GM maize could be planted in England as early as 2015.
After a long spell of applying the brakes, the EU decided that each member country should be given the power to decide on planting two strains of genetically modified maize which is resistant to the industrial weedkiller Roundup.
The British government appeared to be keen to start planting.
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said: “This is a real step forward in unblocking the dysfunctional EU process for approving GM crops, which is letting down farmers and stopping scientific development.
“Farmers will have more power in deciding whether to grow GM crops that have passed a robust, independent safety assessment.”
The Scottish and Welsh governments have blocked the crops.
So far, only these two mutated maize crops are on the agenda. Approval for all commercial GM growing has been delayed for 10 years as all member states need to agree.
Any number of environmentalists in the UK fear that planting GM crops could seriously harm wildlife, such as birds and butterflies, and commercial as well as organic farming.
The Soil Association said that if crops are contaminated, farmers could lose their export markets in Europe and elsewhere.
