Europe
| Country / region | De jure | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking age | Purchase age | ||
| Albania | None | ||
| Armenia | None | ||
| Austria | 16, 18 for distilled beverages in some areas. | Upper Austria, Salzburg and Tirol prohibit the consumption of distilled beverages below the age of 18, while Carinthia and Styria prohibit drinks containing more than 12% or 14% of alcohol respectively in this age bracket. Carinthia also requires adolescents to maintain a blood alcohol level below 0.05%, Upper Austria prohibits "excessive consumption", and Salzburg prohibits consumption that would result in a state of intoxication. Prohibitions in Vienna, Burgenland, Lower Austria and Vorarlberg apply only to alcohol consumption in public. Vienna also prohibits the consumption of alcohol in schools by those under the age of 18. | |
| Azerbaijan | 16 | ||
| Belarus | 18 | ||
| Belgium | 16 for beer and wine, 18 for spirits | Since 10 January 2010, it is illegal to "sell, serve, or offer" any form of distilled alcohol to those under the age of 18 or any alcoholic drink to those under 16. So fermented drinks like beer or wine are permitted above 16. Previously, it was illegal to sell alcoholic drinks to under-16s, but accompanying adults could buy drinks for them. | |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 18 | 18 | |
| Bulgaria | None | 18 | The Health Act prohibits the sale of alcoholic beverages to persons under 18 years of age, but not their consumption. |
| Croatia | 18 | ||
| Czech Republic | 18 | ||
| Cyprus | 17 | ||
| Denmark | 18 to be served at bars, discos etc. | 16 | To buy alcohol (above 1.2% and below 16.5% ABV) in stores, one must be 16; but to be served alcohol at bars, restaurants and discos, the minimum is 18. For alcohol above 16.5%, the age is 18. There is no drinking age, only a purchase age, and an adult may buy alcohol for a minor. By tradition, youths are privately allowed to drink alcohol after their confirmation. If a shop or bar fails to ask for an ID card and is identified having sold alcohol to an underage, it is subject to fine. A national ID card, obtained in the local town hall, can serve as age verification. This card is rarely used though since a passport or moped-licence can sometimes be used. |
| Estonia | 18 | Drinking in public is prohibited for everyone. Stores may sell alcohol only between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. | |
| Finland | 18 for possession and purchase of <22% ABV 20 for possession and purchase of ≥22% ABV 18 for all in bars and restaurants |
Age limits apply to purchase and possession. Police may search minors in public places and confiscate or destroy alcoholic beverages. Adults are responsible for alcohol use by minors in private; offering alcohol to a minor is a punishable offense if it results in drunkenness and is inappropriate with regard to the minor's age, maturity and other circumstances. | |
| France | 18 | Selling alcohol to a minor (under 18) is illegal and can be fined 7500 euros. This age was raised from 16 to 18 in 2006. Supplying minors with alcohol that results in intoxication is forbidden. | |
| Georgia | 16 | ||
| Germany | 16 for beer and wine as some other party drinks without spirits; 18 for spirits |
Possession or consumption of alcohol by minors is allowed, but it is illegal to sell minors alcohol or to let them drink in public below the respective drinking age. Fermented alcoholic beverages may be consumed by minors at the age of 14 in public in presence of a legal guardian; drinking in private is allowed. The restrictions on distilled beverages apply also to mixed drinks containing them. | |
| Gibraltar | 18 | 18 | |
| Greece | 18 | None | |
| Hungary | 18 | ||
| Iceland | 20 | Possession or consumption of alcohol by minors is not an offence, but supplying them with alcohol is. However, law allows alcohol possessed by a minor to be confiscated. | |
| Ireland | 18 | It is illegal for minors to buy alcohol, to attempt to buy it for minors or to consume alcohol in a public space in Ireland. Those under 18 may consume alcohol in a private residence when permission is given from a parent or guardian. It is illegal to purchase alcohol for anybody under the age of consent without permission from their guardians. Alcohol can be sold in stores only between 10:30 and 22:00 on weekdays and Saturdays or 12:30 and 22:00 on Sundays. | |
| Italy | 16 | South Tyrol prohibits both getting served or purchasing for those under 18; everybody is forbidden from being in a state of inebriation. | |
| Latvia | 18 | Selling alcoholic beverages in stores, with the exception of bars, clubs and restaurants, is prohibited between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. Drinking in public is prohibited. | |
| Liechtenstein | 16 for wine, beer and cider 18 for spirits and spirit-based beverages. e.g. alcopops |
Wine, beer and ciders as well as some other party drinks sometimes without spirits may be purchased by the age of 16. Spirits as well as alcopops may be sold only to people at least 18. | |
| Lithuania | 18 | In the Republic of Lithuania drinking in public is prohibited. Selling alcoholic beverages in stores is prohibited between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m and on 1 September of every year. Minors under the age of 18 are prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages or from having them. | |
| Luxembourg | 16 | ||
| Macedonia | 18 | Must show an ID card upon request. | |
| Malta | 17 | Must provide identification upon request. | |
| Moldova | 18 | ||
| Montenegro | None | 18 | |
| Netherlands | 16 (under 15% ABV); 18 (15% ABV and over) | If the person is under the age of 20, an identity card has to be shown before buying. Drinking in public is banned by local ordinance in most municipalities. Selling alcohol to underage customers carries a fine of €900–3,600. | |
| Norway | 18 | 20; 21 (≥22% ABV) | Selling alcohol to buying alcohol for minors is illegal. Minors are defined as under 18 for beer and wine, under 20 for drinks that contain 22% ABV or more. Minors who buy alcohol are not held criminally responsible; instead, the crime lies with those who sold it or obtained it for them.
