Germany Defends GMO Policy

In the midst of free trade talks between Europe and the United States, one woman is putting her foot down.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is staunchly defending the EU's stance on GMOs, which is carefully crafted to protect human health and environmental stability.

According to ABC News the trade deal currently on the table covers lowering tariffs and diminishing rules that inhibit the free trade of goods and services between the U.S. and European Union. Negotiations on the deal are set to begin in July, with the goal of spurring economic growth. 

Yet a difference in political approach to genetically modified food is causing difficulties for the agreement.

Safeguard clauses have been passed in several EU states, Germany, France, Greece, and Austria among them, to place provisional restrictions on the sale of GM foods within their borders. This is a stark contrast to the U.S. policies, which have seen several controversies over the past weeks, including the much-publicized Monsanto case regarding lax attention to GMO safety.