The European Commission today (13 July) formally proposed giving EU member states the right to ban or allow the cultivation of GM food on their territory.

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The tabled regulation would preserve the existing EU-wide controls on GM production but allows governments to prevent the cultivation of GM foods authorised elsewhere in the EU.

EU health commissioner John Dalli said: “The concrete measures adopted today will allow member states the freedom to decide on GMO cultivation.”

The Commission has also proposed formal guidance on preventing cross-contamination of standard and organic foodstuffs in countries where GM production is allowed.

The Commission also laid out rules for governments wanting to establish ‘GM free’ areas within their territories.

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EU ministers and the European Parliament have been asked to approve the new rules.

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