L 317/56 Official Journal of the European Union 4.11.2014 REGULATION (EU) No 1144/2014 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 22 October 2014 on information provision and promotion measures concerning agricultural products implemented in the internal market and in third countries and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 3/2008 THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Articles 42 and 43(2) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (1), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (?), Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (3), Whereas: (1) In accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 3/2008 (%), the Union may implement information provision and promotion measures in the internal market and in third countries for agricultural products and their production methods and for certain food products based on agricultural products. 2)  In view of the experience gained and the likely developments in the agricultural sector and on markets both inside and outside the Union, the scheme established by Regulation (EC) No 3/2008 should be reviewed and made more coherent and effective. Regulation (EC) No 3/2008 should therefore be repealed and replaced with a new regu- lation. (3)  The objective of such information provision and promotion measures is to enhance the competitiveness of the Union agricultural sector, thereby bringing about greater competitive equity both in the internal market and in third countries. More specifically, the information provision and promotion measures should aim to increase consumers’ awareness of the merits of the Union’s agricultural products and production methods and to increase the awareness and recognition of Union quality schemes. Moreover, they should increase the competi- tiveness and consumption of Union agricultural products, raise their profile both inside and outside the Union and increase the market share of those products, with a special focus on those markets in third countries that have the highest growth potential. In the event of serious market disturbance, loss of consumer confidence or other specific problems, those measures should help restore normal market conditions. Such information provision and promotion measures should usefully complement and reinforce the measures implemented by the Member States. In order to achieve their objectives, information provision and promotion measures should continue to be implemented both inside and outside the Union. (4)  Measures should also aim to enhance the authenticity of Union products so as to improve consumers’ awareness of the qualities of genuine products as compared to imitations and counterfeit products; this would contribute significantly to awareness, both in the Union and in third countries, of the symbols, indications and abbreviations demonstrating participation in the European quality schemes established by Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (°). (5)  One of the Union’s strengths in food production lies in the diversity of its products and in their specific char- acteristics which are linked to different geographical areas and different traditional methods and which provide unique flavours, offering the variety and authenticity that consumers increasingly look for, both inside and outside the Union. () Opinion of 30 April 2014 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (3) Opinion of 2 April 2014 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (}) Position of the European Parliament of 15 April 2014 (not yet published in the Official Journal), decision of the Council of 13 October 2014. (*) Council Regulation (EC) No 3/2008 of 17 December 2007 on information provision and promotion measures for agricultural products on the internal market and in third countries (O] L 3, 5.1.2008, p. 1). (°) Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (O] L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1).