Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
On 12 October, the European Commission published draft legislation for further reform to the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) that, when agreed, will be implemented on 1 January 2014\. The reform proposals cover the regimes on direct payments to farmers and rural development for 2014\-2020\.


I can broadly welcome that the current two pillar structure for the CAP is to be retained. Pillar 1 covers direct payments and market support with Pillar 2 covering rural development.


I welcome also that, on direct payments, there is continued recognition for the CAP to provide income support for farmers, to support food production and to deliver environmental outcomes. The proposals for rural development will provide greater flexibility than is currently the position and will enable the Welsh Government to shape the successor Wales Rural Development in a way that can meet the needs of Wales and our rural communities. More specifically, when we have the final agreed package, it will be for the Welsh Government to take decisions on how the reforms take effect in Wales.


The key elements of the proposals are as follows:


#### Direct Payments


* The Single Payment Scheme will be known as the Direct Payment. It will comprise a Basic Payment with a Greening payment. There is a mandatory payment for young farmers. A Small Farmers Scheme and additional payments for areas subject to “natural constraints” would be optional.
* All payments would need to be met from within the financial ceiling allocated to Wales. The amount within the ceiling will be subject to decisions on the EU budget 2014\-2020 (the Multi\-Annual Financial Framework) and the overall budget for the CAP.
* Only farmers who received the Single Payment in 2011 will be able to receive payment in 2014 with some exceptions such as accessing support from the National Reserve contract.
* Area\-based payments will be introduced from 2014 and will be 100 per cent area\-based by 2019\.  In 2014, the area\-based element is set at 40 per cent.


#### Flexibility between Pillars


* Member States may transfer up to 10 per cent of their annual national ceilings to support rural development activity delivered under Pillar 2\.
* Several Member States, including the UK, would have the discretion to transfer to Pillar 1 up to 5 per cent of the EU funding under Pillar 2\.


#### Greening


* The Basic Payment is subject to farmers also meeting mandatory requirements relating to crop rotation, permanent grassland and ecological focus areas.
* The Greening Element will be 30 per cent of Wales’ financial ceiling.  Organic land and designated land qualify for payment.


#### Active Farmer


* Payments may not be made where the annual amount of direct payments is less than 5 per cent of the total receipts that the farm enterprise obtained from non\-agricultural activities in the most recent fiscal year; or where it cannot be demonstrated that a minimum level of agricultural activity has been undertaken.


#### National Reserve


* The priority is to support young farmers. The Reserve is funded by a deduction of up to 3 per cent of the financial ceiling relating to the Basic Payment.


#### Areas with Natural Constraints


* Optional payments can be provided to areas of natural constraints. Then nature of the constraints would need to be agreed at a UK level. A deduction of up to 5 per cent from the national financial ceiling would provide the funding for the discretionary payment.


#### Small Farmers Scheme


* Farmers claiming €100 or more or with more than 1 hectare of eligible land can opt to participate in the Small Farmers Scheme. They would be entitled to an annual payment of between €500 and €1000\.  There would be less stringent cross\-compliance requirements and exemption from greening.
* The current regulations state that this scheme is compulsory.


#### Voluntary Coupled Support


Funded by a deduction of up to 10 per cent form the financial ceiling, this is a mechanism to provide additional support to maintain production in vulnerable farming sectors that have important socio\-economic and/or environmental considerations.  Funding would be provided by a deduction of up to 10 per cent from the financial ceiling.


#### Pillar 2 proposals


* The proposals as they relate to the successor Wales Rural Development Plan are relatively straight forward and, as the draft legislation currently stands, present little cause for concern.
* I welcome the removal of the axes structure and the more flexible approach on how the EU funding can be deployed. There is a requirement to ensure at least 25 per cent of the EU funding is allocated to support and at least 5 per cent for LEADER activities.


There is a requirement that there should be a common strategic approach for the use of EU funding under the RDP, Structure Funds and the European Fisheries Fund. Again, I welcome as it mirrors the way that the Welsh Government will want to develop a coherent approach on how we will invest these European monies to the benefit of Wales and our communities


The move to area\-based payments is fully justified. It is untenable to suggest that payments based on production in 2000\-2002 can remain valid. The issue for Wales is that 100 per cent area payments have to be achieved in a 5 year period, and that, from 2014, there is a requirement that the area element is set at 40 per cent. I will aim to seek a longer transitional period and certainly press that it should be for the Welsh Government to decide the stepped\-change to realise the 100 per cent area payment.