Alcohol with more than 60% ABV is considered illegal narcotics. Alcohol possessed by minors may be confiscated as evidence. Drinking in public is prohibited, though this is rarely enforced in recreational areas. |
| Poland | None | 18 | Section 15.1 Clearly states that buyers must be at least 18 and prove it with ID if they look like they may not be at least that age. According to the International Center for Alcohol Policies, as of February 2007, the minimum age for alcohol consumption is 18 years of age. |
| Portugal | 18 (as of 2012) | Age increased to 18 in 2012. | |
| Romania | None | 18 | According to law 61/1991 updated in 2008, paragraphs 21-25, it is illegal to serve or sell alcohol to minors. The law also imposes restrictions on serving or selling alcohol in some public locations (parks, hospitals, schools, stadiums, airports, public transport, etc.) or during certain events (strikes, public meetings, sport events, etc.) |
| Russia | None | 18 | There is no law or regulation in Russia that prohibits minors from consuming alcohol, but selling alcohol to minors is prohibited by federal and additional regional laws. |
| Serbia | 18"Link". http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/LegalDrinkingAge.html. | ||
| Slovakia | 18 | ||
| Slovenia | 18 | There is no law regulating the possession and consumption, but it is illegal to sell or offer alcohol of any kind to minors. Also, it is illegal to sell alcohol in stores from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., 10 a.m. in bars and restaurants. The law also prohibits serving alcohol to obviously intoxicated customers as well as less than 1 h before and during sport events. | |
| Spain | 18 | 16 in Asturias. It is illegal to sell alcohol to people under 18, the fine being between €30,000 and €600,000. Stores are not allowed to sell alcohol between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m after a recent law was passed. | |
| Sweden | None (in private "in moderation") 18 (bars and restaurants) |
None (less than 2.25% ABV) 18 (bars and restaurants, 2.25%–3.5% ABV in normal shops), 20 (Systembolaget shops stores), |
See also alcohol in Sweden. Many clubs choose to have higher age limits than 18, commonly 20 or 23. It is legal to drink below 18, but it is illegal to sell, lend or give alcohol to someone under that age, and the police can seize alcohol from them. The reason for lower limit in bars than in Systembolaget shops is that bartenders have a legal responsibility for how drunk a guest gets. |
| Switzerland | 16/18 for beer, wine and cider; 18 for spirits | Age for non-spirits varies by canton. Some shops and supermarkets may wont sell alcohol to minors under the age of 18. | |
| Turkey | 18 | The government has been steadily restricting alcohol in Turkey, with proposals to create alcohol-free zones, bars on alcohol sold in new packaging, bans on sports advertising, restricting sales, and making it harder to have alcohol at public events. Alcohol is still readily available and the legal age is rarely enforced in bars or convenience stores. | |
| Ukraine | 18 | ||
| United Kingdom | 18 | Children under 5 must not be given alcohol unless under medical supervision or in an emergency (Children and Young Persons Act 1933, Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937).
Between the ages of 5 and 17, it is legally permissible for children to drink alcohol at home or at a friend's house with the permission of a parent or legal guardian. The minimum age for the purchase of alcohol is 18. People aged 16 or 17 may consume wine, beer or cider on licensed premises when ordered with a meal. In England and Wales, it must be an adult who orders; however, an adult doesn't have to be present to order alcohol with a meal in Scotland. The legal age for the purchase of alcohol from an off-licence (store/supermarket) is 18. (The legal age to buy liqueur chocolates is 16, but this is rarely enforced.) Under the BBPA's Challenge 21 scheme, customers attempting to buy alcoholic beverages are asked to prove their age if in the retailer's opinion they look under 21 even though the law states they must be a minimum of 18. Many supermarket and off-licence chains display Challenge 21 notices stating that they will not serve persons who look under 21 without ID. Supermarkets or off-licence chains that are found to have violated the law and have repeatedly sold alcohol to underage persons are then required to adopt the Challenge 25 scheme. Failing to adhere to this will result in revocation of the licence to sell alcohol. (Challenge 25 is standard procedure in Scotland and the main supermarket chains.) Purchasing alcohol on behalf of a minor is illegal in all of the United Kingdom. This means acting as the young person's agent. |
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