This Directive shall apply to:

1. (1)

   credit institutions;

2. (2)

   financial institutions;

3. (3)

   the following legal or natural persons acting in the exercise of their professional activities:

   1. (a)

      auditors, external accountants and tax advisors;

   2. (b)

      notaries and other independent legal professionals, when they participate, whether by acting on behalf of and for their client in any financial or real estate transaction, or by assisting in the planning or execution of transactions for their client concerning the:

      1. (i)

         buying and selling of real property or business entities;

      2. (ii)

         managing of client money, securities or other assets;

      3. (iii)

         opening or management of bank, savings or securities accounts;

      4. (iv)

         organisation of contributions necessary for the creation, operation or management of companies;

      5. (v)

         creation, operation or management of trusts, companies or similar structures;

   3. (c)

      trust or company service providers not already covered under points (a) or (b);

   4. (d)

      real estate agents;

   5. (e)

      other natural or legal persons trading in goods, only to the extent that payments are made in cash in an amount of EUR 15 000 or more, whether the transaction is executed in a single operation or in several operations which appear to be linked;

   6. (f)

      casinos.

Member States may decide that legal and natural persons who engage in a financial activity on an occasional or very limited basis and where there is little risk of money laundering or terrorist financing occurring do not fall within the scope of Article 3(1) or (2).