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1. Member States shall ensure that all agricultural areas, including land which is no longer used for production purposes, are maintained in good agricultural and environmental condition. Member States shall set, at national or regional level, minimum standards for farmers and other beneficiaries for each GAEC standard listed in Annex III in line with the main objective of those standards as referred to in that Annex. In setting their standards, Member States shall take into account, where relevant, the specific characteristics of the areas concerned including soil and climatic condition, existing farming systems, farming practices, farm size and farm structures, land use, and the specificities of outermost regions.

In setting the GAEC standards 5, 6, 7 or 9 listed in Annex III, Member States may establish specific exemptions from the requirements of those standards. Those exemptions shall be based on objective and non-discriminatory criteria, such as crops, soil types and farming systems or damage to permanent grasslands due, inter alia, to wild animals or invasive species, and shall be limited in terms of their area coverage. Specific exemptions shall be established only in the event, and to the extent, that they are necessary to address specific problems in the application of those standards and shall not significantly hamper the contribution of each of those standards to their main objectives, as listed in Annex III.

2. In respect of the main objectives laid down in Annex III, Member States may set standards additional to those laid down in that Annex concerning those main objectives. Such additional standards shall be non-discriminatory and proportionate and shall correspond to the needs identified. Member States shall not set minimum standards for main objectives other than the main objectives laid down in Annex III.

2a. When implementing the minimum standards set in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2, Member States may grant temporary derogations from requirements such as time limits and periods set in those standards where weather conditions prevent farmers and other beneficiaries from complying with those requirements in a given year. Such temporary derogations shall be limited in their scope to farmers and other beneficiaries or areas affected by such weather conditions and shall be applied only for as long as they are strictly necessary.

3. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 152 supplementing this Regulation with rules to ensure a level playing field as regards the ratio for GAEC standard 1.