Germany, Italy and Bulgaria are among the latest EU member states to announce they plan to opt out of new bloc-wide rules allowing GMO cultivation.

In March, the EU announced it would allow the approval of new GMO crops but gave member states the room to ban their cultivation even if they had been given the green light by Brussels. EU member states must tell the European Commission by Saturday (3 October) if they wish to opt out of the rules.

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Countries including Austria have already announced they will ban GMOs. The devolved UK governments of Scotland and Northern Ireland have made similar announcements.

Reuters yesterday reported Germany's Agriculture Minister, Christian Schmidt, had told the European Commission Berlin would not allow the cultivation of GMO crops on its land.

Italy's Agriculture Ministry announced today that it and the country's Environment and Health Ministries have written to Brussels to outline Rome's stance. 

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