Germany has initiated a move to ban the cultivation of GM crops using an opt-out contained in a new EU Directive.
Under new rules on GM, individual states can unilaterally ban GM crops even in the case of those officially approved by the EU.
In a statement, the German agriculture minister, Christian Schmidt, stressed that Germany was continuing a previously-announced policy to keep a ban on GMOs in the country.
Under the new EU rules member states have until October 3 2015 to inform the European Commission that they wish to opt out of new EU GMO cultivation approvals.
Earlier this month the Scottish Government announced that it was planning to formally ban the commercial growing of GM crops in Scotland, enforcing an existing moratorium – and further setting itself apart from England and Wales.
