L 84/42 Official Journal of the European Union 20.3.2014 REGULATION (EU) No 254/2014 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 26 February 2014 on a multiannual consumer programme for the years 2014-20 and repealing Decision No 1926/2006/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 169 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)  The Commission Communication of 3 March 2010 entitled ‘Europe 2020 — A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth’ (Europe 2020’ calls for citizens to be empowered to play a full part in the internal market, which requires the strengthening of their ability and confidence to buy goods and services cross- border, in particular online. (2)  The Union contributes to ensuring a high level of consumer protection and to placing consumers at the heart of the internal market by supporting and comple- menting Member States’ policies in seeking to ensure that citizens can fully reap the benefits of the internal market and that, in so doing, their safety and legal and economic interests are properly protected by means of concrete actions. () O] C 181, 21.6.2012, p. 89. () O] C 225, 27.7.2012, p. 217. (®) Position of the European Parliament of 14 January 2014 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Decision of the Council of 11 February 2014. G) The multiannual Consumer Programme for the years 2014-20 (the Programme’) should help ensure a high level of protection for consumers and fully support the ambitions of Europe 2020 as regards growth and competitiveness by integrating  specific  concerns identified in Europe 2020 on the digital agenda for Europe in order to ensure that digitalisation actually leads to increased consumer welfare, on sustainable growth by moving towards more sustainable patterns of consumption, on social inclusion by taking into account the specific situation of vulnerable consumers and the needs of an ageing population, and on smart regulation, inter alia, through consumer market moni- toring to help design smart and targeted regulations. The Commission Communication of 22 May 2012 entitled ‘A European Consumer Agenda — Boosting confidence and growth’ (the ‘Consumer Agenda) sets out a strategic framework for Union consumer policy in the years to come by supporting consumer interests in all Union policies. The aim of the Consumer Agenda is to create a strategy in which political action will effi- ciently and effectively support consumers throughout their lives by ensuring the safety of the products and services made available to them, by informing and educating them, by supporting bodies that represent them, by strengthening their rights, by giving them access to justice and redress and by ensuring that consumer legislation is enforced. The recent economic downturn has exposed a number of shortcomings and inconsistencies in the internal market, which have had adverse implications for consumers’ and citizens' confidence. Whilst it is necessary to acknowledge the budgetary constraints under which the Union is currently operating, the Union should never- theless provide adequate financial means to enable the targets of the Programme to be reached and should therefore support Europe 2020. The elimination of remaining unjustified and dispropor- tionate barriers to the proper functioning of the internal market and improving citizens' trust and confidence in the system, in particular when buying cross-border, are essential for the completion of the internal market. The Union should aim to create the right conditions to empower consumers by providing them with sufficient tools, knowledge and competence to make considered and informed decisions and by raising consumer awareness.