European mandatory age limits and related laws
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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 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | no minimum age | La | Li | Mc | 18 | 18 | pt | ru | 18 | slo | sp | 18 | 16 | 18 (16 with a meal, 5 at home under supervision by majors) | ua |
| Minimum age to drink spirits (brandy, vodka) | Alb | 16 | Bel | 18 | Bo | Cr | 18 | 16 | Es | 20 | Fr | 18 | 16 | 18 (over 15%) | 18 | 18 | It | La | Li | Mc | 20 | 18 | pt | ru | 18 | slo | sp | 18 | 18 | 18 | ua |
| Minimum age to drink wine | Alb | 16 | Bel | 16 | Bo | Cr | 18 | 16 | Es | 18 | Fr | 16 | no mimimum age | 16 | 18 | 18 | no mimimum age | La | Li | Mc | No | 18 | pt | ru | 18 | slo | sp | 18 | 16 | 18 (14 with a meal, 5 at home under supervision by majors) | ua |
| Closing time for serving alcoholic drinks | Alb | None | Bel | Bg | Bo | Cr | None | None | Es | 04 am | Fr | De | Depends on permit issued | Depends on permit issued | None | Ir | varies in every region | La | Li | Mc | No | None | pt | ru | slv | slo | sp | 02 am (04 am in the bigger citys) | None, usually between 12-1am | Depends on permit issued | ua |
| Minimum age to buy cigarettes | Alb | 16 | Bel | 16 | Bo | Cr | 18 | 16 | Es | 18 | Fr | De | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | It | La | Li | Mc | 18 | 18 | pt | ru | 18 | slo | sp | 18 | No age limit | 16 (going up to 18 in october 2007) | ua |
| Minimum age to vote in government elections | Alb | 18 | Bel | Bg | Bo | Cr | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | Fr | De | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | La | Li | Mc | 18 | 18 | pt | ru | 18 | slo | sp | 18 | 18 | 18 | ua |
| Minimum age to drive a car | Alb | 17 | Bel | Bg | Bo | Cr | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | Fr | De | 18 (See Notes) | 18 | 17 | 17 | It | La | Li | Mc | 18 | 18 | pt | ru | 18 | slo | sp | 18 | 18 | 17 (18 in 2007) | ua |
| Minimum age to drive a motorbike over 50 cc | Alb | 18 | Bel | Bg | Bo | Cr | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | Fr | De | 16 (with parental consent) | 18 | 18 | 17 | It | La | Li | Mc | 18 | 18 | pt | ru | 18 | slo | sp | 16 for 125cc and over 125cc 18 | 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 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | It | La | Li | Mc | 16 | 16 | pt | ru | 15 | slo | sp | 15 | 16 | 16 | ua |
| Minimum age when you can be married (heterosexual) | Alb | 18 | Bel | Bg | Bo | Cr | 18 | 18 | Es | 18 | Fr | De | 16 with parental consent. | 18 | 16 with parental consent. | 16 with parental consent. | It | La | Li | Mc | No | 18 | pt | ru | 15 with parental consent. | slo | sp | 18 | 18 | 16 (with parental consent) | ua |
| Minimum age to have heterosexual sex | Alb | 13 | Bel | Bg | Bo | Cr | 15 | 15 | Es | 18 | Fr | De | 16 | 12 | 14 | 16 males, 17 females | It | La | Li | Mc | 16 | 15 | pt | ru | 15 | slo | sp | 15 | 16 | 16 | ua |
| Minimum age two consenting adults can have homosexual sex | Alb | 13 | Bel | Bg | Bo | Cr | 15 | 15 | Es | 18 | Fr | De | 18 | 12 | 18 | 16 males, 17 females. | It | La | Li | Mc | 16 | 21 | pt | ru | 15 | slo | sp | sw | 16 | 16 (decreased from 18 in 2000) | ua |
| Time limit for abortions (weeks) | Alb | 12 | Bel | Bg | Bo | Cr | 12 | 12 | Es | 12 (24 for certain exceptions) | Fr | De | 12 (24 for certain exceptions) | 24 | Hu | Prohibited | It | La | Li | Mc | No | Abortion prohibited | pt | ru | slv | slo | sp | 18 | 12 | 12 weeks but only for specific reasons | ua |
| Legality of smoking cannabis | Alb | Illegal | Bel | Bg | Bo | Cr | Illegal | Illegal | Es | Illegal | Fr | De | Illegal | Legal | Hu | Illegal to sell, legal to smoke. | Illegal | La | Li | Mc | Illegal | Illegal | pt | ru | Illegal | slo | sp | Illegal | Illegal | Illegal (punishments light) | 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 | Mandatory 12 months at age 18 | None | Hu | None | It | La | Li | Mc | No | 9 months | pt | ru | None | slo | sp | 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 24, 36 months at age 18 | 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 | 5% - 40% Corporate Tax; 25% | Ho | Hu | Ir | It | La | Li | Mc | No | 19% | pt | ru | 19% | slo | sp | sw | ch | uk | ua |
[edit] 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 less than 50 cc in Estonia, drivers under 16 must have a certificate of eligibility.
- 5. In Greece it is possible to obtain a driver’s license for European Union defined Category B Passenger Vehicles at age 16.
