1. This Directive shall apply to the taking up and pursuit of the business of credit institutions.
2. It shall not apply to:
- the central banks of Member States,
- post office giro institutions,
- in Belgium, the "Institut de Réescompte et de Garantie/Herdiscontering- en Waarborginstituut",
- in Denmark, the "Dansk Eksportfinansieringsfond", the "Danmarks Skibskreditfond" and the "Dansk Landbrugs Realkreditfond",
- in Germany, the "Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau", undertakings which are recognized under the "Wohnungsgemeinnützigkeitsgesetz" as bodies of state housing policy and are not mainly engaged in banking transactions and undertakings recognized under that law as non-profit housing undertakings,
- in Greece, the "Ελληνική Τράπεζα Βιομηχανικής Αναπτύξεως" (Elliniki Trapeza Viomichanikis Anaptyxeos), the "Ταμείο Παρακαταθηκών και Δανείων" (Tameio Parakatathikon kai Danion) and the "Ταχυδρομικό