(51)This Directive is without prejudice to the scope of application of Directive 98/26/EC. However, in order to ensure fair competition between payment service providers, a participant in a designated payment system subject to the conditions of Directive 98/26/EC which provides services in relation to such a system to an authorised or registered payment service provider should also, when requested to do so, grant access to such services in an objective, proportionate and non-discriminatory manner to any other authorised or registered payment service provider. Payment service providers that are granted such access should not, however be considered to be participants as defined in Directive 98/26/EC, and hence should not benefit from the protection granted under that Directive.