The “greening” proposals present a rigid approach and I would prefer the Commission to provide a wider menu of options where there would be greater flexibility of choice. I would need also to secure recognition that the progress we have made in Wales through existing agri\-environment schemes, and planned for Glastir, will not be undermined.


On the Pillar 2 proposals, that I can broadly welcome, a key challenge is to ensure that Wales, and the UK, receives a fairer share of the EU funding that will be made available.


It is likely that final decisions will not be reached until the end of 2012\. The EU Council of Agriculture Ministers opened the debate on the future direction of the CAP in Luxembourg on 20 October. I attended as part of the UK Ministerial negotiating team as will be my intention for future Council meetings. In parallel, I will be maintaining my dialogue with MEPs and the Commission to ensure that within the UK negotiating framework the needs of Wales and Welsh farming are clearly and properly represented.  


It has to be acknowledged that it is important to understand the detail within the CAP. A particular disappointment within the proposals is that the Commission appears to be bringing more complexity on the administration of the CAP. This presents additional burdens for the Welsh Government and on farmers also. I will be seeking that the UK negotiating position presses hard to bring greater simplification to the reform package than currently appears to be the case.  


It is a matter of public record that the Welsh Government does not share the UK Government’s view on reducing the size of the EU budget overall and that for the CAP in particular.  Despite this difference, I am committed to working constructively with Ministers in London and my counterparts in Scotland and Northern Ireland to deliver a viable outcome for the UK – and for Wales.  I will ensure that Wales will play a positive and constructive role in shaping the overall UK position and approach. I have already made it clear to UK Government Ministers that Wales’s ambition is to be a UK team player.


I will ensure that all Members are kept fully involved and informed as the Government formalises its response to these proposals.


In addition, the Environment and Sustainability Committee has established a Task and Finish Group to examine CAP proposals. The Government will work with the Committee to help facilitate this inquiry and will provide all necessary information to Members to help them in their work. To keep you all up to date, I will make regular statements to ensure all Members are informed as the process unfolds.







Translation:


 
Ar 12 Hydref, cyhoeddodd y Comisiwn Ewropeaidd ddeddfwriaeth ddrafft ar gyfer diwygio’r PAC.  Pan gytunir arni, caiff ei rhoi ar waith ar 1 Ionawr 2014\.   Bydd y diwygiadau’n ymwneud â’r taliadau uniongyrchol i ffermwr a chynlluniau datblygu gwledig 2014\-2020\. 

  Rwy’n croesawu’r bwriad i gadw fframwaith dwy golofn bresennol y PAC.  Mae Colofn 1 yn ymwneud â thaliadau uniongyrchol a chymorth i’r farchnad ac mae Colofn 2 yn ymdrin â datblygu gwledig. 

  Rwy’n croesawu hefyd bod dal cydnabyddiaeth trwy’r taliadau uniongyrchol, bod y PAC am helpu incwm ffermwyr, cefnogi gynhyrchiant bwyd a sicrhau canlyniadau amgylcheddol.  Bydd y cynigion ar gyfer datblygu gwledig yn rhoi mwy o hyblygrwydd nag ar hyn o bryd ac yn galluogi Llywodraeth Cymru i lunio Cynllun Datblygu Gwledig i Gymru fydd yn gallu ateb gofynion Cymru a’n cymunedau gwledig.  Yn fwy penodol, unwaith y gwelwn y pecyn terfynol, mater i Lywodraeth Cymru fydd penderfynu sut y bydd y diwygiadau’n cael eu cynnal yng Nghymru. 

  Dyma fydd prif elfennau’r cynigion: 

  #### Taliadau Uniongyrchol

 * Bydd Cynllun y Taliad Sengl yn newid ei enw i’r Taliad Uniongyrchol.  Bydd yn cynnwys Taliad Sylfaenol gyda thaliad ‘Gwyrdd’.  Bydd yna daliad mandadol i ffermwyr ifanc.  Bydd opsiwn hefyd i fabwysiadu Cynllun i Ffermwyr Ifanc a thaliadau ychwanegol ar gyfer ardaloedd sy’n dioddef ‘cyfyngiadau naturiol’.
* Daw’r holl daliadau o’r uchafswm ariannol (y ceiling) sydd wedi’i neilltuo i Gymru.  Pennir union uchafswm Cymru yng nghyllideb 2014\-2020 yr UE (y Fframwaith Ariannol Amlflynyddol) a chyfanswm y gyllideb ar gyfer y PAC.   
Dim ond ffermwyr fydd wedi derbyn y Taliad Sengl yn 2011 fydd yn cael taliad yn 2014 ond fe fydd eithriadau e.e. trwy’r Gronfa Genedlaethol.
* Bydd taliadau’n seiliedig ar arwynebedd yn cael eu cyflwyno o 2014 a bydd pob taliad yn seiliedig ar arwynebedd erbyn 2019\. Yn 2014, bydd 40 y cant o bob taliad yn seiliedig ar arwynebedd.

