1. When national guides to good practice are developed, they shall be developed and disseminated by food business sectors:
(a)
in consultation with representatives of parties whose interests may be substantially affected, such as competent authorities and consumer groups;
(b)
having regard to relevant codes of practice of the Codex Alimentarius; and
(c)
when they concern primary production and those associated operations listed in Annex 1, 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 (10).
3. Member States shall assess national guides in order to ensure that:
(a)
they have been developed in accordance with paragraph 1;
(b)
their contents are practicable for the sectors to which they refer; and
(c)
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 under Directive 93/43/EEC shall continue to apply after the entry into force of this Regulation, provided that they are compatible with its objectives.