The EU Council of ministers has agreed to compromise measures that, if passed, could see genetically modified crops grown in the UK as early as 2015.

At a meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday (12 June), ministers reached an agreement on 'compromise measures' that would allow pro-GM states to grow the controversial crops on their territory, once varieties have passed a risk assessment at EU level, whilst states opposed to the seeds could implement national bans.

The compromise proposal was first presented by the Commission in July 2010, though negotiations fell apart under the Danish presidency of the EU, as both pro- and anti-GM state governments felt they represented a poor deal.

If passed, the Commission promises that the measures will allow member states to opt-out of growing GM crops for socioeconomic reasons, land use and town planning issues or reasons relating to their agricultural policy. However, opponents of the package, put forward by current EU president Greece, claim that states wishing to ban the crops may leave themselves open to legal challenges from GM seed companies under the current proposals.

Commenting on the decision, Peter Melchett, Soil Association policy director said on Thursday, "Most English farmers now face a looming threat to their business. The decision is likely to leave English farmers at a huge economic disadvantage. If so, it would be catastrophic for all farmers in England – not just organic farmers."

Melchett said that, although there are currently no GM crops authorised at EU level that would be suitable for cultivation in the UK, "In future a committed pro-GM Secretary of State like Owen Paterson could take the decision to make England a 'GM country', and once that decision is taken, and GM crops are established, it will be extremely difficult for any future Government to adopt a different position. Indeed, the current proposal suggests that it may be legally very difficult for future governments to disallow a GM crop once it has been agreed for that country."

"If these new EU proposals are finally adopted, most countries in the EU, including Scotland and Wales, will remain GM free, as countries like France and Poland already are. England, along with possibly one or two other European Member States, risks getting a reputation as the GM centre of Europe. This will lead to our farmers losing export markets to the rest of Europe, and indeed to most of the rest of the world (Russia has recently proposed banning GM imports, and China has said they will not grow GM food). Farmers in both the US and Canada lost $100s of millions worth of exports when these two countries started growing GM crops."

Melchett, whose organisation the Soil Association acts as an organic certifier and organic food charity, added that contamination of non-GM agriculture is a serious concern for those opposed to the technology. Last month, a landmark legal case over contamination of organic fields with GM material in Australia ended in victory for the GM grower.  

The Soil Association Director said, "The European Parliament inserted a new clause on the liability for damage caused by GM crops into this proposal. The Parliament text also significantly improves existing EU law by making it compulsory for Member States to implement rules that prevent contamination of the GM free sector. It is vital that the European Parliament continue to insist on these amendments."

Now that they have been passed by the council, the proposals will be negotiated in the autumn under the incoming Italian presidency. The newly elected European Parliament will be next to debate the compromise.

Italy is one of eight EU states to have introduced bans on GM crops, though these measures have been challenged in their current form.