  #### Hyblygrwydd rhwng Colofnau

 * Bydd aelod\-wladariaethau’n cael trosglwyddo hyd at 10 y cant o’u huchfaswm cenedlaethol blynyddol i gynnal gweithgarwch datblygu gwledig sy’n cael ei ddarparu o dan Golofn 2\.
* Bydd gan wledydd, gan gynnwys y DU, yr hawl i drosglwyddo i Golofn 1 hyd at 5 y cant o arian yr UE a ddaw iddi o dan Golofn 2\.

 #### Yr Amgylchedd

 * I gael y Taliad Sylfaenol, bydd yn rhaid i ffermwyr ateb gofynion mandadol sy’n ymwneud â chylchdroi cnydau, tir pori parhaol ac ardaloedd ecolegol.
* Bydd yr Elfen Werdd yn cynrychioli 30 y cant o’r uchafswm ariannol i Gymru.  Bydd tir organig a thir wedi’i ddynodi’n gymwys am daliad.

 #### Ffermwr Actif

 * Ni chaiff taliad ei wneud os bydd cyfanswm blynyddol y taliadau uniongyrchol yn llai na 5 y cant o gyfanswm incwm menter y fferm o weithgareddau anamaethyddol yn y flwyddyn ariannol ddiweddaraf neu os na ellir profi bod lefel ofynnol o weithgarwch amaethyddol wedi’i gynnal.

 #### Y Gronfa Genedlaethol

 * Y flaenoriaeth yw cefnogi ffermwyr ifanc.  Ariennir y gronfa trwy gymryd hyd at 3 y cant o’r uchafswm ariannol ar gyfer y Taliad Sylfaenol.

  #### Ardaloedd a chanddynt Gyfyngiadau Naturiol

 * Mae taliadau opsiynol ar gael ar gyfer ardaloedd lle ceir cyfyngiadau naturiol.  Bydd angen cytundeb ar natur y cyfyngiadau hyn ar lefel Brydeinig.  Ariennir y taliad opsiynol trwy gymryd 5 y cant o’r uchafswm cenedlaethol.

 #### Cynllun Ffermwyr Bach

 * Caiff ffermwyr sy’n hawlio €100 neu fwy neu sydd â mwy nag 1 hectar o dir comin ddewis cymryd rhan yn y Cynllun Ffermwyr Bach,  Byddant yn gymwys am daliad blynyddol o rhwng €500 a €1000\.  Ni fydd y safonau trawsgydymffurfio mor llym ac ni fydd angen bodloni’r Elfen Werdd.
* Mae’r rheoliadau cyfredol yn dweud bod y cynllun hwn yn orfodol.

 #### Cymorth Cysylltiedig Gwirfoddol

 Mae’r mecanwaith hwn yn cael ei ariannu gan hyd at 10 y cant o’r uchafswm blynyddol a’i ddiben yw rhoi cymorth ychwanegol i gynnal lefelau cynhyrchu mewn sectorau ffermio bregus sydd ag ystyriaethau economaidd, cymdeithasol a/neu amgylcheddol pwysig.  Ceir yr arian ar ei gyfer trwy dynnu hyd at 10 y cant o’r uchafswm ariannol. 

  #### Cynigion colofn 2

 * Mae’r cynigion ar gyfer Cynllun Datblygu Gwledig newydd Cymru yn rhai eithaf syml ac fel y saif y ddeddfwriaeth ddrafft ar hyn o bryd, ychydig o destun gofid sydd.
* Rwy’n falch o weld bod trefn yr echelau wedi cael mynd a bod mwy o hyblygrwydd ynghylch sut i ddefnyddio arian yr UE.  Mae gofyn i sicrhau bod o leiaf 25 y cant o arian yr UE yn cael ei neilltuo i gefnogi ac o leiaf 5 y cant i weithgareddau LEADER.

 Mae gofyn hefyd am strategaeth gyffredin o ran defnyddio arian yr UE o dan y Cynllun Datblygu Gwledig, Cronfeydd Strwythurol a Chronfa Pysgodfeydd Ewrop.  Unwaith eto, rwy’n croesawu hyn gan ei fod yn adlewyrchu sut y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru am ddatblygu dull ystyrlon ar gyfer buddsoddi’r arian Ewropeaidd hwn er lles Cymru a’n cymunedau. 

