diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index efc53b1..8a45f7c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ This repository contains Open Agent Management Protocol (OpAMP)
 [specification](specification.md) and Protobuf definitions in [proto](proto) directory.
 
 See [releases here](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opamp-spec/releases) and [changelog here](CHANGELOG.md).
+Additional standalone guidance for instrumentation runtimes is in
+[opentelemetry-guidelines.md](opentelemetry-guidelines.md).
 
 ## Contributing
 
diff --git a/opentelemetry-guidelines.md b/opentelemetry-guidelines.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d340f51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/opentelemetry-guidelines.md
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# OpenTelemetry Guidelines
+
+This document provides guidance for language instrumentation agents that use
+OpAMP.
+
+## Scope
+
+This guidance is intended for OpenTelemetry language agents that run as part of an instrumented
+application process. Examples include auto-instrumentation language agents and similar
+instrumentation runtimes built with OpenTelemetry SDKs.
+
+This guidance does not apply to standalone agents such as the OpenTelemetry
+Collector.
+
+## Identifying Attributes
+
+Language instrumentation agents MUST copy the following OpenTelemetry SDK
+`Resource` attributes into `AgentDescription.identifying_attributes`:
+
+- `service.name`
+- `service.instance.id`
+- `service.namespace.name`, if present
+
+These identifying attributes MUST match the values that the agent uses in the
+Resource of its own telemetry.
+
+## Non-identifying Attributes
+
+Language instrumentation agents SHOULD copy all other OpenTelemetry SDK
+`Resource` attributes into `AgentDescription.non_identifying_attributes`,
+excluding those added to the identifying attributes (above).
+
+## Rationale
+
+For language instrumentation agents, the `service.*` attributes listed above
+define the identity that OpAMP uses to associate an agent with its telemetry.
+Copying the remaining Resource attributes into
+`AgentDescription.non_identifying_attributes` preserves useful descriptive
+context without expanding the agent identity beyond those service attributes.