27.6.2014 Official Journal of the European Union L 189/1 | (Legislative acts) REGULATIONS REGULATION (EU) No 652/2014 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 15 May 2014 laying down provisions for the management of expenditure relating to the food chain, animal health and animal welfare, and relating to plant health and plant reproductive material, amending Council Directives 98/56/EC, 2000/29/EC and 2008/90/EC, Regulations (EC) No 178/2002, (EC) No 882/2004 and (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Directive 2009/128/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Decisions 66/399/EEC, 76/894/EEC and 2009/470/EC 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 Article 43(2) and Article 168(4)(b) 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 consulted the Committee of the Regions Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (3), Whereas: (1) Union law provides for requirements regarding food and food safety and feed and feed safety, at all stages of production, including rules that aim to guarantee fair practices in trade and the provision of information to consumers. It also lays down requirements regarding the prevention and control of transmissible diseases in animals and zoonoses, as well as requirements regarding animal welfare, animal by-products, plant health and plant reproductive material, the protection of plant varieties, genetically modified organisms, the placing on the market and use of plant protection products and the sustainable use of pesticides. Union law also provides for official controls and other official activities aimed at ensuring the effective implementation of and the compliance with those requirements. (2)  The general objective of Union law in those areas is to contribute to a high level of health for humans, animals and plants along the food chain, a high level of protection and information for consumers and a high level of protection of the environment, while favouring competitiveness and creation of jobs. () OJ C 67, 6.3.2014, p. 166. (?) Position of the European Parliament of 2 April 2014 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and decision of the Council of 8 May 2014.