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EU Wants to Put GMO Dispute to an End

The European Commission on Tuesday will propose an overhaul of the EU's policy for approving genetically modified crops, which will allow countries more freedom to ban cultivation on their territory while retaining an EU-wide authorization system.

At present, EU member states are only able to restrict GM crop cultivation under strict conditions, as authorization licenses are valid across the 27-country bloc, in accordance with the principles of the EU single market.

Under the plan pro-GM countries such as Spain, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic would be allowed to large-scale commercial planting of the crop, thereby opening up new markets for major biotech companies. The plan also legally endorses existing GM bans in countries like Italy, Austria and Hungary.