1.When national guides to good practice are developed, they shall be developed and disseminated by food business sectors:
in consultation with representatives of parties whose interests may be substantially affected, such as competent authorities and consumer groups;
having regard to relevant codes of practice of the Codex Alimentarius;
and
when they concern primary production and those associated operations listed in Annex I, having regard to the recommendations set out in Part B of Annex I.
2.National guides may be developed under the aegis of a national standards institute referred to in Annex II to Directive 98/34/EC 2.
3.Member States shall assess national guides in order to ensure that:
they have been developed in accordance with paragraph 1;
their contents are practicable for the sectors to which they refer;
and
they are suitable as guides to compliance with Articles 3, 4 and 5 in the sectors and for the foodstuffs covered.
4.Member States shall forward to the Commission national guides complying with the requirements of paragraph 3. The Commission shall set up and run a registration system for such guides and make it available to Member States.
5.Guides to good practice drawn up pursuant to Directive 93/43/EEC shall continue to apply after the entry into force of this Regulation, provided that they are compatible with its objectives.