The Tir Cynnal (Wales) Regulations 2006

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations apply to Wales only. These Regulations are made pursuant to Council Regulation (EC) No.1257/1999 and the detailed framework for the implementation of that Council Regulation is contained in Commission Regulation (EC) No. 817/2004

The Regulations provide for various grant payments to be made to any person who enters into an agreement with the National Assembly, where that person agrees to take part in the Tir Cynnal agri-environment scheme.

The Tir Cynnal scheme aims to provide opportunities for farmers in Wales to take part in work of an agri-environment nature on their land by following a basic set of conditions described in the Schedule to these Regulations in order to protect areas and features of environmental importance on their land. The Scheme requires levels of environmental protection greater than that of legal and cross-compliance requirements, but not as demanding as those of Tir Gofal.

The aim of the Tir Cynnal scheme is to prevent loss of biodiversity, protect landscape features, safeguard the historic environment and reduce pollution.

Where a beneficiary of the Tir Cynnal scheme provides false or misleading information, or there is a breach of the Tir Cynnal agreement, then the National Assembly may withhold future payments of grant or recover on demand any grant which has already been paid to the beneficiary.

Where the National Assembly is minded to withhold or recover grant, the National Assembly has to inform the beneficiary and allow the beneficiary to make any representations he or she wishes within a reasonable time period. Those representations have to be taken into account before a final decision is taken.

A Regulatory Appraisal has been produced for this instrument, and copies are available from the Environment, Conservation and Management Division, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ.