EU countries gain right to ban GM crops

Legislators agreed new measures allowing EU member states to ban genetically-modified crops in their territories on Wednesday, but the rules’ legal robustness has already been questioned.

Member states will gain the power to directly prohibit cultivation of a GM crop even after it has been authorised by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA). Alternatively, member states can first request biotech companies not to include their territory in authorisation requests, MEPs and the Italian presidency of the EU Council agreed.