Groups of materials and articles listed in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 and combinations of those materials and articles or recycled materials and articles used in those materials and articles should be manufactured in compliance with general and detailed rules on good manufacturing practice (GMP).

Some sectors of industry have established GMP guidelines, while others have not. Consequently, it appears necessary to ensure uniformity among Member States as regards GMP for materials and articles intended to come into contact with food.

In order to ensure such conformity, it is appropriate to lay down certain obligations on business operators.

All business operators should operate an effective quality management of their manufacturing operations which should be adapted to their position in the supply chain.

The rules should apply to materials and articles intended to be brought into contact with food, or already in contact with food and were intended for this purpose, or those which can reasonably be expected to be brought into contact with food or to transfer their constituents to food under normal or foreseeable conditions of use.

The rules on GMP should be applied proportionately to avoid undue burdens for small businesses.

Detailed rules should now be set for processes involving printing inks and should be established for other processes as necessary. For printing inks applied to the non-food contact side of a material or article GMP should in particular ensure that substances are not transferred into food by set-off or transfer through the substrate.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,