  Mae cyfiawnhad llwyr dros droi at daliadau sy’n seiliedig ar arwynebedd.  Nid yw’n ymarferol awgrymu bod taliadau sy’n seiliedig ar gynhyrchiant yn 2000\-2002 yn para’n ddilys.  Y broblem i Gymru yw bod yn rhaid i’r holl daliadau’n gael eu troi’n rhai sy’n seiliedig ar arwynebedd mewn cwta 5 mlynedd ac o 2014, bydd disgwyl i’r elfen sy’n seiliedig ar arwynebedd fod yn 40 y cant. Byddaf yn gofyn am gyfnod pontio hirach ac yn bendant mai mater i Lywodraeth Cymru yw penderfynu sut bydd y newid i 100 y cant yn digwydd. 

  Mae’r cynigion ‘gwyrdd’ yn haearnaidd a byddai’n well gennyf weld y Comisiwn yn rhoi mwy o opsiynau a thrwy hynny, mwy o hyblygrwydd o ran dewis.  Byddaf hefyd am gael gadarnhad na chaiff y gwaith da sydd wedi’i wneud yng Nghymru trwy’r cynlluniau amaeth\-amgylcheddol presennol a Glastir, ei danseilio. 

  O safbwynt cynigion Colofn 2, gallaf yn fras croesawu’r rheini.  Her bwysig yn hyn o beth yw sicrhau bod Cymru, ac yn wir y DU, yn derbyn cyfran decach o’r arian Ewropeaidd fydd yn cael ei ddarparu. 

  Mae’n debyg na chaiff penderfyniadau terfynol eu gwneud tan ddiwedd 2012\.  Cychwynnwyd y drafodaeth ar gyfeiriad y PAC yn y dyfodol gan Gyngor Gweinidogion Amaeth yr UE yn Luxemburg ar 20 Hydref.  Euthum i’r cyfarfod fel rhan o dîm negodi Gweinidogion yr DU, a dyna fydd fy mwriad ar gyfer cyfarfodydd y Cyngor yn y dyfodol.  Yr un pryd, byddaf yn cynnal fy neialog gydag ASEau a’r Comisiwn i wneud yn siwr bod anghenion Cymru a ffermio yng Nghymru yn cael eu cynrychioli’n gryf a theg  fewn fframwaith y DU. 

  Mae’n rhaid cydnabod ei bod yn bwysig deall manylion y PAC.  Un testyn siom mawr yn y cynigion yw bod y Comisiwn fel pe bai am ychwanegu at gymhlethdod gweinyddu’r PAC.  Daw hyn â beichiau ychwanegol i Lywodraeth Cymru ac ar ffermwyr hefyd.  Byddaf ym weld safbwynt tîm negodi DU yn pwyso am fwy o symlrwydd yn y pecyn diwygio nag sydd ar hyn o bryd. 

  Mae’n fater i’r cofnod cyhoeddus nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru yn cytuno â barn Llywodraeth y DU ar leihau cyfanswm cyllideb yr UE a chyllideb y PAC yn benodol.  Er y gwahaniaeth hwn, rwyf wedi ymrwymo i weithio’n adeiladol gyda Gweinidogion yn Llundain ac yn yr Alban a Gogledd Iwerddon i sicrhau canlyniad ymarferol i’r DU – ac i Gymru.  Byddaf am wneud yn siwr bod Cymru’n cael chwarae rhan bositif ac adeiladol o ran llywio safbwynt a dull gweithio’r DU.  Rwyf hefyd wedi’i gwneud yn glir i Weinidogion Llywodraeth y DU mai uchelgais Cymru yw bod yn aelod llawn o dîm y DU. 

  Byddaf yn sicrhau bod yr holl Aelodau yn cael chwarae eu rhan lawn wrth i’r Llywodraeth ffurfioli ei hymateb i’r cynigion hyn. 

  Yn ogystal, mae Pwyllgor yr Amgylchedd a Chynaliadwyedd wedi sefydlu Grŵp Gorffen a Gorchwyl i ystyried y cynigion ar gyfer y PAC.  Bydd y Llywodraeth yn gweithio gyda’r Pwyllgor i hwyluso hynny a rhoi’r holl wybodaeth fydd ei hangen ar Aelodau i’w helpu wrth eu gwaith.  I gadw’ch bysedd i gyd ar byls, byddaf yn gwneud datganiadau rheolaidd fel bod yr holl aelodau’n gwybod beth sy’n digwydd.