Health · Medicines
Over the counter or prescription? How the rules differ across Europe
Something you bought off the shelf at home may need a prescription in your new country, and the other way round. Painkillers with codeine are sold in UK and Irish pharmacies but need a prescription in France, Germany and Spain. In most of continental Europe even paracetamol and ibuprofen are sold only in pharmacies, not in supermarkets.
Where you can buy common medicines
- Supermarkets and drugstores sell small packs of painkillers in the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries (with exceptions below).
- Pharmacy only is the rule in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Belgium and most of Central and Eastern Europe. Look for the green or red cross.
- Behind the counter: in France paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin have been kept behind the pharmacy counter since 2020, so you have to ask for them.
Examples where the rules differ
| Medicine | Without prescription | Prescription needed |
|---|---|---|
| Codeine with paracetamol (low dose) | UK and Ireland, in pharmacies, small packs | France (since 2017), Germany, Spain, Italy, most of the EU |
| Ibuprofen 400 mg | Almost everywhere | – |
| Ibuprofen 600 mg and above | – | Germany, France, Spain and most countries |
| Diclofenac tablets | Some EU countries in low doses | UK (since 2015) |
| Metamizole | – | Germany, Austria, Spain; not sold at all in the UK, US or Sweden |
| Sildenafil (Viagra) 50 mg | UK, from pharmacies (Viagra Connect) | Most EU countries |
| Morning-after pill | Most EU countries and the UK | Poland and Hungary |
| Melatonin | Sold as a supplement in the Netherlands, Spain and Italy | UK and Ireland |
| Antibiotics | – | Everywhere in the EU and UK |
Rules for strengths and pack sizes change; a pharmacist will tell you what applies today. Pack-size limits also exist: in the UK a shop may sell at most 16 paracetamol tablets per pack, 32 in a pharmacy.
Why it differs
Each country’s medicines agency decides whether a product is prescription-only, pharmacy-only or general sale, usually based on overdose risk, misuse and local history. Medicines approved for the whole EU can still have a different sale status from one member state to the next.
What to do as an expat
- Before you move, ask your doctor for a 2–3 month supply and a letter listing each medicine by active ingredient and dose.
- After you arrive, register with a GP: in most countries a local prescription is needed to keep getting prescription-only medicines, and it is usually cheaper with public health insurance.
- An EU prescription is valid in other EU countries, but the pharmacy can refuse it if they cannot read or verify it. Ask your doctor to write the active ingredient, not just the brand.
- Never buy prescription medicines from unregistered websites: in the EU, legal online pharmacies show the common EU logo.
General information, not medical advice. Always check the strength and ingredients on the pack, and ask a pharmacist or doctor before switching or combining medicines.
Sources
This guide is general information based on the tax rules we could verify for 2026, not tax or financial advice. Rules change and personal situations differ, so check with the tax authority or a qualified adviser before you act. Spotted a mistake? Email [email protected].