These are measures to protect and improve the environment, to maintain the countryside in good condition and to encourage extensive farming. Agri-environmental measures have to go beyond the requirements of cross compliance (i.e. beyond the exigencies of the statutory management requirements and of the good agricultural and environmental conditions).Within the context of the rural development rules for the period 2007-2013, agri-environmental measures fall within Axis 2 of the rural development measures (i.e. measures to improve the environment and the countryside).Farmers can chose to implement agri-environmental measures and if they do so, they are reimbursed the extra costs on the grounds that they are farming in a manner that delivers additional public goods and services (agri-environmental payments).