▁member ▁state , ▁although ▁some ▁member ▁states ▁have ▁opt ed ▁out ▁of ▁that ▁article . ▁ ▁The ▁member ▁states ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁originally ▁conclude ▁a ▁convention ▁amongst ▁themselves ▁on ▁the ▁service ▁of ▁documents , ▁which ▁was ▁signed ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁but ▁never ▁entered ▁into ▁force ▁as ▁it ▁was ▁rat ified ▁only ▁by ▁Spain . ▁ ▁The ▁subst ance ▁of ▁this ▁convention ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁Reg ulation ▁ 1 3 4 8 / 2 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁reg ulation ▁applied ▁to ▁all ▁the ▁member ▁states ▁of ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁Den mark , ▁however ▁by ▁virtue ▁of ▁a ▁bil ater al ▁agreement ▁the ▁prov isions ▁of ▁the ▁reg ulation ▁were ▁extended ▁to ▁Den mark . ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁reg ulation ▁was ▁subsequently ▁replaced ▁by ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁reg ulation . ▁ ▁Den mark ▁informed ▁the ▁Commission ▁of ▁its ▁accept ance ▁of ▁the ▁rec ast ▁Dec ision . ▁ ▁Rece iving ▁ag encies ▁by ▁Member ▁State ▁ ▁Austria ▁— ▁decent ral ised ▁— ▁all ▁Bez irks ger ichts ▁( d istrict ▁courts ) ▁ ▁Belg ium ▁— ▁decent ral ised ▁— ▁all ▁hu iss iers ▁de ▁justice ▁( b ail iffs ) ▁ ▁Cy pr us ▁— ▁central ised ▁— ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Justice ▁and ▁Public ▁Order ▁ ▁Czech ▁Republic ▁— ▁decent ral ised ▁— ▁all ▁M ě st ský ▁s oud ▁( d istrict ▁courts ) ▁ ▁Den mark ▁— ▁not ▁subject ▁to ▁the