European mandatory age limits and related laws

In individual European countries, there are laws and age limits relating to subjects such as abortion, driving, alcohol and tobacco consumption, that vary considerably between nations. Through EU directives, many EU countries share many laws relating to trade and industry, such as maximum working hours each week.

Law	Countries
	Albania	Austria	Belarus	Belgium	Bosnia	Croatia	Czech	Denmark	Estonia	Finland	France	Germany	Greece	Holland	Hungary	Ireland	Italy	Latvia	Lithuania	Macedonia	Norway	Poland	Portugal	Russia	Slovakia	Slovenia	Spain	Sweden	Switzerland	UK	Ukraine
Minimum age to drink beer	Alb	16	Bel	16	Bo	Cr	18	16	Es	18	Fr	16	Gr	16	18	18	It	La	Li	Mc	No	18	pt	ru	18	slo	sp	sw	16	18 (14 with a meal)	ua
Minimum age to drink spirits (brandy, vodka)	Alb	16	Bel	18	Bo	Cr	18	16	Es	20	Fr	18	Gr	18 (over 15%)	18	18	It	La	Li	Mc	No	18	pt	ru	18	slo	sp	sw	18	18	ua
Minimum age to drink wine	Alb	16	Bel	16	Bo	Cr	18	16	Es	18	Fr	16	Gr	16	18	18	It	La	Li	Mc	No	18	pt	ru	18	slo	sp	sw	16	18 (14 with a meal)	ua
Closing time for serving alcoholic drinks	Alb	None	Bel	Bg	Bo	Cr	None	None	Es	None	Fr	De	Gr	Depends on permit issued	None	Ir	It	La	Li	Mc	No	None	pt	ru	slv	slo	sp	sw	None, usually between 12-1am	Depends on permit issued	ua
Minimum age to buy cigarettes	Alb	16	Bel	16	Bo	Cr	18	16	Es	16	Fr	De	Gr	16	18	18	It	La	Li	Mc	No	18	pt	ru	18	slo	sp	sw	No age limit	16	ua
Minimum age to vote in government elections	Alb	18	Bel	Bg	Bo	Cr	18	18	18	18	Fr	De	Gr	18	18	18	It	La	Li	Mc	No	18	pt	ru	18	slo	sp	sw	18	18	ua
Minimum age to drive a car	Alb	17	Bel	Bg	Bo	Cr	18	18	18	18	Fr	De	Gr	18	17	17	It	La	Li	Mc	No	18	pt	ru	18	slo	sp	sw	18	17	ua
Minimum age to drive a motorbike over 50 cc	Alb	18	Bel	Bg	Bo	Cr	18	18	18	18	Fr	De	Gr	18	18	17	It	La	Li	Mc	No	18	pt	ru	18	slo	sp	sw	18	17	ua
Minimum age to drive a motorbike up to 50 cc	Alb	18	Bel	Bg	Bo	Cr	15	16	14	15	Fr	De	Gr	16	16	16	It	La	Li	Mc	No	16	pt	ru	15	slo	sp	sw	16	16	ua
Minimum age when you can be married (heterosexual)	Alb	18	Bel	Bg	Bo	Cr	18	18	Es	18	Fr	De	Gr	18	16 with parental consent.	16 with parental consent.	It	La	Li	Mc	No	Male 21 Female 18	pt	ru	15 with parental consent.	slo	sp	sw	18	16	ua
Minimum age to have heterosexual sex	Alb	13	Bel	Bg	Bo	Cr	15	15	Es	18	Fr	De	Gr	12	14	16 males, 17 females	It	La	Li	Mc	No	No age limit	pt	ru	15	slo	sp	sw	16	16	ua
Minimum age two consenting adults can have homosexual sex	Alb	13	Bel	Bg	Bo	Cr	15	15	Es	18	Fr	De	Gr	12	18	16 males, 17 females.	It	La	Li	Mc	No	21	pt	ru	15	slo	sp	sw	16	18	ua
Time limit for abortions (weeks)	Alb	12	Bel	Bg	Bo	Cr	12	12	Es	12 (24 for certain exceptions)	Fr	De	Gr	24	Hu	Prohibited	It	La	Li	Mc	No	Abortion prohibited	pt	ru	slv	slo	sp	sw	12	uk	ua
Legality of smoking cannabis	Alb	Illegal	Bel	Bg	Bo	Cr	Illegal	Illegal	Es	Illegal	Fr	De	Gr	Legal	Hu	Illegal to sell, legal to smoke.	It	La	Li	Mc	No	Illegal	pt	ru	Illegal	slo	sp	sw	Illegal	Illegal	ua
Compulsory military service	Alb	At age 18. 9 months military or 6 months civilian	Bel	Bg	Bo	Cr	None	None	Es	6, 9 or 12 months at age 18	Fr	De	Gr	None	Hu	None	It	La	Li	Mc	No	1 year at 17	pt	ru	None	slo	sp	sw	18-21 weeks for men at 20	None	ua
Basic rate of income tax	Alb	No basic rate	Bel	Bg	Bo	Cr	Cz	Dk	Es	No basic rate	Fr	De	Gr	Ho	Hu	Ir	It	La	Li	Mc	No	19%	pt	ru	19%	slo	sp	sw	ch	uk	ua

Notes

• 1. Proposals in Switzerland to limit sale of cigarettes to people aged 16 or 18.
• 2. There is a limited driving licence for those aged 16 in Estonia, allowing them to drive with a parent or guardian or someone nominated by a parent or guardian.
• 3. For bikes over 25 kW or an effective power of 160 W/kg in Estonia, you must be over 21.
• 4. For bikes under 50 cc in Estonia, drivers under 16 must have a certificate to say they have passed a traffic safety course.
• 5. For bikes over 25 kW in Austria, the rider must be over 21.
• 6. To be married in Austria, if one spouse at least 16 and the other is at least 18, they can be declared marriageable at court.
• 7. To have heterosexual or homosexual sex in Austria, if a partner is between 13 and 16, the elder partner must not be older than the younger by under 3 years.
• 8. Military service in Austria can be delayed for good reasons - university or health.
• 9. There are circumstances in Holland, where people can marry at 16, with obtained permission.
• 10. For people aged 12 to 16 in Holland who have heterosexual or homosexual sex, it is an offence if one of those involved or their parents files a complaint.
• 11. To produce, possess, sell, import or export cannabis in Holland is an offence. Smoking cannabis is not. This also applies in Ireland.
• 12. There is no age limit to drinking alcohol at home in Denmark. Alcoholic drinks can be bought by people over 16.
• 13. Bikes under 50 cc can be ridden by people in Denmark between 16 and 18, if the bike has a top speed of 30 km/h. A licence is needed.
• 14. Homosexuals can marry at 18 in Denmark.
• 15. To get married in Hungary between the ages of 16 and 18, you must have parental consent.
• 16. Bikes in Hungary up to 125 cc/11 kW can be driven by people over 16, bikes up to 25 kW or 160 W/kg by people over 18, and those over 25kW by people over 21 or with 2 years of experience with bikes up to 25 kW.