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Speaking at the NFU UK conference in Birmingham, Mr Ciolos said:
"I know many farmers in UK are already meeting some of these requirements. Others are doing even more under the agri-environmental measures in the rural development programme or under national environmental schemes.
"We do not want you to do less and we are not going to disregard your efforts. We will find the appropriate ways to recognise efforts made under your agri-environmental schemes where they genuinely contribute to greening, while not removing the incentives to do more or better in the second pillar.
Responding to the comments, the Deputy Minister said:
"This is very good news for farmers in Wales and something for which I have been making a case in my discussions on CAP reform both within the UK and in Europe. I hope that this will reassure those farmers who are considering joining Glastir that participation in the scheme could help them qualify for the greening element of pillar one. I look forward to finding out more detail on this matter in due course."
The Commissioner was also asked about the transition from historically based payments to area based payments, to which he replied:
"I recognise that there are concerns in Wales for which I propose flexibility but I can’t see that this can go beyond the future financial perspective of 2020. We are committed however to analysing the scope for flexibility and I regard it as more important to see a commitment to an area based approach than the detail of it at this stage."
The Deputy Minister responded:
"I welcome this statement from the Commissioner as this has always been an area where we would like to see change. I will be writing to him shortly with the Welsh Government’s suggestions on the matter in the hope that we can reach an agreement."
