[rerx]

Reportedly, the German government scaled down its original legalization plans as they would be in violation of current EU law. Private is in the scope of member state legislation, but virtually everything related to trade is subject to EU regulations, and they currently demand dealing with cannabis to be criminal. (Not a lawyer, that's how I understood the news.) Germany's current plans could be a first step before pushing for a change of EU law. That may not be trivial though, as some other member state governments appear to be opposed to the idea.