CHAPTER IIIGUIDES TO GOOD PRACTICE
Article 20Development, dissemination and use of guides
1
The Commission shall encourage the development of Community guides to good practice in the feed sector and for the application of HACCP principles in accordance with Article 22.
Where necessary, Member States shall encourage the development of national guides in accordance with Article 21.
2
The dissemination and use of both national and Community guides shall be encouraged by the competent authorities.
3
Nevertheless, feed business operators may use these guides voluntarily.
Article 21National guides
1
When national guides to good practice are developed, they shall be developed and disseminated by feed business sectors:
a
in consultation with representatives of parties whose interests may be substantially affected, such as competent authorities and user groups;
b
having regard to relevant codes of practice of the Codex Alimentarius;
and
c
when they concern primary production of feed, having regard to the requirements set out in Annex I.
2
Member States shall assess national guides 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 for compliance with Articles 4, 5 and 6, in the sectors and/or for the feeds concerned.
3
Member States shall transmit national guides to the Commission.
4
The Commission shall set up and run a registration system for such guides and make it available to the Member States.
Article 22Community guides
1
Before Community guides to good practice for hygiene or for the application of the HACCP principles are developed, the Commission shall consult the Committee referred to in Article 31(1). The objective of this consultation shall be to consider the case for such guides, their scope and subject matter.
2
Where Community guides are prepared, the Commission shall ensure that they are developed and disseminated:
a
by or in consultation with appropriate representatives of European feed business sectors and other interested parties, such as consumer groups;
b
in collaboration with parties whose interests may be substantially affected, including competent authorities.
3
Community guides shall be developed and disseminated taking into account:
a
relevant codes of practice of the Codex Alimentarius,
and
b
when they concern primary production of feed, the requirements set out in Annex I.
4
The Committee referred to in Article 31(1) shall assess draft Community guides to ensure that:
a
they have been developed in accordance with paragraphs 2 and 3;
b
their contents are practicable throughout the Community for the sectors to which they refer;
and
c
they are suitable as guides for compliance with Articles 4, 5 and 6, in the sectors and/or for the feeds concerned.
5
The Commission shall invite the Committee referred to in Article 31(1) periodically to review any Community guides prepared in accordance with this Article, in cooperation with the entities mentioned in paragraph 2 of this Article. The aim of this review shall be to ensure that the guides remain practicable and to take account of technological and scientific developments.
6
The titles and references of Community guides prepared in accordance with this Article shall be published in the C series of the Official Journal of the European Union.