Brussels, 19/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - The Council of the Notariats of the European Union has stated that EU notaries completely disagree with the European Commission's decision to challenge the nationality condition and access modalities to the notary profession. On 12 October, sixteen Member States were criticised by the Commission over their legislation on the notary profession, notably the fact that most of these countries insist that only nationals from these countries can exercise the profession in their country (EUROPE 9287). In a press release the Council of the Notariats of the European Union (CNEU) declared, “This decision appears to contradict previous decisions of the Commission and the Parliament, which explicitly recognise the role of public official carried out by civil law notaries”. European notaries consequently deem the Commission's argument claiming that notaries do not act as an authority on behalf of the State as “unacceptable” and are surprised that the decision from such a procedure has intervened just went the Services Directive stipulates in its most recent version, the exclusion of notaries, and is on the point of being adopted at the end of the year. (bc)