After press reports alleging that German company Brenntag AG was involved in the indirect export of chemicals to Syria potentially in breach of the EU’s sanctions, prosecutors in Essen, where Brenntag AG is located, have confirmed that they have initiated legal proceedings and are probing whether to open a formal investigation.
Three NGOs have already filed criminal charges over the chemical exports, including the Berlin-based Syrian Archive, the Switzerland-based organization Trial International, and the New York-based Open Society Justice Initiative.