These guidelines are intended to assist competent authorities within their national boundaries in the effective assessment and transparent use of reliable vTPA programme information/data in support of their NFCS objectives. The guidelines focus on the structure, governance and components of vTPA programmes that align with and support NFCS objectives relating to protecting consumer health and ensuring fair practices in food trade. The guidelines do not oblige competent authorities to use vTPA programme outcomes nor do they mandate the use of vTPA programme information/data from FBOs i.e. emphasising that the decision to use vTPA programme information/data by the competent authority is voluntary. The guidelines do not apply to official inspection systems or official certification systems administered by government agencies having a regulatory or enforcement jurisdiction, nor officially recognised inspection or certification bodies2 that certify to a regulatory standard for which compliance is mandatory. The guidelines are not intended to apply to private standards that are the subject of commercial contractual arrangements between buyers and sellers, nor do they apply to components of vTPA programmes which are outside the scope or requirements of the competent authority. These guidelines do not constitute approval, recognition or endorsement of vTPA programmes. Competent authorities may choose approaches other than those described in these guidelines when considering how to take into account vTPA programmes information/data in their risk-based targeting of regulatory controls.