1. Member States may exempt or allow their competent authorities to exempt, natural or legal persons providing payment services as referred to in points (1) to (6) of Annex I from the application of all or part of the procedure and conditions set out in Sections 1, 2 and 3, with the exception of Articles 14, 15, 22, 24, 25 and 26, where:

(a) the monthly average of the preceding 12 months' total value of payment transactions executed by the person concerned, including any agent for which it assumes full responsibility, does not exceed a limit set by the Member State but that, in any event, amounts to no more than EUR 3 million. That requirement shall be assessed on the projected total amount of payment transactions in its business plan, unless an adjustment to that plan is required by the competent authorities; and

(b) none of the natural persons responsible for the management or operation of the business has been convicted of offences relating to money laundering or terrorist financing or other financial crimes.

2. Any natural or legal person registered in accordance with paragraph 1 shall be required to have its head office or place of residence in the Member State in which it actually carries out its business.