Morocco’s tomato export season starts today. But some of the ‘Moroccan’ tomatoes you’ll soon find in your shop have been grown illegally in a territory under military occupation. Have you spotted dirty tomatoes? Help us to identify them in your local store!

01 October 2013

The tomato barons of the occupied Western Sahara

Who benefits from the booming agricultural industry in occupied Western Sahara? Surely not the Saharawis.

19 June 2012

Report: EU consumers unwittingly supporters of occupation

The WSRW report ‘Label and Liability’ documents how produce from the controversial agro-industry in the occupied territory, ends up in the baskets of unaware EU customers.

18 June 2012