The deadline for the Scottish Government to complete its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments to farmers has been moved back.

Originally the Scottish Government had until June 30 to complete the process of dealing with the 2015 applications.

European Union commissioner Phil Hogan however announced on Wednesday the deadline has been extended to October 15.

The EU say the move is "exceptional" due to "member states" and "regions" facing "difficulties" with their payments.

Delays in Scotland were mostly due to a move to a new government IT payment system which has been plagued with issues.

Hogan said: "This is an exceptional measure, which reflects the difficulties that some paying agencies have experienced with the first year of payments under the new CAP.

"It represents an unprecedented level of flexibility on the part of the European Commission and, based on the current levels of payments, could yield a multi-million euro saving for those Member States/regions, and potentially their farmers, which will not have made their payments by June 30.

"Based on the engagement that I have had with a number of Member States/regions, I am satisfied that this measure, which goes as far as the Commission can go, fully meets their needs in terms providing them with maximum flexibility and ensuring full reimbursement of the value of the payments".

If the Scottish Government had failed to meet the deadline it would have faced a number of potential penalties including multi-million pound fines.

A report by the government watchdog Audit Scotland warned the Scottish Government was at "high risk" of such a penalty.

The news was welcomed by the National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS) but warned the government it was not an "excuse" to further delay payments.

NFUS chief executive Scott Walker said: "The shift in the European deadline for making payments is good news for the Scottish taxpayer, as it will significantly lessen the risk of a hefty fine. The recent Audit Scotland report estimated that failure to deliver payments by the end of June could have cost the Scottish Government between £40m and £125m.

"However, any deadline shift must not be used as an excuse by Scottish Government in delaying the payment of outstanding 2015 monies any further or hold back progress with the 2016 scheme. With many millions of pounds still outstanding, we will be looking to the Scottish Government to have made significant inroads into filling the substantial hole that remains in the Scottish rural economy by the time the Royal Highland Show starts on June 23.

"The list of work from the 2015 scheme that remains to be completed is substantial. Not only do we want outstanding support payments delivered to farmers and crofters before the end of June but mapping, regionalisation, fixing entitlement rates, national reserve awards and delivery of the new sheep support scheme have also been delayed and must be completed if the Scottish rural economy is to have a chance of getting back on its feet any time soon."

Rural economy secretary Fergus Ewing said despite the new flexibility it his still "determination" to make "full payments" by June 30.

Ewing said: "This flexibility is welcome, but it will not detract from my determination to make full payments to as many Scottish farmers as possible by 30 June. This remains my absolute priority.

"Today's announcement by the EU Commission reflects the challenges being faced by countries across Europe in implementing this CAP reform and making payments, and reduces the potential for financial penalties being imposed on administrations."