The European Union today approved the first new genetically modified (GM) crop for domestic growing in more than a decade, ending what has been a long stalemate over a backlog of GM crops awaiting cultivation approval.

The decision by the European Commission, the E.U.’s executive arm, will allow farmers to grow Amflora potatoes, a controversial GM crop developed by the German chemical giant BASF. The potatoes can be used solely for industrial or animal feed purposes, the bloc said.

The potatoes, engineered to produce high levels of starch for use in paper production or textiles, are the first crop to be approved for farming since a strain of Monsanto’s insect-resistant corn 12 years ago. That decision set off a storm of protest from European countries, some of which, like Austria and Germany, have invoked science-based protection clauses to prevent the corn’s growth.

The decision also raises the possibility that other GM crops could soon win cultivation approval, including Monsanto’s Roundup Ready corn, which is engineered to resist the glyphosate herbicide. Corn containing Monsanto’s Roundup-resistant gene currently dominates U.S. farming but has not gained a foothold so far in Europe. Such approval could come soon, the bloc noted.

Along with the cultivation approval, the commission announced that it would proceed with plans to allow European countries to independently decide if GM crops can be grown in their borders. The move, long expected, is a remarkable turnabout for an institution that has traditionally focused on creating a single European market for nearly every industry, including agriculture.

Biotech, chemical and seed companies have long railed against what they viewed as stall tactics in the commission against approving new GM crop varieties for growing this past decade. In announcing the decision, the European Union’s new health commissioner, John Dalli, said all fears about the potato’s use had been satisfied.

“Responsible innovation will be my guiding principle when dealing with innovative technologies. After an extensive and thorough review … it became clear to me that there were no new scientific issues that merited further assessment,” Dalli said. “All scientific issues, particularly those concerning safety, had been fully addressed. Any delay would have simply been unjustified.”